The new era of subscription marketing on social media

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The year 2022 promises a lot for social media. And not just because of TikTok's consolidation as the most important social network, the nonstop growth of Instagram Stories, the global boom in social e-commerce, the rise of podcasts on social media, or the long-awaited implementation of the enigmatic Metaverse universe.

The new year will bring us a true revolution in social media, a revolution that has been generating considerable buzz on social media channels for months. We are witnessing a new digital milestone: the implementation of the subscription-based marketing model on social media.

Data from our digital age
Before getting into the nitty-gritty, here are some facts from We Are Social to help you understand the current colossal ecosystem we operate in:

There are 4.2 billion social media users in 2021, an increase of 13.2% since 2020 (490 million new users). The number of social media users now panama mobile database represents more than 53% of the world's population.
In 2021, 60% of the world's population was an internet user, and 45% of internet users worldwide turned to social media when searching for products or services.

The subscription economy
The subscription model is a business model that has always existed. For example, it has existed in Spain for over 30 years with Venca, or more recently with the innovative and disruptive cosmetics company Birchbox.

Subscriptions can be applied to physical products (clothing, cosmetics, books, etc.), digital products (iCloud), service subscriptions (gyms), and content (media). This type of model offers many benefits to customers through the new features they choose, as they can enjoy first-hand updates and new services tailored to their tastes and needs. They also have access to the best, as they enjoy a more comprehensive service.

Since 2017, the subscription economy has accelerated in our country, and numerous companies have refined their product and service portfolios by restyling the model with meticulous customization and offering much more optimized quality, all with the goal of maximizing customer loyalty. Furthermore, this improvement is influenced by the fact that large companies are working with SAAS systems, integrating social media platforms and email marketing automation tools or CRM.

What is clear is that throughout 2022, we will see that not only Netflix, Amazon, and HBO will be major pay-per-subscription business models, but that this model will be very prevalent on social media.


What's coming next: Instagram Subscriptions
Last November, Instagram announced that it is working to implement a subscription model for accessing exclusive Stories called "Instagram Subscriptions," which will be launched soon.

Zuckerberg has seen a new business opportunity by implementing this method, through which he will receive a small commission for each paid subscription made (TechCrunch suggests between $0.99 and $4.99). This will be implemented through the technology platforms Apptopia and Sensor Tower. In turn, influencers will be allowed to charge for subscriptions to their channels so that they won't decide to close their Instagram accounts. Will Facebook follow suit? Most likely, since Instagram is Mark Zuckerberg's A/B test.

For its part, Twitter launched Super Follows in September, allowing iOS users to access exclusive content through a monthly subscription. Additionally, this December, the option is now available globally on Android. The company has also launched Twitter Blue, for $2.99 ​​per month, offering subscribers folders that organize their favorite tweets with customizable categories, the ability to edit messages before they are published, and a reader mode.

Telegram, for its part, will soon launch an ad-free subscription, as well as the current models that incorporate many more premium features, which are supported by YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music.