When users set up a new WordPress-powered website, they’ve long been greeted by a default introductory post simply titled “Hello World!”
But, now it’s time for WordPress to say goodbye. Specifically, goodbye to Twitter.
WordPress just became the latest major platform or organization to cut its Twitter integrations due to Elon Musk’s new high-priced API subscription plans.
Under Musk, Twitter has it close its free API offerings for developers looking to build Twitter-based apps or integrations. Instead, the company announced exorbitantly priced Enterprise subscription tiers that start at $42,000 a monthearlier this year.
According to a statement released by WordPress, the platform is removing Twitter from JetPack, an official plugin managed by WordPress and its parent company, Automattic. Among its many security and marketing offerings, JetPack Social gives users the ability to automatically share content directly to a number of social media platforms from their WordPress sites.
WordPress is clear in its statement, titled “The end of automatic Twitter sharing(opens in a new tab),” that Twitter’s removal of JetPack is due to the API price increase.
“Twitter decided, on short notice, to dramatically change the terms and pricing of the Twitter API,” Automattic said in a statement. “We have attempted to work with Twitter in good faith to negotiate new terms, but have been unable to reach an agreement. As a result, Twitter’s connection to Jetpack Social will no longer work and your blog posts will no longer be automatically shared on Twitter “.
The company is clear that this will only affect Twitter. Automattic claims that WordPress users will still be able to use JetPack’s social features as they previously did with platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn and Tumblr. Additionally, the company stated that it plans to add Instagram and decentralized Twitter competitor Mastodon to JetPack Social in the “near future.”
By ditching Twitter, WordPress joins the ranks of other big companies to ditch Twitter in recent weeks. Microsoft recently removed Twitter from its Microsoft ads service i Xbox game console and intercoma popular customer service platform, also removed the Musk-owned platform from its tools.
Losing WordPress is a massive blow to Twitter. Here’s why.
WordPress is the most popular(opens in a new tab) Internet content management system. About 43 percent of the entire web is powered by WordPress. That’s hundreds of millions of websites, blogs and e-commerce sites.
JetPack is a free security, performance and marketing plugin provided by WordPress. There are also paid subscription plans for premium features. It is unclear how many WordPress websites use JetPack. Mashable has reached out to Automattic for more information and will update this piece when we hear back.
However, JetPack is listed(opens in a new tab) in the official WordPress plugin directory showing that there are over 5 million active installations of JetPack on WordPress-based websites. According to the directory, there are less than a dozen plugins with that many active installations. It should also be noted that the “5 million plus” active install tag in JetPack is the highest numbered tag that WordPress provides in the directory, so the actual number of active installs could be much bigger
Twitter’s API moves have baffled developers big and small. Many indie developers were forced to close its small Twitter-based apps over the past month, as Twitter suspended developers on its API platform in preparation for the switch to paid enterprise plans. Even popular Twitter clients like Tweetbot and Twitterific were cut down from the Twitter API without notice. Both are now closed.
Utility bills have fared no better. Public transport accounts like the MTAwhich manages the New York City subway system, and public safety services, such as the National Meteorological Service, have been affected by Twitter’s API changes. Both have announced that they would no longer be able to provide topical alerts on the platform.
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WordPress, the popular content management system, has just announced that it is dropping Twitter as a social sharing option for websites hosted on its platform. This is due to an API pricing hike from Twitter, which WordPress believes is unacceptable. Although removing Twitter from its CMS will undoubtedly leave some of its users disappointed, WordPress is determined to maintain the best experience for all of its clients.
At Ikaroa, we understand the importance of social sharing – especially for businesses looking to optimize their online presence. WordPress have set a precedent for holding their own among the industry giants and we believe their decision to drop Twitter as a sharing option is in the best interest of their customers.
We are proud to provide our clients with WordPress hosting, ensuring a secure and trusted platform. It’s also important to note that WordPress still allows sharing via other major social networks, such as Facebook and LinkedIn, as well as providing support for additional services, like Google Plus and Reddit.
For those businesses and organizations who were relying on Twitter as an important sharing option, Ikaroa provides a full range of web development services that can be tailored to their specific needs. This can include the integration of a custom-built social media sharing function that works with the services of their choice.
At Ikaroa, we strive to stay up to date with all of the latest technology, allowing us to provide the best possible solutions for our clients. We believe WordPress have made the right decision, and that our clients have nothing to worry about when it comes to their online presence.
