Twitter changes algorithm to present more relevant tweets first

Dive Brief:

After showing tweets in reverse chronological order since its launch in 2006, Twitter will soon display tweets out of order upon login, displaying tweets that the social media site thinks people will most want to see first.
Twitter will also suggest relevant accounts for users to follow in hopes of making it an indispensable social media app for more users worldwide.
The new timeline setting will be the default setting across on the Android, iOS, and web platforms unless users switch it off in their Twitter settings.

Dive Insight:

After almost 10 years of presenting tweets in reverse chronological order—newest first, no matter what the level of interest—Twitter is changing its timeline to ensure users don’t miss messages from their favorite accounts. A new algorithm will now present the most relevant tweets first in the timeline upon sign-in before returning to a reverse chronological format.

The move is designed to make the platform easier and more essential to use by providing a simplified curation system. Under the old arrangement, many users felt they couldn’t keep up with the constant updates to their feeds, and ultimately abandoned the platform. Twitter will also suggest new topics and accounts to follow based on user activity, similar to Facebook’s suggestions.

The change may help Twitter sustain its growth and relevance among a broader base of users. According to eMarketer estimates, the platform’s monthly user base will grow from about 262 million worldwide to 291 million this year, but that growth has been slowing since Twitter’s IPO in 2013. Seasoned Twitter users that are not happy with the move can opt out by changing their settings.

Tinkering with feed chronology likely means that fewer people will see brand tweets organically, according to Internet Retailer’s Zak Stambor, and marketers will have to devote more dollars to promoting their tweets as a result. It will also make Twitter less in-the-moment, reducing the chance of issuing a missive that creates a viral sensation on the platform.