Episode #
Biz Lessons Behind Instagram Making $660M on Blue Checkmarks #2434
April 24, 2023

In episode #2434, Neil and Eric talk about the business lessons behind Instagram making $660M on blue checkmarks. Tuning in you’ll hear all the details of Instagram’s decision to charge for blue checkmarks and the record profits they are making virtually overnight. Today’s conversation also delves into predictions for this trend — like how it might play out in other social media brands owned by Meta — before covering the business lessons we should all be learning from this news story!
TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[00:20] Today’s topic: Biz Lessons Behind Instagram Making $660M on Blue Checkmarks.

[00:34] A rundown of the Instagram blue checkmark news story.

[01:14] The differences between Instagram and Twitter.

[02:18] Why charging for a blue checkmark is likely to undermine its prestige and credibility.

[03:18] Our predictions for how the economy around badges and checkmarks will evolve on Instagram and related platforms like Whatsapp and Facebook.

[04:07] The business lessons we can all learn from this development at Instagram. 

[05:27] That’s it for today! Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe!

Go to https://www.marketingschool.io to learn more!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Instagram

Twitter

WhatsApp

Facebook

Meta

Don’t forget to help us grow by subscribing and liking on YouTube!

Leave Some Feedback:

What should we talk about next? Please let us know in the comments below

Did you enjoy this episode? If so, please leave a short review.

Connect with Us: 

Single Grain << Eric’s ad agency

NP Digital << Neil’s ad agency

Twitter @neilpatel 

Twitter @ericosiu

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover Latest Episodes

Episode
If You’re Not Adopting AI, F**k You. You Will Be A Burden On Society, Unilever To Hire 20-30x More Influencers, How We’re Handling Influencer Pitches, LLM Marketing Will Be Controlled By The Brand Side, Not SEO., How To Triple Your Form Conversion Rate
June 18, 2025

In this episode #2990, Eric Siu and Neil Patel discuss why adopting AI is essential, the tension between optimism and pessimism in business, and how to navigate chaos. They explore the growth of influ...

Episode
Reddit Uses AI To Translate Millions Of Pages And Google’s OK With It, How To Effectively Recruit Offshore Talent Using AI, What’s More Important Than Business, What The Future Of SaaS Will Look Like
June 17, 2025

In this episode #2989, Eric Siu and Neil Patel discuss how AI is transforming translation, content creation, and talent acquisition. They reflect on work-life balance, the value of relationships in bu...

Episode
Does ChatGPT Actually Have A Higher Conversion Rate Than Google Traffic?, AI Traffic Is Not Being Tracked Accurately, How To Actually Spread AI Adoption Throughout Your Company, AI Is Slashing Headcount — Fast (Here’s What To Do)
June 16, 2025

In this episode #2988, Eric Siu and Neil Patel discuss how ChatGPT is changing user behavior and conversion rates compared to Google. They explore the rise of AI assistants in search, the cost efficie...