Double the Twitter, Double the Trouble?

True brevity on Twitter may be a thing of the past. After testing a 280 character limit in September, Twitter has launched an extended character count globally. Twitter announced the change in a recent blog: “Our goal was to make this possible while ensuring we keep the speed and brevity that makes Twitter, Twitter. Looking at all the data, we’re excited to share we’ve achieved this goal and are rolling the change out to all languages where cramming was an issue.”

During the September test, Twitter found that it was easier for people to tweet. Since 2007, 9% of tweets have hit the character limit. Now, with the increased characters, people are tweeting more often without hitting the character limit. Twitter attributes this to people editing their tweets less. People were still brief in their tweets, but had the room to complete their thought. Despite the company’s research, many high-profile Twitter users had a lot to say about the new character count.

The marketing and public relations industry is, of course, reacting to this change as it affects a big part of our daily responsibilities for our clients. PR News’ article, “What Twitter’s Move to 280 Characters Means for PR and Marketing” explores some of the positives that come from the expanded character length on the platform. For example, PR and marketing pros will now have an opportunity to provide a more detailed picture of the brands they represent. We have more room to tweet a targeted message or a great interview quote that demonstrates a client’s value to its target audiences.

What do you think of Twitter’s new character count? Does it make communicating easier? Let us know in the comments or DM us at @FuriaRubel.