Viral tweets all have something in common – the authors use the massive reach their tweet has to promote their blog, their stream or their PayPal account.
That last one is rather common but of course it’s not limited to PayPal. Now Twitter is making it easier to send other Twitter users tips for their efforts.
“Tip Jar is an easy way to support the incredible voices that make up the conversation on Twitter. This is a first step in our work to create new ways for people to receive and show support on Twitter – with money,” writes senior product manager at Twitter, Esther Crawford.
While the idea of tipping another Twitter user sounds strange at first, a number of notable voices in the tech space have made a name for themselves on the platform.
Off the top of our head, Evan Blass is one such creator. For years now Blass has been showcasing forthcoming smartphones and tablets ahead of release on his Twitter page. These days Blass does have a blog but being able to tip him directly through Twitter is a nice way of showing your appreciation.
Beyond that, Twitter is pushing hard to become a creative platform. Just this week it rolled out Spaces, its drop-in audio chat service akin to Clubhouse but not limited to one OS. This coupled with the ability to go live and post stories makes Twitter a great portal for creators or just an ad-hoc platform to direct you to the main platform.
The payment services available will depend on where you live and what is available in your region but from today you can make use of:
- Bandcamp
- Cash App
- Patreon
- PayPal
- Venmo
That is of course if you have access.
“Starting today, everyone using Twitter in English can send tips to applicable accounts on Twitter for iOS and Android. For now, a limited group of people around the world who use Twitter in English can add Tip Jar to their profile and accept tips. This group includes creators, journalists, experts, and nonprofits. Soon, more people will be able to add Tip Jar to their profile and we’ll expand to more languages,” Crawford writes.
But what would a new feature be without a word of caution.
For those using PayPal to send tips you should know that there is an option you will need to select in order to insure the person you’re tipping doesn’t get your physical address as well.
As Gizmodo reports, PayPal offers two options when making a payment namely Goods and Services and Friends and Family. The former will automatically share your delivery details (if they are linked to your payment profile of course) so that the goods or service can be delivered. The latter will insure the person you’re tipping only receives the money.
To set up Tip Jar (if you have access) open the Twitter app on Android or iOS, head to your profile and then tap Edit Profile. At the bottom of that page you will see the Tip Jar option. Tap it and follow the prompts to start receiving tips.
[Image – Sam Dan Truong on Unsplash]
