As if Twitter wasn't already enough of a popularity contest, the big blue bird could be experimenting with adding view counts to tweets.
According to The Verge, a Twitter user noticed something different in her iOS Twitter app. Right above the buttons for “Reply,” “Retweet,” and “Favorite,” she could see how many views each of her tweets received.
While analytics have been available to advertisers for quite some time, Twitter appears to be testing the feature with your typical Twitter user.
According to PC Magazine, reports from users show the feature seems to be exclusive to Twitter's iOS app right now. And there's no word on whether the view count will find its way into other apps or even onto Twitter's site. "Twitter representatives aren't providing any additional details or clarification about the count."
The Verge points out the move is likely Twitter's way to increase engagement: "For users with a modest number of followers, tweeting can sometimes feel like shouting into a void. … A view count lets you know that even if you're not receiving retweets or favorites, your posts aren't going totally unread." (Via The Verge)
But, a writer for Engadget notes while it does feel great to see your tweet views climb, there's also an opportunity for users to realize their tweets aren't getting any views. "Not everyone can attract as many eyeballs as a celebrity or a politician, after all."
Martin Beck of Marketing Land draws an interesting comparison between social networks: "If rolled out to all users, this would move Twitter closer to Facebook pages in the effort to show how many people you are reaching with a social post."
It's still unclear how Twitter counts tweet views. What do you think of the possible new feature? Send us a tweet.
About the Author
