Twitter made it’s biggest step to being “more like Facebook” this week by enabling a new feature that is very much like Facebook’s cover photo.
Twitter has long been the 2nd favourite social network for many users including bloggers and brands alike. To some, it’s the only social media website that they use and many would cite reasons such as the simplicity and security when compared to Facebook.
The feedback has been lukewarm to this new feature. Me included. I don’t get what it adds for a personal Twitter account but when it comes to brands, you can never have enough opportunity to show off your latest product.
What does this change for brands and their usage of Twitter? The short answer (and short-sighted one) is nothing. The longer answer is nothing on desktop web but on mobile apps or web it’s making a difference.
Based on using the new iOS and Android Twitter apps in the office, it’s clear to see this new cover photo has been aimed at the mobile experience. You can now slide a users avatar across and reveal their bio. This is pretty neat and will help users feel more engaged on brands on Twitter.
With more and more users using mobile as their main device, it’s easy to see why Twitter went in this direction. Will brands follow suit? The expert opinion is “they had better!”
