Twitter is making two big changes to the way its users’ timelines appear, with video ads and a personalised selection of prioritised tweets at the top of each user’s feed. The First View feature will let marketers place a video ad high up in the feeds. Advertisers opting for a First View position will essentially […]
Twitter is making two big changes to the way its users’ timelines appear, with video ads and a personalised selection of prioritised tweets at the top of each user’s feed.
The First View feature will let marketers place a video ad high up in the feeds. Advertisers opting for a First View position will essentially jump to the front of the queue in Twitter’s ad network.
Unlike normal ads on the platform – which algorithms target at specific users – a First View video will be shown to everyone within a region or country who uses Twitter over a 24-hour period.
That makes it a potentially more effective way to build mass awareness of a product over a short period of time.
At launch, First View will be video only — pushing Twitter’s drive to expand its offerings in rich media. A spokesperson says Twitter is considering expanding to other Tweet types int he future.
The announcements came ahead of the company’s latest financial results.
Adding in more premium ad units is one way for the company to increase its revenues per user, which could also help to offset the smaller margin play based around simpler ads for a larger audience.
“We do feel there are a number of broken windows that are inhibiting growth,” CEO Jack Dorsey said on the company’s earnings call. He said Twitter will “refine our core service to make everything more intuitive” and “give creators and influencers the best tools to connect with their audiences.”
Twitter’s plans are outlined in its Q4 2015 shareholder letter, which was published today as part of the company’s latest quarterly earnings report. Twitter reported revenue in line with Wall Street’s expectations, but its flat user growth continues to alarm analysts.
To change that tide, Twitter outlined its priorities for 2016. That roadmap includes improving user safety, helping developers and a trio of changes that could directly impact how brands and marketers use the service.
Meanwhile, Twitter revamped its timeline letting the “best” tweets to rise to the top, despite warnings of a revolt from members loyal to the real-time flow of the messaging platform.
The tweaked format moves away from a pure chronological timeline to one determined by algorithm, as used by social network leader Facebook.
The updated timeline shows people the Tweets they're most likely to care about. Here's how it workshttps://t.co/MNVoEVnmBY
— Twitter Advertising (@TwitterAds) February 10, 2016
The First View ads will be rolled out initially in the U.S. and select US-managed clients, across Twitter’s mobile and desktop apps and Twitter.com, with a global roll out planned for the near future.
Read more on the official blog here
