Twitter joins other social media platforms in rolling out a payment feature for content creators and others. As the name implies, Tip Jar will enable people to support Twitter personalities with tips.
The account owner / recipient will have to enable the feature first – after which, a Tip Jar icon will appear next to the Follow button on their profile page. Those who wish to tip can then tap on the icon and select a payment service or platform that the account has enabled.
Once a selection has been made, users will be brought off Twitter to the chosen app, where they can enter an amount and finalise payment. Available services include Bandcamp, Cash App, Patreon, PayPal and Venmo. Twitter said it takes no cut, but noted that payment service availability and features will vary by region. Android users can also send tips within Spaces.
At the moment, everyone using Twitter in English can send tips to those who have enabled the feature – expansion to other languages is planned. But for the time being, only a limited group of people across the world who use Twitter in English can add the feature to their profile and receive money. These people include creators, journalists, experts and nonprofits, but Twitter said it’ll widen that circle shortly.
Twitter said that Tip Jar is a “first step” in its efforts to set up ways for people to give and receive money on the platform. Social media platforms are banking heavily on attracting creators – Clubhouse launched its first monetisation feature last month, and Facebook has its Stars feature, with more monetisation opportunities announced and on the way.
