Twitter has been testing variations of this option for over a year now. Today, Twitter finally launched a public test of its new ‘Twitter Circle’ option that enables users to share Tweets to a specific, custom group of chosen connections within the app.

As a quick recap, Twitter Circles allow users to essentially create a private group chat via Tweet, granting them access to a variable audience control process that enables them to share Tweets with a specific group of chosen people. Users will be able to add up to 150 people and only those added will be able to view Tweets within that Circle. Circle members are also prompted that their Tweets are visible only by those in the group by a green indicator circle attached to each Tweet.

On Higher Testing

This is essentially an extension of Twitter’s reply control option that it launched back in 2020. Reply control allows users to decide who can see and respond to their Tweets, while also leaning more into the private discussion use case that Twitter looks to boost with its ‘Communities’ option.

Communities allow users to segment their audience, making it easier to share more specific discussions to more ‘niche’ groups, as opposed to generally broadcasting all your Tweets to all your followers each time. Ideally, this would open up more opportunities for Twitter users to engage with a broader range of topics that won’t have them feeling constrained to only post what they think their established audience would like and respond to.

Whether it’ll work as intended remains to be seen. Part of the problem with Circles, as observed, is that most users who conduct discussions that would fit into this offer already likely do so using their DMs, maintaining group chats with their more private connections. Said privacy enables them to be more comfortable when sharing, which doesn’t give them much reason to switch to the more ‘exposed’ conversations offered by Circles. To add, Twitter users already have ‘Lists’ to stay in touch with their most important connection groups. Besides, Twitter’s core system allows every user to essentially curate their own content, making it possible to whittle down even their main followers list to include only the most relevant contacts, depending on their goals and objectives, of course.

Perhaps a more valuable and practical consideration would be Twitter’s other in-development restricted sharing option called ‘Facets’. Facets would enable users to follow each profile based on different topic interests. If you wanted to, say, Tweet about entirely different subjects each time but not annoy your main following, then the option could be well worth giving a go. Likewise, through Facets, you can also give others the option to follow only specific elements of your Twitter presence.

Though it’s not really the same as more private group sharing, it does cater to a similar need. As noted, Twitter first previewed Circles in July last year, further noting that they would appear first in user timelines, making them a potentially more significant element that could add interest to the option.

The Wrap

Twitter has long been seen as the ‘Global Town Square’ on social media. ‘Ye Old Bird Messages’, if you would. People often go to Twitter for the latest news and updates, where everyone can also state their piece. Contrary to this rather consensus-based nature, Twitter appears to want to partition its own sphere of influence where it can.

Twitter seems to be aiming at providing users with more individual control of their various Twitter elements, including Tweet visibility and expanded privacy options. Would such align well with the vision of Twitter’s upcoming new owner, Elon Musk? It may; it may not. For now, all we can do is anticipate.

Subscribe to our ‘Bottoms Up!’ Newsletter. Get the latest social media blogs about news, updates, trends, and effective social media strategies to take your business to the highest level from Tristan Ahumada and Jeff Pfitzer.

Sources 

https://bit.ly/3M02KcJ