Infinite Path

Logging onto Twitter yesterday morning, users were greeted with a new front page which, aesthetically, is worlds apart from its predecessor. The new front page is simple, attractive, and, in want of a more technical term, eye-catching.

However, it seems likely that aesthetic alterations were not made purely to please the eye. Rather, they reflect, in an entirely appropriate manner, the way in which Twitter has evolved since it was formed, with the new message of being able to “share and discover what’s happening right now, anywhere in the world” in place of the old adage that friends and families can be kept up to date with the answer to the question “what are you doing?” being a particularly effective change.

The fact of the matter is that Twitter has changed dramatically. Whereas once it was a simple way for family members and friends to keep in touch with one another, it has now morphed to become an entirely different animal.

In fact, David Cameron’s controversial assertion (broadcast for all listeners of Virgin Radio breakfast radio to hear yesterday) that “too many twits might make a twat” highlights the reason why Twitter may have decided to make these aesthetic changes to their front page.

Cameron’s misdemeanour, although played down at the time, must have turned the faces of those who spend their working days trying to control the manner in which the Conservative party is perceived by the public bright red in anger.

Cameron was caught out by the instant and irreversible nature of radio. He opened his mouth and words came tumbling out; the fact that these words were broadcast for thousands of people to hear was unfortunate. This is precisely the problem with Twitter; it’s all too easy to dash out 140 characters, hit enter, and your personal musings (which often should be kept quiet) are exposed for all to see. For brands and companies, this is potentially devastating and one misjudged tweet can quickly and irreversibly unrail even the most well-oiled and slick PR machine.

It therefore seems entirely appropriate that Twitter has changed its welcome message. After all, if used properly and sensitively, it can allow consumers to discover “what’s happening right now” with a particular brand. However, individuals representing companies online who are too rash with their tweets leave themselves open to criticism from people “anywhere in the world”.

The search capacity of Twitter has now been made a dominant feature, with users able to view real time search results for a given keyword without registering or logging in. The decision to make the search capacity such a central feature on the front page is also entirely appropriate, since most users instantly associate Twitter not with a means of keeping in touch with old friends but with powerful news aggregators.