Twitter has been around for a while now and its popularity is undeniable. But the introduction of Twitter Professional Profiles might be just what the company needs to keep businesses interested in it.
The feature, which Twitter announced it was testing in an April post, is aimed at providing new ways for businesses, non-profits, publishers, creators, and anyone who uses the platform for work to represent themselves on the platform.
Read on to find out all you need to know about Twitter’s new Professional Profile feature.
What Are Professional Profiles on Twitter?
Twitter's new Professional Profiles are an attempt to give businesses a more personalized presence on the social media platform. Businesses with Professional Profiles will be able to display their working hours as well as their address on their profile page.
Twitter is the first point of call for many people who want to contact brands directly. This is because businesses are generally more careful about how they interact with their customers on social media, as it doesn’t take much for a business to trend for all the wrong reasons.
You’re more likely to get a response by mentioning a brand’s handle in your tweet than by sending a direct message on other social media platforms because of this.
Up until 2021, Twitter hadn’t done much to maximize its darling status as an effective tool for users use to reach out to brands. The platform’s CEO Jack Dorsey underscored this when he acknowledged in his 2021 Twitter Analyst Day presentation that they’ve been “slow” when it comes to innovation.
This perhaps explains why there has been a spike in the number of new features added to the platform.
Professional Profiles are just one of the ways Twitter hopes to take advantage of its huge brand network. Twitter’s Product Lead, Kayvon Beykpour, confirmed this in a tweeted response to the new feature announcement.
How Are Professional Profiles Different From Normal Profiles?
Twitter didn’t share specific details about the additional features available on a Professional Profile. However, its mockup shared in the announcement did reveal some features.
The mockup for the feature shows a new About section where businesses can add their address and working hours. These changes are designed to help users easily find where a local business is located and its general working hours.
For example, say you follow a local ice cream brand on Twitter. You’ll be able to tap on the address in their profile to get directions to their shop.
Who Can Use a Professional Profile?
According to Twitter, the feature is aimed at businesses, non-profits, publishers, creators, and anyone who uses the platform for work.
The last category is a bit vague, which could mean that the feature could be open to everyone—similar to creator accounts on other social networks.
Do Professional Profiles Improve Twitter?
Twitter's new Professional Profiles are an excellent opportunity for small business owners who want to take advantage of the microblogging site's user base to draw in-person traffic to their shops.
But they do little, if anything at all, to improve the Twitter experience for average users. Being able to see where a local business is located and its working hours are great, but one could already find that by simply searching the business name on Google.
Unless new features are added, Professional Profiles will, at best, be an added convenience. Nothing we’ve not seen before.