SOCIAL
Twitter Pauses Public Requests for Profile Verification, Just a Week After Re-Launch
I mean, what did they think was going to happen?
Last week, Twitter announced that it was re-opening public requests for profile verification, which have been on pause since 2017 due to confusion around the process, and what, exactly, its coveted blue checkmark on profiles respresents.
But now, due to a massive influx of requests, Twitter says that it needs to put public verification requests on hold once again, in order to clear the backlog.
We’re rolling in verification requests. So we gotta hit pause on accepting any more for now while we review the ones that have been submitted.
We’ll reopen requests soon! (we pinky swear)
— Twitter Verified (@verified) May 28, 2021
As noted, that’s not really a huge surprise – people are always looking to get their profiles verified, on every social platform, in order to gain an extra measure of in-app status, and given that Twitter has 199 million active users, and only 360k of them currently have the blue tick (0.18%), that’s a lot of people who will no doubt be very keen to jump in and apply for verification, even if they don’t meet the tough new criteria for such.
And this is after just one week – imagine how many people were still mulling over whether to apply, and after just 8 days, in total, Twitter is already overwhelmed due to the workload. That doesn’t bode well for the future of its public application process.
This has always been part of the problem for profile verification, which is why most platform’s don’t offer a public request process, instead maintaining a more opaque, in-house assessment system which grants profile verification on its own whim, or via its own, internal qualifiers that no one else, for sure, understands.
Which is really what Twitter has been doing for the past four years, with many profiles still getting the blue checkmark even after it publicly shut down the process.
In many ways, Twitter would be better off maintaining that process – but in its ambition to be as open and transparent as possible, Twitter would prefer to operate a more upfront, accessible process, in order to enable a wider breadth of people – including medical experts, scientists, academics, etc. – to get its mark of trust and authority, which, theoretically, could have broader benefits for on-platform engagement and interaction.
But it does seem like a public request process, open to everyone, may not be the best way to go about it. But then again, maybe, in a month or so, Twitter’s able to clear the backlog, and once the initial hype of its verification re-opening has died down, the requests will also start to flatten out, and it’ll get to a more manageable, maintainable, and sustainable level for Twitter’s team to deal with.
But I wouldn’t count on it.
Ask any prominent social media manager or Twitter staff member if their inbox ever stops being hammered with verification requests from random folk, many of which are probably scammers trying to get the blue tick in order to then sell the account to someone else.
As noted by Twitter product lead Kayvon Beykpour, in response to a question about new projects last August:
That, and finally fixing Verification so that I stop getting hundreds of verification requests daily 🙂
— Kayvon Beykpour (@kayvz) August 28, 2020
That may not even be an exaggeration – so again, it’s no surprise that Twitter’s system has been bogged down with applications after one week.
Which brings me back to my original question – what did Twitter actually think was going to happen here?
SOCIAL
Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?
In a recent announcement, Snapchat revealed a groundbreaking update that challenges its traditional design ethos. The platform is experimenting with an option that allows users to defy the 24-hour auto-delete rule, a feature synonymous with Snapchat’s ephemeral messaging model.
The proposed change aims to introduce a “Never delete” option in messaging retention settings, aligning Snapchat more closely with conventional messaging apps. While this move may blur Snapchat’s distinctive selling point, Snap appears convinced of its necessity.
According to Snap, the decision stems from user feedback and a commitment to innovation based on user needs. The company aims to provide greater flexibility and control over conversations, catering to the preferences of its community.
Currently undergoing trials in select markets, the new feature empowers users to adjust retention settings on a conversation-by-conversation basis. Flexibility remains paramount, with participants able to modify settings within chats and receive in-chat notifications to ensure transparency.
Snapchat underscores that the default auto-delete feature will persist, reinforcing its design philosophy centered on ephemerality. However, with the app gaining traction as a primary messaging platform, the option offers users a means to preserve longer chat histories.
The update marks a pivotal moment for Snapchat, renowned for its disappearing message premise, especially popular among younger demographics. Retaining this focus has been pivotal to Snapchat’s identity, but the shift suggests a broader strategy aimed at diversifying its user base.
This strategy may appeal particularly to older demographics, potentially extending Snapchat’s relevance as users age. By emulating features of conventional messaging platforms, Snapchat seeks to enhance its appeal and broaden its reach.
Yet, the introduction of message retention poses questions about Snapchat’s uniqueness. While addressing user demands, the risk of diluting Snapchat’s distinctiveness looms large.
As Snapchat ventures into uncharted territory, the outcome of this experiment remains uncertain. Will message retention propel Snapchat to new heights, or will it compromise the platform’s uniqueness?
Only time will tell.
SOCIAL
Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach
While it is tempting to try to appeal to a broad audience, the founder of alcohol-free coaching service Just the Tonic, Sandra Parker, believes the best thing you can do for your business is focus on your niche. Here’s how she did just that.
When running a business, reaching out to as many clients as possible can be tempting. But it also risks making your marketing “too generic,” warns Sandra Parker, the founder of Just The Tonic Coaching.
“From the very start of my business, I knew exactly who I could help and who I couldn’t,” Parker told My Biggest Lessons.
Parker struggled with alcohol dependence as a young professional. Today, her business targets high-achieving individuals who face challenges similar to those she had early in her career.
“I understand their frustrations, I understand their fears, and I understand their coping mechanisms and the stories they’re telling themselves,” Parker said. “Because of that, I’m able to market very effectively, to speak in a language that they understand, and am able to reach them.”Â
“I believe that it’s really important that you know exactly who your customer or your client is, and you target them, and you resist the temptation to make your marketing too generic to try and reach everyone,” she explained.
“If you speak specifically to your target clients, you will reach them, and I believe that’s the way that you’re going to be more successful.
Watch the video for more of Sandra Parker’s biggest lessons.
SOCIAL
Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement
Instagram’s testing out some new options to help spice up your live-streams in the app, with some live broadcasters now able to select a game that they can play with viewers in-stream.
As you can see in these example screens, posted by Ahmed Ghanem, some creators now have the option to play either “This or That”, a question and answer prompt that you can share with your viewers, or “Trivia”, to generate more engagement within your IG live-streams.
That could be a simple way to spark more conversation and interaction, which could then lead into further engagement opportunities from your live audience.
Meta’s been exploring more ways to make live-streaming a bigger consideration for IG creators, with a view to live-streams potentially catching on with more users.
That includes the gradual expansion of its “Stars” live-stream donation program, giving more creators in more regions a means to accept donations from live-stream viewers, while back in December, Instagram also added some new options to make it easier to go live using third-party tools via desktop PCs.
Live streaming has been a major shift in China, where shopping live-streams, in particular, have led to massive opportunities for streaming platforms. They haven’t caught on in the same way in Western regions, but as TikTok and YouTube look to push live-stream adoption, there is still a chance that they will become a much bigger element in future.
Which is why IG is also trying to stay in touch, and add more ways for its creators to engage via streams. Live-stream games is another element within this, which could make this a better community-building, and potentially sales-driving option.
We’ve asked Instagram for more information on this test, and we’ll update this post if/when we hear back.
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