New Twitter Limits: What Does This Mean for Your Marketing?

Buckle up because Twitter has some new speed bumps on the road to social media success. On July 1st, 2023, Elon Musk announced that Twitter would temporarily restrict the number of daily posts Twitter users could view. 

Musk explained that the temporary restrictions were necessary to cut down on pesky data scrapers and system manipulators. 

Here’s a snippet Twitter gave on its business website,

“To ensure the authenticity of our user base we must take extreme measures to remove spam and bots from our platform. That’s why we temporarily limited usage so we could detect and eliminate bots and other bad actors that are harming the platform. Any advance notice on these actions would have allowed bad actors to alter their behavior to evade detection.”

Let's dive into what these limits are and how they could affect your marketing game.

All About the Twitter Limit

Initially (in July this year), Twitter announced that it would limit the number of tweets users saw. Verified users would see 6,000 posts daily, unverified 600, and new accounts just 300. 

In addition to the above, Twitter had previously announced that it’d require users to log in to the platform to view tweets. 

Around 75,000 users reported encountering issues with Twitter when the changes were initially announced. While this may seem like a decent number, it's worth noting that Twitter has over 200 million users worldwide. 

Nonetheless, the impact of the changes was evident, and the hashtags #RIPTwitter and #TwitterDown started making rounds on social media.
 

However, after a lot of pressure and criticism from users, Musk updated the limits a few hours later on the same day. Verified accounts currently get to peek at 10,000 tweets a day (not bad), while unverified peeps have to make do with just 1,000 (ouch). And the newcomers? A mere 500 tweets!

If users exceed the limits, they’ll receive a ‘rate limit exceeded’ sign for the remainder of the day. 

Some people think Twitter might have faced capacity constraints imposed by suppliers who rent server capacity to the company.

Other users speculate the limitation is a way for Twitter to promote Twitter Blue subscriptions, where users can view up to 10,000 tweets daily.

Here’s what Yoel Roth, the former head of trust and safety at Twitter, had to say about the limit, "For anyone keeping track, this isn't even the first time they've completely broken the site by bumbling around in the rate limiter. There's a reason the limiter was one of the most locked down internal tools."

Will the Twitter Limit Impact Your Marketing?

Yes, and make it resounding. The update on Twitter’s new limits assures advertisers that “... the restrictions affect a small percentage of people using the platform, and we will provide an update when the work is complete. As it relates to our customers, effects on advertising have been minimal.”

However, in an article by Reuters, several advertising experts feel differently.

According to Jasmine Enberg, principal analyst at Insider Intelligence, capping how much users can view could be "catastrophic" for the platform's ad business. That's not what advertisers want to hear!

Olivia Wedderburn, an executive at creative agency TMW Unlimited, isn't taking these changes lightly either. She's advising her clients to "stop investing in Twitter immediately." Why? Because the platform's turning away heavily engaged users, which she believes is the "sole reason" to advertise on Twitter. 

Here’s How the New Limits Affect May Your Marketing

• Reduced tweet visibility: With rate limits in place, your tweets may have a lower chance of reaching a broader audience. 

• Twitter marketing strategy shift: Say goodbye to "business as usual." Social media marketers will need to step up their game and focus on creating content that's not just good but incredibly engaging and attention-grabbing. It's time to bring your A-game and make every tweet count!

• Timing considerations: Remember those "prime time" TV slots? Well, now you need "prime time" tweets! Posting at the right time has become crucial to capturing your audience's attention during their active hours. 

How Do You Deal with These New Twitter Limits?

How exactly do you stand out in this "limited edition" timeline? Let’s dive into the details. 

1. Tweet Timing is Everything

Timing is the secret sauce! With fewer chances to catch your audience, you better post when they're all ears (or eyes).

You might need to do a few A/B tests, but the extra effort is worthwhile if it means more engagement. 

2. No Boring Stuff Allowed 

Attention spans are shorter than ever(an adult’s attention span is currently estimated to be just 8.25 seconds), and you bet people want exciting stuff.

So, engage your audience like a pro. Interesting content equals more engagement, which leads to more shares and retweets and, ultimately, more people viewing your tweets. 

3. Whip Up Your Hashtag Wizardly

Hashtags are your marketing wingmen! They'll help you join the trending conversations and reach a whole new bunch of your target audience.

Just remember, don't go overboard: Keep it relevant and current.

4. Consider Alternatives 

Given the recent Twitter limits, it's natural to want to explore alternatives that can still offer a fulfilling social media marketing experience. 

We can’t deny it; Twitter is still a prominent platform and one of the best social sites for marketing and advertising your products.

That said, it’s essential to keep an open mind and consider other options that may suit your needs and preferences better. 

Here are three options that gained attention when Twitter imposed limits in July. 

A. Bluesky

Bluesky is conceptualized by none other than former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. 

It shares some striking similarities with Twitter, offering a familiar feed, posts, likes, block lists, and mute options. 

While still in its invite-only beta phase, Bluesky holds an air of exclusivity for early adopters. You can create captivating posts of up to 256 characters, and adding eye-catching photos is a breeze. 

Additionally, you can search for and follow other users, viewing their updates on your "Home" timeline. Bluesky also presents a "What's Hot" timeline that shows engaging posts and a "Discover" tab to find interesting people to follow.

Cons

• An invite-only program

B. Mastodon

Often referred to as the “open-source Twitter”, Mastodon takes a different approach. 

It's a decentralized platform that allows you to create and run your own websites known as Instances. 

Despite not being a traditional social media website, Mastodon still offers features quite similar to Twitter, including toots (tweets), replies, bookmarks, hashtags, and boosts (retweets). 

What sets it apart is its open-source nature that enables anyone to download, modify, and install Mastodon on their server without restrictions from platform owners.

Cons

• Lack of some Twitter functionalities like quote tweets, direct messages, and adding unfollowed accounts to lists.
• No paid ads or sponsored content.

C. Threads

Released by Instagram, Threads has already made quite an impact, with 150 million downloads and over 100 million active users. 

Threads boasts a minimalist interface that might remind you of Twitter. With Threads, you can post text updates with a limit of up to 500 characters, and you also have the option to share photos and videos up to 5 minutes long. 

Threads also fetches your username and user info from Instagram once you sign up. Its feed contains posts from users you follow as well as recommendations, and you can choose to keep your profile public or private.

Cons

• Lack of direct messages and a following feed.
• Not yet available in the EU.
• Requires an Instagram account, and deleting Threads will also delete your Instagram posts since they're interconnected.
• Posts cannot be edited after posting.

Twitter’s New Limits Shouldn’t Dampen Your Marketing Game

Twitter's got new (limiting) rules, but that doesn't mean you can't shine.

Our team at Zoey Writers can help you create engaging and retweet-worthy tweets that push your content to all the right users. 

Ready to level up your Twitter marketing game? Contact us today to get started.