INTRODUCTION
According to Statista, Twitter’s audience is projected to increase to more than 340 million users by 2024. The platform, which started as a medium to share daily status updates with friends, has quickly morphed into an outlet for users to learn about what’s trending. So much so that 71% of Americans use Twitter to read the news.
Here are three features that are new on Twitter.
TWITTER BLUE
A major update is the creation of Twitter Blue, which is a monthly subscription service that offers exclusive access to premium features and app customizations. For $2.99/month, users can access features like Undo Tweet, ad-free news, bookmark organization, conversation pinning and video uploads of up to 10 min. in length. Twitter Blue subscribers also receive dedicated support for issues like account settings, managing a subscription, or general troubleshooting.
To sign up, tap on the Twitter profile image in the top left corner. Then tap “Twitter Blue” and “Subscribe for $/mo” at the bottom of the page. Finally, follow the in-app purchase instructions for iOS and Android or Stripe purchase prompts for transactions completed on twitter.com.
The opt-in experience has so far been launched in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
TWITTER COMMUNITIES
One way for brands to reach their audience(s) is by using Twitter Communities, which is a space dedicated for users to connect and engage with one another in private channels based on their interests. This can be anything from career and finance to pets, as long as it follows Twitter’s terms of service. These tweets can be seen by anyone on Twitter, but only others within the Community itself can engage and participate in the talk. In addition, tweets within a Community will not be sent to your followers’ Home timelines.
There are three types of users in Twitter Communities: admins, moderators and members. Admins own the Community and manage its members. Moderators help keep conversations safe and on track within the Community, and members are those who have been invited (or joined) and can engage with other members.
To join a Community, you must have a public Twitter account. Once users become a member they will receive five invitations to invite more members. Click the “Join” button at the top of the Community’s page below the Community’s name. If you agree to the rules, tap or click on “Agree and join.” It’s important to note that not all Communities need invitations as some have open memberships.
TWITTER DOWNVOTES
Twitter is currently testing the downvote feature, which is similar to a “dislike” button for replies or comments in response to original tweets. The feature, which was accessible to some iOS users in 2021, is now being made available to more people. If users don’t like the content, they can click the downward-facing arrow below the tweet. This will inform Twitter to show fewer tweets of similar nature in the future. It also will help the platform understand what sort of replies users find relevant in a conversation. One thing to keep in mind is that downvotes will not be visible to the public, only to the user.