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Twitter’s new API pricing changes have been a hot topic of discussion in the automation world. With the new changes, Twitter is making it more difficult for bots and automated accounts to access their APIs. This has caused some confusion and concern among users who rely on automation for their business or personal activities. In this article, we will explore what these new API price changes are and how they will impact automation on Twitter. We’ll also look at some potential use cases of how you can still use automation while working within the new rules set forth by Twitter.
What are new Twitter API Prices?
Earlier today, Twitter emailed their developers with a pricing model to explain the new price structure for their previously free API access. The Twitter API is split into categories with the basic API acccess available to basic developers at a continued free price. View the Prices for the Twitter API below.
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For write-only use cases and testing the Twitter API
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For hobbyists and prototypes
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What about Twitter for Enterprise clients or Commercial use cases?Unfortunately, twitter wants you to apply for their enterprise access so there are no prices here. According to their latest email – “If you have a commercial use case or need additional limits and endpoints, we recommend that you apply for Enterprise access.” What happens to Current Twitter API clients & Customers?Current access plans including Standard (v1.1), Essential (v2), Elevated (v2), and Premium will be deprecated over the next 30 days, so Twitter recommends you migrate to the new tiers as soon as possible for a smooth transition. Any non-migrated developer accounts will be impacted by April 29th, 2023 at the latest.
What About Ads API access?According to the email, Ads API will continue to be available at no additional cost to approved Twitter API developers, including developers on the new Free tier. To provide our advertisers and partners a smooth transition, Ads API developers on Essential, Elevated, or Premium plans will have 90 days to migrate to Free, Basic, or Enterprise.
Does Twitter still allow for API Access for Universities and Academia?For Academia, we are looking at new ways to continue serving this community. In the meantime, Free, Basic and Enterprise are available for academics.
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What is the Twitter API?
API, or Application Programming Interface, is a tool released by companies when they want developers to use their software product. Companies like Twitter, Facebook, Spotify, Apple and even ChatGPT offer API’s to developers, usually for free or relatively low cost, to encourage developers to design and build for their platforms.
Why is Twitter Charging for the API?
Since Elon Musk came to Twitter, he has made a ton of changes likely to fund the purchase of the social media platform. Its speculated that the new prices for the Twitter API, which was historically free, are meant to help cover the first bill Elon needs to pay on his purchase of the platform.
The Pros and Cons of Twitter’s New API Prices
Despite many Elon musk haters insisting this will be the end of twitter, there are a few pro’s to charging for APIs on the platform.
- Higher prices mean that bot usage of twitter is likely to go down
- Expensive API’s make it easier for twitter to control their bot problem
- API access is still avaiulable for those that want to experiment
- API access prices are likely to help spur more focused development on the platform to stay efficient
The cons of Twitters new API Prices:
There are problems with the Twitter API Pricing like:
- Less development likely means less engagement with your tweets
- More people may consider leaving twitter for Mastadon
- Businesses that rely on the Twitter APi for Marketing or devvelopment may leave or discontinue their development
Top Alternatives to Twitters API for Social Media Automation
Fortunately, for many businesses, the Twitter API is not the most impactful form of social media. Despite their inflated numbers, Twitter does not have the same level of interaction or sales value to businesses as other brands like Instagram, Pinterest, or even Mastodon if you need a real-time blogging competitor. A lot of the social media marketing tactics that work for businesses do not work for Twitter. A great example is paid advertising campaigns that are a popular way for brands to market products, services, and their brand. Unfortunately, there is a Twitter API that limits the number of tweets you can use per day per account. This makes it difficult from an advertiser’s perspective because they have to buy more impressions than they could on other platforms.As I mentioned earlier, using social media as a marketing tool can save your business money with tangible benefits such as increasing revenue or building community relationships. But, just consider using a different platform instead!
Conclusion: The Future of Social Media Automation is Uncertain but You Can Still Find Affordable Solutions
Twitter has recently implemented a new policy that limits the use of automation on its platform. This has caused a lot of debate in the tech community, with many wondering if this really is the end of automation on Twitter. But gratefully, there is a lot of competition in the Social Media Marketing space and you don’t need to shell out a hundred dollars for the twitter API unless you absolutely need Twitter for y our business.
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