Twitter Revamp: 10 Things To Know
Twitter's latest round of changes takes design cues from Facebook and provides new ways to tout your profile and Tweets. Get up to speed.
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If you're one of Twitter's 241 million active monthly users, you've probably grown accustomed to -- and maybe even fond of -- the microblogging service's endearing quirks, most notably its arbitrary 140-character limit for posts. Twitter also deserve kudos for transforming the humble hashtag into a social media superstar.
The "other social network" has always been distinctly different from Facebook, although the lines between the two have been fading as of late. Since its inception in 2006, Twitter has managed to grow steadily by taking a different approach to online interaction -- one that's devoted to short bursts of information that the service's creators compared to a bird's "tweet."
Twitter has evolved over the years, of course, adding new search, video, and photo tools and expanding its reach onto mobile platforms. But its appearance has remained distinctly Twitter-esque until this week, when the company announced a series of changes to its Web profiles that look strikingly similar to Facebook's motif. These upgrades include larger profile photos, big banner displays, and more ways to promote tweets you deem important. The following slideshow examines these changes in greater detail.
It's only fair to point out that Facebook has been copying Twitter as well. Nearly a year ago, for instance, it incorporated Twitter-style hashtags, and in late 2012 Facebook replaced its "subscribe" button on users' profile pages with the more Twitter-like "follow."
What's behind Twitter's new Web profile makeover? According to Jay York, a social media strategist with EMSI Public Relations and an internet marketing pro dating back to the ancient days of MySpace and LiveJournal, Twitter's new look is a smart response to Facebook's recent modifications to its ad campaign structure -- changes that may impact the marketing efforts of its business users.
"Countless small businesses and social media managers are scrambling to figure out how to continue to make Facebook work for them without paying extensively for ads," said York in response to an email query from InformationWeek.
Twitter's goal is to lure businesses looking for alternatives to paid ads, York added. "Mirroring the main draw of Facebook -- the profile design -- can allow [Twitter] to make a more image-centric platform and directly compete with Facebook's style of content presentation."
And while Twitter's 140-character limit remains intact, York doesn't see this self-imposed brevity as a hindrance to attracting business users. "Users will still only have 140 characters to express themselves, but these changes make profiles far better than they were previously."
Check out the Web profile changes and decide for yourself. Is Twitter's new look a smart move? Leave your opinion in the comments field.
Twitter's new Web profile has a lot of Facebook-like attributes, which is evident in the Facebook and Twitter profiles shown here for singer John Legend. Note how the profile photo is positioned in the upper-left corner. Twitter users can now post larger profile and banner photos too. The visual impact is, well, very Facebook-like. The makeover may succeed at luring Facebook users, particularly those who feel comfortable right away with Twitter's new Web look. However, Twitter's mobile apps will retain the service's traditional motif -- at least for now.
These Twitter Web profiles (old and new) illustrate the greater visual impact of Twitter's makeover. Not only is the headshot larger in the new (Michelle Obama) profile, the bigger banner photo runs the length of the page and packs a greater visual impact.
Popular tweets are now noticeably larger than other posts. Your followers' eyes are drawn immediately to messages that made the greatest impact in the Twitterverse -- ideal for when you post something incredibly insightful. By boosting the font size of certain messages, York said, "[Twitter is] visually enhancing the importance of tweets, which in the end is the main point of Twitter," said York.
Is there a way to choose which tweets get the big-text treatment? Yes -- see the next slide.
Twitter, arguably more than Facebook, Google+, and other social networks, has a soapbox-like vibe. Perhaps that's why it's the go-to platform for actors, politicians, and other celebs. And if you're using Twitter to share your insights with the world, the new "Pinned Tweet" feature makes a lot of sense. Is there a particular tweet your followers shouldn't miss? Pin it to the top of the page and they won't be able to ignore it. This feature will help you keep important tweets from being buried under more mundane ones. It might also help new followers (and passersby) get a quick sense as to what you're all about.
Twitter's new "filtered tweets" feature makes it easier for followers to view specific content, such as photos and videos associated with your account. Rather than being cloistered away in a separate window, pics and clips are now integrated with their respective tweets (see above).
Here's a second example of Twitter's improved filtering tools. You now can choose to view either "Tweets" or "Tweets and Replies" -- the latter for when you can't get enough of those witty rejoinders such as "Thanks!" and "Good point." To be fair, Twitter replies are sometimes highly entertaining, particularly when they provide a front-row seat to verbal fisticuffs between two or more users.
Twitter's recent upgrades aren't limited to its Web profiles. The company last month announced a couple of significant changes to its iOS and Android mobile apps, too. One is the ability to tag up to ten people in a picture, another Facebook-inspired feature designed to boost engagement.
Other users can tag you too, although Twitter lets you opt out of this feature. And if you're a tagging fanatic, dig this: You can tag up to ten people and still retain all 140 characters for your tweet.
Mobile users can now share up to four photos in a single tweet. The images automatically create a collage. To view a picture, tap its preview for a full-size image, and then swipe to see the rest of the pics. The ability to upload multiple photos is available today on iOS; Android users will get this feature soon, Twitter says.
Twitter has long notified you via email or other means (e.g., pop-up notification on a mobile device) when another user has retweeted, replied to, or "favorited" one of your tweets. But now, when you're logged into Twitter.com, you'll see a pop-up notification when someone retweets/replies/favorites your tweet and when you receive a direct message or new follower. These real-time notifications are interactive, too: You respond within the pop-up window to a user who sends you a direct message, or who retweets one of your posts, for instance.
Become more engaged in the Twitterverse by donning the Twitter Helmet, a "fully immersive, staggeringly high-resolution" device that allows you to interact with the world around you via "pecking" head motions!
In case you're wondering, yes, this "upgrade" was announced on April 1st.
Become more engaged in the Twitterverse by donning the Twitter Helmet, a "fully immersive, staggeringly high-resolution" device that allows you to interact with the world around you via "pecking" head motions!
In case you're wondering, yes, this "upgrade" was announced on April 1st.
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