5 Changes Made to Twitter in 2021

Have you noticed any changes to Twitter recently? Over the past decade, very little has actually changed. We can now use twice as many characters to tweet and also change the app into dark mode, but the core use of Twitter hasn’t changed at all, and where’s the Edit Tweet button we’ve all been waiting for?

Recently, Kayvon Beykpour, Twitter’s Head of Consumer Product, spoke to Nilay Patel from The Verge to explain how Twitter is reinventing itself in 2021, and from this interview, Beykpour explained the five latest developments on the app; Periscope, Fleets, Spaces, Revue and Super Follow. 

So, what actually are these developments?

Periscope

This isn’t so much a development but still a change to Twitter. They are going to be relying completely on Twitter Live and discontinuing the Periscope app this year, which has always been used for live streaming on Twitter. This means that instead of having to have a separate Periscope account, you will go Live directly through Twitter, just like with any other social media platform.

Fleets

Fleets were created as a solution for people who are too afraid to tweet and don’t feel safe doing so online due to public scrutiny. They are a portrait-size tweet that can consist of an image, text, or a 30-second video and like Snapchat and Instagram stories, is automatically removed after 24 hours. As the post doesn’t last, people share with a degree of safety and greater emotion. If you haven’t already guessed it, they’re called Fleets as the post is fleeting, and disappears after 24 hours.

Spaces

Spaces is the new feature with the most hype. It is an audio-only format still limited in access, where a user can start a Space and other users can join the call and have a conversation, inspired by the party line phones in the 1980s. Beykpour has already addressed some of the ideas highlighted by Spaces users, including a recording aspect.

Revue

Revue is a new news platform that Twitter is in the process of integrating into the app. The idea is, where the Twitter narrative is in short-form content, Revue newsletters incorporate more long-form content into the platform. This allows users to use Twitter in a more general way, instead of having to go elsewhere to share lengthier articles of information. It’s also a path for creators to narrow their audience into a direction that represents being more than just a passive consumer on the app.

Super Follow

This is Twitter’s most recent feature, which allows creators to monetise what they’re posting. Rather than working to create influencers on the app, the feature is designed so people can charge for access to their tweets who might be sharing deeper and more private content than they would want to publicly, for example, private or mental health coaches. Like Revue, this is something businesses can use to easily direct followers on Twitter to subscribe.

How are they used?

You might use Tweets and Fleets to advertise a future Spaces chat, and during which you could discuss your weekly Revue newsletter, that your listeners could subscribe to for free, but if they wanted could pay to subscribe as a Super Follower and have access to your exclusive Twitter Live, where you can share your private advice and followers can ask their questions.

All these new features display Twitter’s commitment to improving the app for consumers, brands and influencers.

If you enjoyed this blog, read our blog on how Instagram’s algorithm works in 2021, or access all our other blogs here.