Social media platforms are always looking for new and innovative ways to create features and keep users interested in the platform.
Whether they choose to hook users in with a twist on their current feature or choose to introduce a completely new one, it’s all engineered to keep users coming to the platform and relying on it – so they can keep their figures going strong.
One such feature that was introduced by Twitter is Twitter Moments.
If you haven’t ventured into the world of Twitter Moments, it’s safe to say you’re running behind the times.
What are Twitter Moments?
Released in October 2015, Twitter Moments were introduced in order to present “the very best of what’s happening on Twitter”. Large publications were the first to use Twitter Moments, creating a space where news could become more visual and interactive via the social media platform.
A new look for the Guardian
After the initial launch – and once they were sure it was a feature valuable to their users, they opened Moments up for everyone.
In August 2016 anyone and everyone were able to make their own Twitter Moment on whatever topic they chose. These would then appear to their followers, who would be able to view them at leisure.
On the launch of Twitter Moments for everyone, Twitter described it as “giving people a new and dynamic way to tell their stories”.
There are plenty of ways you too can feature content through the use of a Twitter Moment – but first, you need to know the logistics.
How to create a Twitter Moment
To get started on Twitter Moments, you’ll need a Twitter account – obviously. Once you’ve signed up head to the Moments tab. Under this you’ll be able to see a ‘Create new Moment’ button.
This will then take you to a section where you’re able to ‘Title your Moment’.
Once you’ve done this you can add a description that explains the function of the Moment as a whole and what it’s about.
Next, it’s time to start adding the tweets. To add tweets to the moment, head to the bottom of the page. Here you’ll find the ‘Add Tweets to your Moment’ section where you can easily access content from all manner of sources by inputting which timelines you want to pull content from, or what keywords the tweet includes.
Here you can also check out your own timeline and include tweets from here. Once you’ve chosen a tweet, simply click the check mark.
As you add tweets you’ll be asked what cover photo you want to appear on the front of the Moment. Simply choose one of the images included in the tweets of upload your own. Drag the image to the position for the mobile preview and click the next button, then click save.
When you have chosen all the tweets and the cover image for the Moment, you can change the order of the tweets by clicking the up and down arrows to the right of the tweet. You can also delete a tweet if you change your mind – it’s worth noting that you can also do this once the Moment has been published – so you can update it as you go.
Once you’re ready you can either ‘Finish Later’ or ‘Publish’.
How to make the most of Moments
Now you know the ins and outs of setting up a Twitter Moment, it’s time to figure out how your small business can make the most of them.
Firstly, it’s important that you have a goal when you’re creating a Moment. There’s little point simply creating one for the sake of it – instead you should co-ordinate a plan and use it to your advantage.
For example, take a look at how Tesco uses a Moment to share their recipes for World Vegan Day:
World Vegan Day
While they might not be a small business, this is a great example of how you can take tweets and use collate them through a running theme.
It’s also worth noting that your Moment doesn’t have to solely feature your own tweets. Featuring tweets from influencers will give your Moment some outside input and show your followers that you’re about the community and sharing thoughts through social media – not just using it for your own gain.
A great use of Twitter Moments is to use them to promote events, whether you’re the one holding them or just attending. Live tweeting events is a great way to increase your company’s brand awareness and get yourself on the hashtag. Collating all these tweets into a Moment shows you’re Twitter savvy and allows followers to view all the highlights on one nifty page – pretty neat!
Another way to use Twitter Moments to your advantage is to create bitesize content pieces relevant to your industry. Rather than crafting a blog post and linking to it from social, try creating it into a series of tweets and adding it into a Moment. This might draw people away from your site temporarily, but the likelihood of someone heading through to peruse it is much bigger.
Have you used Twitter Moments to boost your business’ social media performance? Or are you yet to give it a go? Leave your thoughts in the comment below or join the community chatter over on Twitter.
