Tweets’ reply threads are an ideal location for fresh ad inventory to be added to Twitter’s platform. A new ad format in Tweet discussions is now being tested. The first, third, or eighth time someone replies to a Tweet, you’ll see adverts alongside the Tweet. This test is only available on iOS and Android.
Here’s an example from Twitter Revenue Product Lead Bruce Falck showing how the new ad feature places advertising precisely where the discussion is happening, among the first few replies to a tweet.
Recently, Reddit made a similar announcement in the post comments of one of its own posts.
Because the format is still being tested, promoted tweets will only be visible to a select group of users. Even still, you should expect a pushback from Twitter users, who are generally opposed to any change, especially one that places more ads in their path and diverts them from the conversation within the app.
There is, however, an appealing side to this new Twitter update that should not be overlooked. Falck, Twitter Revenue Product Lead, goes on to say that the option may essentially permit the direct monetization of tweets, with the tweet owner being able to opt-in to these advertising and then gain a portion of the cash generated by them. This is in line with Twitter’s overall effort to pay its creators, giving its most popular users an additional incentive to tweet more frequently. It could also be fascinating to allow selective retrospective activation of this feature.
When a tweet gets viral, for example, you’ll often see the person who sent it include a second reply showcasing their SoundCloud or a charitable cause to which they might draw attention as a result of that tweet.
The question is, what would happen if you could earn money from all of your popular tweets?
Your twitter replies could be monetised without requiring that you opt-in for each one (and, of course, there would be a reply threshold to qualify for this display anyway). Maybe the app might benefit greatly from enabling this feature for certain tweets, giving users even more incentive to try to go viral with their humorous comments and takes.
Because most individuals aren’t very good at tweeting, this could be a bad thing. This might be a helpful option for some users, especially those that experience consistent growth in their app. It would also encourage more users to stick around and be more engaged in the app.
In the following months, Twitter will experiment with varied frequencies, layouts, and “contextually appropriate placements” as part of the test, according to the company.
In any case, there are some interesting things to think about. Companies may find that tying in with a viral tweet increases brand recognition, especially if Twitter develops useful targeting context capabilities.
