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Twitter’s Tale of the Month – Introducing Group Direct Message and Mobile Video
Among Twitter’s numerous updates, the one that caught our attention is its recent launch of Group Direct Messages (DM) and Mobile Video to share more content, photos, videos, links, tweets and emoji. Twitter, now enables users to send direct messages to a group of up to 20 followers unlike before. Users do not need to follow one another to participate.
What is so different with Group Direct Message?
- Group Direct Messages do not appear in the public timeline.
- The direct message has up to 20 participants. However, additional users can also be added to the conversation at any time and by any member of the group.
- It gives users the option for how and with whom they can communicate.
- Merchants can use group messaging via desktop as well as mobile devices.
- Online retailers can discuss their business activities in a private setting with a selected group of individuals.
- Group messaging can collaborate privately with other members of your business, social media team or workplace.
How to create a Group Direct Message?
You can start your direct messaging session by clicking on the ‘Messages’ tab. Once you click on the ‘New Message’ icon on the top of your screen or the speech bubble icon on your mobile, you can search for the names of the people you’d like to add. When users are added to a group message, they’ll get a notification informing them that they’re a part of a group direct message.
In the address box, enter the name(s) or the @username(s) to whom you want to send a message. Now, click ‘next’, type the message and click on ‘send message’.
When you’re initiating a group direct message to share a tweet or discuss something, you can begin chatting directly from your timeline on the web. Now select ‘Share via Direct Message’ after clicking the icon on the three dots at the bottom of any tweet.
How Merchants can Utilize DM?
- Merchants follow four different ways to use Group DM.
- They can use group messaging to showcase new product and receive feedback or leap ideas off a select group of customers. By giving your loyal followers a glimpse of your upcoming services, you can receive valuable feedback. This is an excellent way to build strong relationships with the customers.
- Group DM can engage users with Hashtag chats without disrupting the public timeline. This is a popular form of Twitter engagement.
- For encouraging retweet, merchants can select a loyal group of Twitter-connected customers and share public tweets through Group DM.
- With Group DM, a long conversation can be continued without interrupting the public timeline. With Group DM, merchants can communicate with their followers more easily and swiftly.
- Group DM is a great way to help your followers find what exactly they’re looking for. Sharing messages with brand advocates can become more efficient if they’re done as a part of a group message. If you do not provide the product or service that they’re looking for, you can always refer them to the relevant service providers and in a way, engage them in 3-way conversation.
What’s Next?
Besides, Twitter has also introduced a video capture feature for the iOS and Android apps. It allows users to capture, edit and share videos up to 30 seconds directly from within the mobile app. They appear as thumbnails within your timeline that play when tapped on. Twitter video involves three stages:
1. Capture: You can hold down the record button to capture video content, if your message contains videos.
2. Edit: You can delete clips and rearrange others by utilizing a drag-n-drop process. You can hold the thumbnail image of the clip and drag it onto the main screen, if you have to remove the clip. A trash can icon will appear.
3. Share: Once the recording and editing of the video is done, it appears as an image in the posting area & is ready for sharing with the followers.
How Does It Benefits the Online Merchants?
- You can always ask your audience to share their videos using your products or request for video testimonials. This helps you to measure your product performance.
- If a customer is unaware of how to use your products, the recorded demonstration need not take more than a minute to explain in details. This is a great way to share product knowledge without having to make the customers get annoyed.
- It is easier to influence the potential customers with a quick 30 second video portfolio that they can view without leaving Twitter.
Group messages and videos offer new opportunities to host competitions & other offerings. The ability to converse, maintain confidentiality and show a quick video give online merchants more options for how & with whom they can communicate on Twitter and spread their brand name.
