Why 10K Twitter Isn't as Bad as You Think

According to reports from Recode.net, Twitter is to expand its character limit from 140 to 10,000. Rumours have been circulating for months with users up in arms about the change in direction for the platform – lets face it, we hate change!

However, Twitter is dying; it’s not as ‘cool’ as it was in the early days – especially with the younger generation who are more interested in visual platforms and following influencers and bloggers. Twitter has 320 million monthly active users. However, photo-sharing app Instagram (launched 4 years after Twitter) has already exceeded Twitter’s monthly users to 400 million and continues to grow rapidly as Twitter’s growth slows. Could this be a way for Twitter to re-establish its dominance of social media?

There are some obvious arguments against this move. There is no doubt that it will completely change the dynamic of the platform and could possibly drive consumers even further away with people taking advantage of the extra space to use as spam (how many handles can we get in one tweet?). But what about the pros? Twitter wouldn’t have made this move without good reason.

Here’s my list of pros for 10K Twitter:

1. Twitter is out-of-date. 

We’re not using it like we used to and Twitter needs to adapt to this. It’s no secret that Twitter has been copying popular elements of other platforms to try and keep up with social trends and needs (just as others have been copying theirs – but that’s for another blog!). But they still haven’t managed to gain much popularity with the iGens (Post-millennials) as newcomers are stuck on what to actually say and how to use the platform. They commonly tweet a couple of times and then loose interest because they feel like they’re talking to themselves. They don’t realise you have to engage on Twitter and speak to people you don’t know. They haven’t yet learned to network. The most common issue with Twitter is that people are signing up, but not really using it. Twitter needs to find a way to retain the newbies and this could be their solution by becoming a blogosphere people use for information, tips, lifestyle and news. This will make it much easier for newbies to tailor and categorise the platform for their needs.

2. Twitter is a well established as a source of news. 

Twitter has established a great reputation as a powerful source of news, often reported by witnesses on the ground. However Tweets are currently short and creative with punchy sentences summarising a story – which elsewhere is the job of a headline.

I think Twitter is aiming to develop their strength as a source of news which makes sense (especially as studies reveal 9 out of 10 people already use it for this.) Each social media platform is establishing their own USP; Instagram for Ecommerce, Vine for creativity and laughs, LinkedIn for business… to give you just some examples. However, they have fierce competition from Facebook if this is Twitter’s aim. All the indications are that Facebook is attempting to go this way too with Facebook’s new algorithm of their news feed and introduction of trending topics.

Twitter’s ‘moments’ feature and acquisition of Periscope (live-streaming app) suggests this is in their plans (has anyone actually used this feature though?!)

3. Twitter has all the ingredients to become the ultimate Blogging platform for businesses and consumers. 

Blogging and Vlogging have really taken off in the last decade. Communities are forming everywhere from beauty bloggers to One Direction bloggers. Identifying as a blogging platform could make it easier for newbies to understand how to use the platform and use it more regularly.

According to Hubspot and Emarketer, there are 31% more blog readers than there were 3 years ago with 46% of people reading blogs more than once a day. Blogging is proven to increase ROI for social media with people reading business blogs to get a feel for their brand before contacting the company. It’s a great way of showcasing skills and knowledge and humanising a brand.

Twitter already has all the features a blogger needs. Bloggers can also Vlog (Periscope), post images (Instagram), polls, and trending topics. What more does a blogger need? Rather than going on loads of different apps, bloggers could create their paradise on one.

4. It gives users a chance to back up their opinions with facts. 

Users love to voice their opinion. But with only 140 characters to play with, it is easy to get misinterpreted. On other platforms, when someone has an opinion, you expect them to back that opinion up with facts, otherwise, we’re all just making meaningless statements and that has been a problem for Twitter – especially for celebrities and influencers who get caught out!

5. Easier to use on the move. 

It’s not surprising that 80% of Twitter users use Twitter from their mobile. The app is great and it’s what Twitter was originally designed for (one reason for its early popularity). But how many times have you clicked on a link from a tweet, only for the website to crash, freeze or turn out to be spam and have you closing the web page in panic before you become the ‘1 millionth winner of the lottery’ multiple times. With more characters, articles can be included within the tweet. We’re much are more likely to read on if we don’t have to click away from the platform.

With larger mobile screens and the increased popularity of tablets, are we also more inclined to read more than before?

I’m excited about exploring this new move and seeing the impact. As a millennial who has turned to other platforms, I believe it could save Twitter.