Twitter Spaces: Here are 5 things to know

Ron DeSantis’ decision to formally announce his run for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination on social media was an unprecedented event in campaign history.

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Even though the Florida governor’s announcement on Twitter Spaces on Wednesday was delayed by nearly 30 minutes due to technical glitches, the move represented a new way to connect with audiences.

David Sacks, a technology entrepreneur and investor who moderated the conversation between Twitter owner Elon Musk and DeSantis, asked the Florida governor why he decided on a livestream announcement on Twitter.

DeSantis responded that his experience in moving away from conventional leadership was a big reason for his decision.

Here are some things to know about Twitter Space.

What is Twitter Spaces?

Twitter Spaces is an audio streaming feature that is available on the Twitter website and mobile app. It allows users to livestream discussions and gives them many options for engagement during the event. Users can also engage before and after the event.

According to Twitter, people can join, listen and speak in a “Space.”

The feature was rolled out in December 2020 and was tweaked during the summer of 2022, according to Social Media Examiner.

Spaces was Twitter’s answer to Clubhouse, a livestream social app that grew rapidly in the pandemic after its March 2020 launch, The New York Times reported. While Twitter once had a video livestreaming service called Periscope, the company shut it down in 2021 to focus on the audio option, according to the newspaper.

Who can use Twitter Spaces?

Any user with 600 or more followers can host a Space, Reuters reported. Up to 13 people can speak in a Space, including the host and two co-hosts, according to the website. Spaces are public and can be accessed by anyone. Starting a Space on the web is not available, but anyone can listen from their personal computers or telephones, Twitter said.

For now, all Spaces are public, just like tweets. They automatically appear at the top of your home timeline, the Tallahassee Democrat reported. Each Space has a link that can be shared publicly.

How to join Twitter Spaces

People on Twitter for iOS and Android can start a Space, Twitter notes on its website. Users wanting to join Twitter Space can tap the purple circle found on the top part of a person’s timeline on their mobile app, according to Influencer Marketing Hub. Alternatively, you can look for tweets that feature a purple Spaces box. A person can only join a Space when it is live.

Computer and phone users can access Twitter Spaces by going to twitter.com. A person does not need a Twitter account to listen.

The Space can be accessed through a browser or by the Twitter app, according to the Democrat. The app is available in the App Store and Google Play.

Are there glitches?

After Wednesday’s conversation between Musk and DeSantis was delayed for nearly 30 minutes on Wednesday, the short answer is yes.

In December, Twitter Spaces stopped working after tens of thousands of users joined an audio chat room to listen to Musk talk about why Twitter had banned several journalists from the social network, the Times reported.

Can you make money?

In September 2001, Twitter introduced Super Follows. The platform allows people to earn monthly revenue by sharing subscriber-only content with their Twitter followers. The service has seen been rebranded and is now called Subscriptions.

“With Super Follows, people can create an extra level of conversation on Twitter (sharing bonus Tweets and more!) to interact authentically with their most engaged followers,” Twitter wrote when it launched the platform. “All while earning money.”