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Meta Platforms Inc. launched a paid subscription service called Meta Verified last February 2023. This new subscription option, which is primarily aimed toward content creators on both Facebook and Instagram, includes several additional features and benefits, including account verification badges.
Early testing started in Australia and New Zealand and is now expanding to the US with the hope of bringing the service to the platform’s almost 5 million active users worldwide soon.
If you are curious about this new service from Meta, we made this handy guide for you to know more about it. Read on to learn about its benefits, drawbacks, and its possible impact to the social media world.
Table of Contents
What Is Meta’s Subscription Service?
Initially an answer to clamor from creators for better account protection, more reliable access to account support, and heightened reach and visibility, this paid subscription service targets to assist creators in their desire to advance their presence and protect their most important assets – their online personality and growing audience.
The main security feature of this subscription bundle includes a verified badge that authenticates an account using a government ID that matches the profile name and photo of the Facebook or Instagram account they’re applying for. This means one gets more protection from impersonation with proactive account monitoring for scammers whose target is to override accounts with growing online followers.
Aside from its important security feature, it also provides the necessary help right when it’s needed by providing direct access to customer support whenever account issues or concerns are encountered.
But the most significant feature that will benefit most content creators is its promise for increased visibility and reach in various search, comments, and recommendation platforms and various exclusive features that are handy in creating unique and personalized content.
All these features can be accessed for a monthly subscription of CAD 16.44 on the web and CAD 20.55 on iOS and Android.
Meta’s Subscription Service: Will It Work or Fail?
Created for influencers and creators, Meta’s subscription service could be attractive to this group of online users because it promises to help them increase reach and visibility and account protection against impersonation.
With that, its potential success lies in the fact that a growing number of influencers pursue content creation as a full-time job and rely entirely on income generated from brand partnerships, engagements, or endorsements. Thus, the features offered by the service can help content creators monetize better while providing authenticity and credibility.
However, its potential failure can be subscribed to the fact that it is pricey compared to other similar subscription services.
In comparison, Twitter’s Blue subscription service, which was launched in December and has nearly 300,000 worldwide subscribers, only costs CAD 10.97 a month for web users and CAD 15.08 a month via Apple App Store. While Snapchat+ of social messaging service Snap with over 2 million users has a similar service with a price of just CAD 5.47 a month.
How Will Meta’s Subscription Service Impact Its Users and Creators?
While it may not directly influence the public at large at the onset, it can turn things around for the better for content creators as the service aims at increasing creators’ reach and visibility.
For one, it will provide creators with new tools or features to reach a bigger audience and improve their content, which means that they can grow their following and generate more income.
It could also benefit micro-influencers who fail to receive the recognition they deserve because of present algorithms. With the Meta verification, these creators will now have the chance to achieve the credibility and visibility they were working so hard for.
The verification system implemented by Meta is designed to provide an additional level of authenticity and credibility to the accounts of influencers and creators on the platform. While this update will increase the credibility of creators, it will also help reduce instances of impersonation and cases of fake profiles that often spread misinformation.
However, one cannot dismiss the high monthly subscription fee that is not affordable for many, especially nano and micro-content creators. While the service provides the much-needed boost and protection for creators, not many will see value in this feature.
Moreover, it could also potentially change how content is prioritized on the platform, which could result in some creators coming across problems on decreased visibility and engagement.
A more dangerous effect, in the long run, is that this may also have an impact on the quality and the value of the content that becomes visible and popular on social media. Today, visibility and following are based on the creator’s popularity, hard work, and consistent creation of unique content. But with this update, anyone can buy a badge without any consistent effort and quality content.
Will Meta’s Future Be Bright in the Social Media World?
While Meta’s Subscription Service has the capacity to be successful in its aim to help content creators monetize better, promote smaller creators, and provide authenticity and credibility; it also has the potential to fail as it is unaffordable by many. Thus, Meta can further increase the subscription service’s chance of success by carefully balancing the special features it offers and their value for money.
However, we cannot overlook the fact that with the 4.76 billion social media users around the world at present, its most important impact can be seen in its power to change how creators’ content is prioritized on the platform.
Thus, it has a significant impact on the way content can be seen on social media which in turn has the power to influence and affect change – hopefully for the better.
