Twitter’s new feature
Twitter is testing a vertical video feed, according to its Twitter Support account. This new video-sharing feature is being tested as part of changes to the app’s Explore page, with “For You” and “Trending” tabs.
“We’re testing out a revamped, more personalised Explore page to make it easier for you to unwind, find new interests and see what’s happening”, Twitter revealed in a statement. It’s currently available via Android and iOS in the English language.
Other Twitter pilots
Vertical video feeds have become more prominent since the rise of TikTok. Twitter would join the likes of Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube in replicating the feature onto its platform.
Twitter has seen numerous innovations over the last year. Earlier this year they announced Twitter Spaces, a Clubhouse-style audio forum. But in July they announced the end of Twitter Fleets, a feature similar to Snapchat and Instagram’s stories.
This sparks the question: would a video verticle fit into Twitter’s platform or would it face a similar fate to Fleets?
Vertical video feeds and journalism
Journalists have embraced TikTok for news reporting.
Broadcaster Victoria Derbyshire is one of the latest to join TikTok, releasing short videos to disseminate the daily headlines. Sophia Smith Galer has uses the app to dispense news and investigate online trends. Galer has also posted her videos to Instagram reels, expanding her audience across platforms.
Already Twitter is popular among journalists so the expansion of multimedia features on the platform could add to its scope as a newsfeed.