Twitter’s first major post-IPO redesign, 15 new types of ads
Twitter’s got a whole new look. The site’s redesign, the first big overhaul since its IPO, is rolling out this week. Among the big changes: a Facebook-style header, the profile picture moves to the left panel and a “pinned” tweet users can select to appear at the top of their profile page. Tweets with a lot of engagement (favourites, responses or retweets) will also appear larger than less-loved tweets.
The new profiles are designed to be more inviting for users intimidated by Twitter’s rapidly changing real-time feed, offering more information about a user, not unlike a Facebook profile. (For a glimpse of the new design, check out the profiles of Michelle Obama, the AFL and Weezer.)
The biggest Twitter change for marketers, though, has nothing to do with profiles or design. Last week The Wall Street Journal reported that Twitter is set to debut 15 new ad formats in hopes of attracting new advertisers, such as mobile game developers and e-commerce sites.
The paper also reported that some of the new ad units are designed to drive actions including app downloads, subscriber sign-ups and purchases. One format will suggest that users download apps through Twitter, a new function for the site.
Twitter is also sharing more data with advertisers and notably inked a deal with Datalogix, a firm that likewise helps Facebook tie online activity to in-story activity, last December.
Both moves show the site is looking to please investors, first by inviting new users onto the platform – a major concern as growth slows – and then by showing an aggressive attempt both to monetize and to tweak its ad offering to appeal to a wider breadth of marketers.
Hootsuite’s Game of Social Thrones
In celebration of Sunday’s Game of Thrones season premiere, Hootsuite released a new video that imagines each of the major social networks as a Game of Thrones house. Styled like the HBO megahit’s opening sequence, the video shows the houses of Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Whatsapps by moving around a map styled like the show’s, adding a light, fun twist on the its dark, morose tone.
Watch the full video here.
David Jones launches Social Lab Inc.
One of Canada’s veteran social media marketers has struck out on his own. David Jones, previously vice-president of social media at Critical Mass, recently left the agency to start his own consultancy firm, Social Lab Inc. According to Jones, the practice will, “develop internal social media capabilities, create social media presences with purpose, and collaborate on social-by-design campaign ideas.”
Read the full story here.
Whoever is in charge of social needs PR skills
Social media is just the newest way of doing what PR firms have done for decades, according to Argyle Communications CEO Daniel Tisch – and that means social marketers also need PR skills. Writing in Marketing, Tisch said social media is all about building and growing relationships and acting as a bridge between brands and consumers who want to engage, much like PR. Tisch said semantics and platforms are unimportant, and instead advocated for a platform-agnostic approach that looks at the challenge first and method of delivery second.
Real the full column here.
The Numbers
Social stocks are taking a hit across the board. Just last week Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn all tumbled on Wall St. Here’s a look at how each is currently faring.
5%
Facebook’s stock decline last week.
13%
LinkedIn’s stock decline last week. By comparison, Twitter’s stock was also down 9%.
22%
Facebook’s stock decline from its peak value of $72 in March
$165.14
Value of LinkedIn’s current stock, down from a peak of $250.21 in October 2013
3.9%
Growth in Twitter’s user base between Q3 and Q4 2013. One challenges for social networks across the board is slowing user growth
$2 billion
Amount Facebook spent on its recent acquisition of Oculus VR. On the backs of Facebook’s huge Whatsapp acquisition (and Zuckerberg’s promise he was “done” with acquisitions for the time being), this purchase worried some investors.
