Twitter to Lift 140 Character Limit on DMs

Twitter announced Thursday that beginning in July (no specific date has yet been given), they will be lifting the 140-character limit on direct messages, giving users 10,000 characters with which to express themselves and mimicking more of an instant messenger feel.

In many of the chats I participate in, the common theme of “do online conversations fuel offline conversations” often comes up. Is this an effort on the part of Twitter to attempt to curtail this? Keeping you on their site longer, as opposed to taking conversations from DMs to email, so you can write more, talk longer?

New messaging apps are launched every day, competing for our share of mobile minutes and attention. I find this to be a smart move by Twitter, and one that I welcome. I am already on Twitter, and now I can get more out of it without the frustration of trying to follow along with a DM stream that I often picture as a trail – and if laid out could circle the globe 5 times over.

The Pros

I think it will help when it comes to customer service. I find that most people (myself included) are much more likely to reach out to a company on Twitter for a quick response if I have a complaint or need help, then I am to email them. Brands will now be able to respond to customers right then and there, rather than having to say “email me.”

When I use DMs, I use them to for longer info, engagements and conversations that I can take part in a quick tweet. Having to constantly send these DMs mid-sentence has been a bit of an annoyance, breaking up thoughts and the natural flow of conversation. To avoid this, I will generally take these conversations to Facebook or another messaging app. As Twitter is my favorite social networking platform, this is a great move to compete with other messaging apps, keeping me on Twitter, rather than sending me to another platform.

If this allows me to use Twitter the same way I would use a text message, I could cut down on any additional fees I may incur on my mobile bill, if I go over my text message allotments, or whatever package I’m subscribed to, which keeps me within a certain (much too small) range of what I can send to friends. I also will save memory on my cell phone, not having to download another app that will allow me to converse in long form with friends. Facebook recognized the need for ease of messaging long ago – through their messaging platform as well as their acquisition of WhatsApp.

The Cons

At first glance, the only con I saw was that since removing the “only people you follow can send you DMs” anyone could send me an extra-long DM, selling to me without me looking to them for information on their product or services. However, you can uncheck the “Receive Direct Messages from anyone” box in the security and privacy section in Twitter’s settings to stop this from happening. Twitter is allowing you to stop people you do not follow from sending you these new, longer DMs.

I’m interested in your thoughts on this new development. For now, I find it will allow conversations to be more fluid and natural, and I’m looking forward to it.

http://www.socialmediatoday.com/social-networks/lucyrk78/2015-06-12/twitter-lift-140-character-limit-dms

Why We Click: The Simple Psychology Behind Calls to Action

Modern marketers have certain overarching goals in common: Connect with the audience and move its members to take meaningful action. In the digital world, meaningful action usually means a click of the mouse (or tap on the screen), which leads to a conversion.

But often overlooked is the thing that everyone’s actually clicking on: the call-to-action (CTA) button.

For example, did you know that some buttons appear to our brains to be more clickable than others? For years, smart marketers have used basic brain science to develop campaigns that grab our attention -- and CTA buttons are no different. Below are four tips from our Why We Click guide on how the right button color, copy, shape and placement can help skyrocket your click rates.

1. Compelling color

Color matters, probably more than you realize: 85 percent of people say color is the main reason they buy a product. There’s no magic color that converts best, so pick a button color that contrasts with your design to make it stand out (think: orange on blue). Or, use a color that promotes a certain feeling.

For example, orange encourages immediate action. Consider orange for asking people to sign up, buy or join right away. It’s also the color most associated with cheap or inexpensive things. And, we all know green means "go," which is pretty handy when it comes to CTAs. It’s also the easiest color for the eyes to process, so it’s often used to relax the mind and promote growth.

2. Clickable copy

A CTA's whole life's purpose is to move someone to take action right away, so try to write copy that’s irresistible to click. It should be specific: Think “Download the guide” rather than “Click here” -- and use active verbs like “start” and “get.” Passive words create lazy mouse-finger couch potatoes, so lead with an active, energetic verb to drive more clicks.

One recent study found a 90 percent better conversion rate using first-person language, e.g., “Start my free trial” vs. “Start your free trial.” Also, simply adding the word “now” to a CTA button can boost conversions by creating a bit of extra urgency.

3. Shape and size

Rounded, big, tappable and tested: These four adjectives should describe every CTA button. Ever. Rectangular buttons are by far the most popular, but since our brains are programmed to avoid pointy things, make sure to round off the corners. Buttons should also be big enough to be easily tapped on a mobile phone, just not so obnoxiously big that they ruin the overall design.

4. Prominent placement

CTA buttons shouldn’t be vying for attention. You should make clear at a glance what you want your audience to do. When you place buttons above the fold, your audience will see them even if they’re just scanning the email or page. Visitors spend almost 80 percent of their time above the fold, so you’ll catch those folks who are ready to act right away without forcing them to sift through content to get there.

Also, surrounding buttons with white space helps them stand out, so give CTAs plenty of room to pop, but not so much space that they don’t feel like part of the overall design. They should attract the eye, not look lost in the desert.

Every audience is different, so you’ll have to test colors, copy, shapes and placement to find the right combination of buttons that sends your conversion rates soaring. After all, A/B tests can improve conversion rates by as much as 49 percent!

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/246656

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