Twitter recently updated its API to assign value to tweets. The update is intended for developers, so that future apps will be able to more easily identify which tweets are most important. The assigned value is presumably based on an algorithm similar to the one that separates “top tweets” from regular ones whenever you perform a search. What does this update mean for marketers?
While this update could be useful to any developer that uses the Twitter API, there’s a good chance it was aimed at tools like Topsy and Klout. Twitter is assigning a “filter_level” of “none,” “low,” “medium,” and eventually “high” to tweets based on retweets, replies, favorites, and other unrevealed factors.
It should go without saying that visibility in Topsy and Klout can do a lot for exposure. If more developers get on board, the exposure will be even more broad. This metadata will allow developers to weed out the clutter and give audiences a cleaner, more engaging feed. If your tweets earn a filter level of “medium” or “high,” you’ll make your way into sparser, more interesting twitter feeds, and your content won’t get overrun with distractions.
Of course, if you fail to reach the appropriate filter level, there’s a good chance you won’t be seen by anybody. In fact, we can expect more and more users to be using apps that filter out the “junk” as they become a popular alternative to crowded Twitter feeds.
None of this should dramatically change your social media strategy. You should already be aiming for retweets, favorites, and engagement.
However, there is a hidden benefit: the ability to seek out and build relationships with heavy hitters on the social network. With the additional data, we can expect Topsy, FollowerWonk, and similar tools to become even more useful.
Finally, all of this is a good sign for the future of Twitter, which, while very popular, has traditionally been most heavily used by bloggers and media personalities. This filtering feature could potentially transform it into a more useful social network for everyday people. If you haven’t capitalized on Twitter yet, now is the time to get on board.