Would it be beneficial to be able to partner with other users on a tweet?
It seems like there’s probably not enough to share within 280 characters to need a co-author – but then again, as Twitter looks to maximize its creator revenue opportunities, co-authored tweets would also enable more brand / influencer partnerships, and facilitate new, creative opportunities in the app.
Whatever the logic may be, it is certainly in the works, with Twitter confirming to SMT that it’s currently exploring collaborative tweet creation.
As you can see in these examplesposted by app researcher Alessandro PaluzziTwitter’s new collaborative tweets option, as it currently stands (in testing), would add a new ‘collaboration’ icon in the composer, which, when used, would enable you to include two authors on a single tweet.
A more recent iteration of that test would also incorporate multiple profile images:
While another would place the collaborator profile detail at the bottom of the tweet:
The collaboration process would essentially require you to compose your tweet, then send a request to another profile to collaborate. The account that you collaborate with would need to be public, and would also have to follow you back.
Once the collaborator accepts your partnership proposal, the tweet can then be published, providing another way to share in the app, and as noted, another potential avenue for commercial partnerships and promotions, that could help amplify your tweet to followers of both accounts.
It’s still in early testing, and Twitter says it doesn’t have anything more to share at this stage. But it is something that it’s investigating – and while it wouldn’t be a game-changer for the app, it could have a range of uses and applications, which could, again, open new doors in various ways.
Really, it’s much like the collaboration tools available on Facebook and Instagram, with users able to partner-up to ensure transparency on branded content deals.
That seems to be the key focus here, incorporating new ways for brands to partner with platform stars for promotions, and enabling greater combined exposure for each collaborative tweet.
Which, again, aligns with Twitter’s broader push to add in more business tools, including Professional Profiles, in-stream product displays, on-profile shops and more.
If Twitter can provide more ways for creators to make more money in the app – via tips, Super Follows, awards, etc. – that, ideally, will keep more of its top creators posting more often, and in this sense, collaborative tweets is another tool to help maximize exposure and engagement, and facilitate new opportunity.
Twitter could also view it as a TikTok-like ‘Duet’ option, which would facilitate more collaboration and iteration on existing tweets.
It’s not here yet, but it looks like it is indeed coming, which could provide a range of new considerations for your tweet strategy.
