Tag Archive for: Twitter

Microsoft Advertising Cuts Twitter Access To Major Ad Tools

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Microsoft Advertising has begun alerting users that it is cutting support for Twitter across its platform starting April 25, 2023.

This means you will no longer be able to include Multiplatform Smart Campaigns or manage your Twitter account through the Digital Marketing Center (DMC). That includes being unable to schedule, create, or manage tweets and tweet drafts will be removed from the platform on that day.

Additionally, advertisers will be unable to view or track past tweets’ performance and engagement on the platform.

Why This Matters

This is notable for a few reasons. 

DMC is one of the leading tools used to manage multiple social media accounts from one location, including the crucial ability to respond to DMs from all major social networks without signing into multiple accounts and pages. 

This is because the tool is offered for free to all advertisers on Microsoft Ads and is integrated with Microsoft’s other social and paid ad tools for businesses. Once removed, this will create a significant hurdle for many advertisers wanting to manage social ads and engagement efficiently. 

This is also a major loss for Twitter, which has struggled to bring back advertisers since the takeover by Elon Musk. Estimates indicate that up to half of Twitter’s biggest advertisers have left since his purchase of the company.

Just this week, Musk has been making appearances at major marketing and advertising conferences in a bid to attract brands back to Twitter, but the loss of access through major social ad tools will only make Twitter a harder sell to the brands which have already left.

Meanwhile, Microsoft generated over $12 billion dollars in revenue for digital ads last year and is poised to make even bigger gains this year.

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Twitter Makes Its Source Code Public, Here’s What You Need To Know

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Following leaks, Twitter has made its content recommendation algorithm completely available to the public – laying bare how the social network works and what sort of posts are most likely to succeed. 

Along with a lot of interesting details involving which types of content are best received, how your interactions with others affect you, and how poor grammar may hurt you, the code also includes a number of concerning details that have made human rights groups concerned. 

Let’s talk about all the most notable parts below:

Likes Count Most

Likes seem like the easiest type of interaction you can get from other users but don’t underestimate them. The code shows that likes are easily the most important type of engagement compared to retweets or replies. 

The system assigns points to each type of interaction, with each point giving a boost to a post’s visibility. In the current system, a single like gives a post 30 points. Retweets are not far behind, giving 20 points. Shockingly, replies are practically meaningless in comparison, giving just a single point for each reply. 

This means that all the conversation in the world doesn’t matter if users aren’t also liking your posts. 

Pics and Videos Are Important

Less surprisingly, the source code confirms that posts containing visual media are largely preferred over plain text. 

Linking Out Is Frowned Upon

This is another one that has been suspected for a while but has been confirmed by the source code. 

For the most part, Twitter does not want you to link users off the platform. It makes a simple type of sense. Twitter’s goal is to keep people on the app as long as possible, and each link represents a chance for users to leave the app. 

To combat this, the site largely downplays posts containing links unless they are coming from accounts that already have a lot of interaction on their posts. 

Twitter Blue Helps

Elon Musk has not been shy about his plans to make Twitter more of a pay-for-play platform through his pet project, Twitter Blue. Since its reveal, one of the touted benefits of the premium subscription is increased visibility, which is backed by the source code. 

This is not a guarantee you’ll suddenly get a ton of exposure if you sign up for Twitter Blue, though. Accounts are just given points toward their overall algorithm ranking if they are subscribed. 

Poor Spelling Costs You

For a site with the most limited options for editing posts after they go live (only available to Twitter Blue subscribers for 30 minutes after a tweet is posted), Twitter is surprisingly uptight about spelling and grammar. The source code indicates that posts with poor spelling and grammar may be demoted as a form of spam prevention.

The Controversial Stuff

Lastly, we come to the most eyebrow-raising details contained within the source code because of how Twitter appears to be handling international conflicts and vulnerable groups. 

Based on the available code, Twitter seems to be limiting the visibility of posts talking about the ongoing war in Ukraine as hate-based content. This is particularly problematic as many human aid groups have relied on social networks like Twitter to drive donations, awareness, and support.

Another hot-button topic that seems to be directly targeted by Twitter’s code are transgender individuals. Users found that several terms relating to transgender people are suppressed on the platform, particularly when sharing links to other sites containing those terms. Meanwhile, activists say that the platform is not limiting pages containing hateful terms.

Musk says part of the decision to make this source code open to the public is the hope to identify problems that can be quickly fixed by the team to improve the recommendation algorithm. As such, the code should be seen as a work in progress. Still, it is worth taking time to familiarize yourself with everything in the recent code if you drive sales for your business through Twitter.

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Since Elon Musk’s Takeover, Twitter Has Lost 40% of Its Daily Revenue

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Since the much-publicized takeover by Elon Musk, Twitter has seen its daily revenue plummet by up to 40%. While Musk has been widely criticized for his behavior as CEO and management of the company in recent months, this info, reported by The Information, indicates things are also falling apart behind the scenes. 

Much of the lost revenue is attributed to recent news that more than 500 of Twitter’s top advertisers cut or entirely stopped advertising on the platform since Elon Musk’s takeover. 

Why Are Advertisers Pulling Away From Twitter?

The main issue raised by most major advertisers is Musk’s approach to content moderation. Musk has claimed to be a proponent of free speech online, indicating that content moderation should be handled with a light hand – if at all. 

As such, Musk has reinstated many previously banned accounts – including those of avowed white supremacists – and dismissed most of the staff responsible for content moderation on the platform. 

Understandably, this has made many large advertisers wary of how safe the platform is for their advertising. 

At the same time, Musk has also terminated much of Twitter’s sales teams, including those in charge of accounts with the company’s biggest advertisers. Similarly, engineers and data scientists who were working to improve the advertising service on Twitter have been dismissed. 

What This Means For Twitter’s Future

Unless Musk finds a way to reverse course and satisfy previous advertisers’ concerns, this could bode poorly for the company’s future. Users have already expressed frustration with having new features locked behind a paywall as part of Twitter Blue, indicating the premium service will not be able to make up for lost ad revenue. Meanwhile, Musk’s slashing of staff will make it difficult for the company to engineer new tools or services that generate revenue. 

With all this in mind, advertisers have every right to approach the platform with caution.

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Twitter Introduces View Counts, Promises Users Will Be Able To Opt-Out

Last week, Twitter CEO Elon Musk suddenly revealed that view counts would be publicly visible for all tweets – not just videos shared on the platform. 

Previously, this data was only available to the user who posted a tweet through the post insights tools for creators. 

The view count appears alongside other engagement metrics such as likes and retweets, below the main content of a tweet. The number also refreshes in real-time.

As Musk said during the announcement, the view count is meant to draw attention to the number of Twitter users that do not typically engage with tweets in public ways – such as commenting or liking:

“[This] shows how much more alive Twitter is than it may seem, as over 90% of Twitter users read, but don’t tweet, reply or like, as those are public actions.”

Twitter users did not appear to be on board with the newly viewable impressions counts, though many complained that the lack of engagement compared to views actually demoralizes creators. It is also a strange time to introduce impression counts when there has been widespread frustration about falling engagement across the platform.

After days of backlash about the feature, Musk said that the platform would be adding the option to turn off view counts. 

In response to a comment from someone who disliked the design of Twitter since adding the view count, Musk said the platform will “tidy up the esthetics & add a setting to turn it off.”

Still, the controversial CEO remained positive about the feature, saying “I think almost everyone will grow to like it.”

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Twitter Blue Expands To Brands With Blue For Business

After a somewhat chaotic rollout for Twitter Blue Verified for standard users, the company is beginning the process of launching Blue for Business.

The new subscription option will distinguish verified businesses from verified individuals through a unique gold checkmark, square profile pictures, and the ability to link affiliated Twitter accounts.

Those who are linked as an affiliated account, such as accounts of employees, will be given a different badge next to their verified individual checkmark. 

For example, you can see the difference between the official Twitter account and the linked affiliated account for an employee below: 

Blue for Business example

It is unclear what other benefits Blue for Business accounts receive by subscribing – other than the ability to distinguish themselves from potential impersonators.

However, the announcement does describe some ways Twitter sees Blue for Business being used by brands:

“By creating this connection, we’re making it possible for businesses to create networks within their own organizations–on Twitter. Businesses can affiliate their leadership, brands, support handles, employees or teams. Journalists, sports team players or movie characters can all be affiliated. You name it, we got it. Each affiliate will be verified and officially linked to their parent handle based on a list provided by the parent business. We will share any new criteria, pricing or process as we update them.”

Currently, Blue for Business is limited to a pilot run of select accounts. It is expected to roll out broadly to brands that want to subscribe early next year. Most likely, we will learn more about exactly what the service has to offer brands other than verification.

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Twitter Relaunches Twitter Blue and Other Profile Verification Labels

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After a false start, Twitter is relaunching its verification system including the much-discussed Twitter Blue program. 

To distinguish those who are paying for verification from celebrities or well-known businesses, the new take on the system is also introducing unique labels for businesses and official accounts. 

During the initial rollout of the Twitter Blue system, there was a wave of confusion as parody accounts, trolls, and other bad actors were spending the $8 fee for Twitter Blue to impersonate public figures and companies. 

Following this confusion and complaints from several companies facing PR fiascos, Twitter CEO Elon Musk temporarily retracted the program. In theory, the new badges for official and business accounts, along with restrictions on who can apply for Twitter Blue, should help prevent bad actors from abusing the system. 

Below, we will get into what each badge stands for and who is eligible for each.

Twitter Verified (Twitter Blue) – Blue Checkmark

The classic blue checkmark will be available to users subscribing to the Twitter Blue verified program.

The program costs $8 per month if you subscribe through a web browser or $11 for those subscribing through the iOS app. Musk says the increased cost for Apple users is reflective of Apple’s commission on in-app purchases.

Along with the blue checkmark, Twitter Blue accounts will soon start receiving a number of benefits including:

  • Priority placement in replies, mentions, and search results
  • 50% fewer advertisements
  • The ability to edit tweets
  • The ability to publish longer videos

To be eligible, accounts must meet a number of criteria including:

  • Be Complete: Your account must include a display name and profile photo
  • Recent Activity: There must be activity on the account in the last 30 days
  • Established: Accounts must be older than 90 days and include a phone number for verification
  • Non-Deceptive: Twitter must find no signs of deceptive activity on your account, including signs of platform manipulation or spam.

Verified Businesses – Gold Checkmark

While verified businesses or public figures used to share the blue checkmark, they will now be distinguished with a gold checkmark. The intent is to prevent confusion between individuals paying for verification and brands established on the platform. 

For now, brands that already have a blue checkmark will see their badge automatically converted to the gold option. However, Twitter’s product lead, Esther Crawford, says the company will soon be opening up portals for businesses to apply for gold checkmarks.

Important Verified Figures – “Official” Labels

Lastly, the social network is granting important public figures an “Official” label next to their account names. This label will be applied to all of the following types of accounts:

  • Government accounts
  • Political organizations (such as parties) 
  • Commercial companies & business partners
  • Major brands
  • Media outlets

For more, explore the new Help Center page for profile labels.

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Twitter Adds ‘Location Spotlight’ To Help Users Find Your Store

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Twitter is introducing a new feature called the Location Spotlight that will make it easier for your online fans to become your real-life customers. 

With the Location Spotlight feature, businesses with physical locations can add store details like your address, phone number, store hours, and even a map showing your location. You can also add links to your website or make it possible to quickly call or message your company.

New Name For Wide Release

This feature is not entirely new to the platform. However, this is the first time many brands will have access to the profile module. 

Twitter tested much of this feature with a small number of well-known professional accounts, calling it the ‘About Module’ at the time. Now, Twitter is bringing this tool (and its new name)  to all businesses with professional Twitter accounts.

How To Get Access

Once you are eligible, update your Location Spotlight by following these steps

  1. Select ‘Edit Profile’
  2. Find and click the ‘Edit professional profile’ button near the bottom of the page
  3. Select ‘Profile Spotlight’
  4. Enter your business details (including your address, hours, website, and contact info)
  5. Select ‘Publish’ to save and display these details on your profile.
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Twitter Test Long-Form Content With ‘Notes’

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After expanding its character limit for tweets a few years ago, Twitter is testing a new feature called Notes that lets users ditch character limits altogether.

The company confirmed testing the new feature in a tweet, along with a longer Note explaining everything Notes can do:

“Notes will give people the ability to go over 280 characters on Twitter in a single piece of content, with the inclusion of photos, videos, GIFs, and Tweets. Notes can be written, published, and shared on Twitter, and read all across the Internet.”

Unfortunately for most of us, the feature is initially being tested among a select number of writers in the US, UK, Canada, and Ghana. 

As the announcement explains:

“We’re excited for the moment when everyone can use Notes, but for now, our focus is on building it right. A large part of that is engaging with writers and building community.”

Notably, the feature does not appear to be replacing Twitter threads, at least for now:

“There are situations, however, where threads aren’t enough. From the rise of the screenshot announcement Tweet to the newsletter boom, a new reality became clear: people were writing long elsewhere, and then coming to Twitter to share their work and for the conversation surrounding all those words.”

In the announcement, Twitter also detailed a few unique features which will make Notes attractive to those looking to publish longer content:

  • Formatting: Formatting tools included bold, italic, and strikethrough text, as well as the ability to add links and create lists.
  • Include Media: Notes can include one GIF, one video, or up to four static images.
  • Embedded Tweets: Include traditional tweets in Notes by pasting a URL or from your bookmarked tweets.
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Twitter Tests Dedicated Shopping Pages For Brands

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Twitter is signaling its plans to let brands establish dedicated shops on the platform through a limited test.

The company revealed it is introducing dedicated shopping pages including up to 50 products to a handful of brands as an experiment ahead of plans to roll out the feature to more retailers later this year. 

The feature allows a brand or business to add a simple “View shop” button to its profile page, which will link to a Twitter-hosted e-commerce page. When clicked, the button will then take users to your actual online store or website, where the transaction can be completed. 

As Twitter described the new feature in its blog post announcement:

“People are already talking about products on Twitter. We want Twitter Shops to be the home for merchants on Twitter where they can intentionally curate a catalog of products for their Twitter audience and build upon the product discussions already happening on our service by giving shoppers a point of action where a conversation can become a purchase.”

Only Available to a Select Few

As Twitter Shops are currently considered a beta test, the feature is only available to a small number of brands in the U.S. Specifically, the announcement only mentioned five brands that have utilized the feature so far – Verizon, Arden Cover, the Latinx In Power podcast, Gay Pride Apparel, and All I Do Is Cook.

Additionally, only iPhone users are currently able to view or interact with the shops, though the company plans to roll the feature out to other devices in the future.

Social Stores Are Becoming The Norm

The new feature underscores the increasingly blurry line between social media and online shopping. Several other platforms, including TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram have rolled out their own shopping tools to brands on their platform, though the most obvious comparison is Pinterest’s current shopping system where users can discover brands and shop their products on the platform before finalizing their purchase through retailer’s own sites.

For more, read Twitter’s full announcement here.

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Twitter Confirms AMP Pages Will No Longer Be Supported

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Twitter has confirmed it is dropping support for AMP pages, adding more evidence to the growing belief that AMP (or Accelerated Mobile Pages) are on their way out of use.

In an update to its developer document for AMP pages, Twitter says it is discontinuing support for the format by the end of the year:

“We’re in the process of discontinuing support for this feature and it will be fully retired in Q4 of 2021.”

This comes after some users had noticed a lack of support for AMP going back as far as October.

What This Means For You

If you have been sharing AMP links on Twitter, you can technically still do so without any significant issues. 

However, instead of being directed to the AMP versions of your content, Twitter will automatically direct users to the original content. 

It goes without saying that this negates the point of adding AMP links instead of sharing the original page. 

Why Is AMP Losing Support?

Many people dislike AMP pages for a number of reasons, citing everything from buggy performance to criticism over the boost they received in search results for a time. 

In recent times, Google has seemed to recognize this. 

First, they did this by making AMP pages less obvious in search results by removing the icon which had accompanied pages using the format. Additionally, Google dropped requirements for pages to use AMP to be eligible to be included in the Top Stories carousel. 

The most recent evidence that Google is losing confidence in AMP is the September announcement that Google News would start showing fewer AMP pages in the results.

This has all led many to believe that AMP is on its way out at Google, as well as Twitter.

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