Twitter has tested a feature called CoTweets, which allowed two users to collaborate on a single tweet. This feature was part of a limited test available to select accounts in the U.S., Canada, and Korea. The goal of the feature was to explore new ways to boost engagement and social media collaboration. However, the test didn’t last long. Here’s a deeper look at how CoTweets worked, its use cases, and why it was discontinued.
How CoTweets Worked
Collaboration:
The main purpose of the CoTweets feature was to facilitate tweet collaboration between two users. To initiate a CoTweet, a user could invite another account to co-author the tweet. This invitation was sent through a direct message (DM). However, there were specific requirements for the invitee to accept. They had to follow the sender and have a public Twitter account. This meant the feature was limited to those who were already active and visible on the platform.
Content:
Once both users accepted the collaboration, they could post content that included a variety of media types such as polls, GIFs, images, videos, and links. However, one important limitation was that only the first tweet in a thread could be a CoTweet. This meant that while you could start a thread with a CoTweet, the following tweets couldn’t be collaborative in the same way.
Visibility:
One of the most exciting aspects of Collaborative Tweeting was its visibility. Once a CoTweet was posted, it appeared on both users’ timelines. It wasn’t just visible to the original sender’s followers but to the invitee’s followers as well. This offered both users the opportunity to reach a larger and more diverse audience. The collaboration essentially combined their followers, expanding the potential for engagement.
Editing:
However, there was one significant downside to CoTweets: they could not be edited once the invitation was sent. If any changes were needed, users would have to delete the tweet entirely and start over. This limited flexibility was one of the factors that led to the feature’s short-lived existence.
Discontinuation of CoTweets
Despite the initial excitement around the feature, Twitter decided to discontinue CoTweets in January 2023. After a month, any existing CoTweets transitioned into regular retweets. Twitter did express its appreciation for the feedback and the positive aspects of the feature but ultimately decided it didn’t fit into the broader strategy for the platform. There were hints that similar features could be reintroduced in the future, but for now, Collaborative Tweeting has been shelved.
The discontinuation of CoTweets has raised questions about how Twitter will continue to innovate and adapt its platform. Twitter features like this one are often introduced to test new engagement strategies and provide fresh options for social media collaboration. However, the lack of long-term success with CoTweets demonstrates how difficult it can be to maintain interest in new features, especially when user feedback is mixed or when the feature doesn’t meet certain expectations.
Looking Forward to Social Media Innovation
If you’re looking to stay ahead of the curve in the fast-paced world of social media, Digilogy can help. As digital marketing service providers, we specialise in offering cutting-edge strategies and solutions that drive real engagement and business growth. Whether it’s leveraging social media features, like Twitter’s experiments with Collaborative Tweeting, or using innovative digital marketing tactics to reach your audience, we have the expertise you need. Contact Digilogy today and discover how we can help your brand thrive in the digital age!
