Status updates

Changes to Twitter’s API – Update

4th May 2023 – ONGOING

In response to Twitter’s decision to end its free API, we have been investigating possible solutions, including Twitter’s new API pricing tiers, and the impact these will have on our clients. 

Twitter’s API Tiers

The API option Twitter has made available to developers comes with an extraordinarily high price tag of $42,000 a month. In order to cover this we would need to pass on a significant cost to our clients and have therefore discounted it as a viable solution. You may be aware that Twitter is also offering a $100 per month custom API. This option, which we feel is still a substantial cost, is not available to our clients as websites built on a CMS, like ours and those of other similar suppliers, are considered a single use case.

Development in progress

As an alternative, we have been working on a solution that we hope will allow us to keep the feeds running and ultimately provide a much more cost-effective resolution to the issue that Twitter has caused. We are currently testing the new integration and once completed and verified, our aim is that you will notice little difference in the way Twitter integrates with your website. There is nothing that you need to do at this point, but please be aware that as we complete our testing process to ensure the long-term viability of this as an option, you may experience some intermittent disruption to the Twitter feed on your website.

The option of replacing or removing the Twitter feed completely would need to be looked at on a case by case basis as doing so could affect the functionality and design of each site differently. We are hoping to avoid the need for this altogether so that we can keep any associated development and re-design costs to an absolute minimum.

We appreciate your patience and understanding while we work to find the most cost-effective solution with the least disruption to your website. Unfortunately, decisions made by Twitter or any other third-party platform are out of our control and the situation may develop in unforeseen ways. We will continue to provide you with transparent information as it becomes available and will keep you updated with our progress.

Please note: the Twitter API issue will only affect feeds that pull your Twitter posts into your website, usually found on your homepage or social media panel. It will not impact the Twitter symbol that links off to your Twitter account, most often located in the main navigation or footer of your website.

Changes to Twitter’s API – Possible Twitter Feed Disruption

25th April 2023

Twitter has announced that it will no longer be supporting access to their free API. As this is how websites sync with Twitter, the change will have an impact on how we, and other website providers, are able to implement this service in the future. If you have a website with us that integrates with Twitter, please be advised that your Twitter feed may be disrupted in the coming weeks as Twitter implements the changes and we work to find a solution. This is due entirely to Twitter’s change of policy and regrettably something that is out of our control. You may be aware of the concern caused by some of Twitter’s recent actions and that many businesses, including Microsoft, are choosing to move away from Twitter integration. The situation with Twitter remains uncertain and there is always the possibility they will reconsider their position. However, the actions taken by the recent ownership have proven to be unpredictable and there are no certainties.

We are looking into Twitter’s new paid for API service to see if it will be a viable option. The cost for this is high and we are working to find alternative solutions that might better suit our clients’ needs. We will update this page when we have further information and details on the options available.

We understand that the decision taken by Twitter is disappointing and is likely to cause some inconvenience to our clients. We are committed to supporting you as the changes take effect and if you do experience any disruption to the Twitter feed on your website, please let us know by emailing support@cleverbox.co.uk so we can monitor the situation as it develops.

Where next…