In an effort to make the tweeting experience safe, easy and convenient for all its users, Twitter is changing the way links are displayed. In a blog written on June 8, 2010, the popular social media marketing leader Twitter announced that it will soon be rolling out t.co, its new URL shortner. The new URL auto-wrapper will help mitigate the obscurity of links and prevent malware or phishing attacks. With all the recent
Facebook privacy problems, this is a great way for Twitter to try to step ahead of the competition by making subscribers feel safe when using its website. Additionally, this is great news for tweeple that have a difficult time fitting long URLs into the 140 character limit.
The t.co short URL will replace the current twt.tl, but even after the launch, this short URL is expected to only be displayed on tweets posted through SMS. For links tweeted on the web or on applications, Twitter plans to show parts of the original website name to help eliminate the obscurity of its existing link display. With this new platform, users will have a better idea as to where a URL is taking them. For example, the
official Twitter blog says that a really long link like “https://www.amazon.com/Delivering-Happiness-Profits-Passion-Purpose/dp/0446563048” could be shown as “Amazon.com/delivery” for web and application users. Keep in mind that the developers are still determining the official display.
In addition, links wrapped in the new t.co platform will be routed through a system that is connected with the Promoted Tweet algorithm. This means that the t.co URL you click will determine which ads are displayed in Twitter’s new system. This is good news for both promoters and users because it will help make ads more targeted and relevant. For people that are unfamiliar with Twitter’s Promoted Tweet platform, on April 14, 2010, Cybertegic wrote a blog post about the features and benefits of this new form of social media marketing. To add to its users’ safety, the new routing system will check for any malware or phishing attacks, so fans and followers can feel extra secure clicking on tweeted links.
As of now, the new URL service is being tested with Twitter employee accounts and is expected to launch Twitter-wide sometime this summer. If successful, this new platform will be a major breakthrough for this popular social media marketing website.
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Written by Jacquelynn M.
