Twitter makes it easy to follow specific topics rather than users

Twitter can be extremely useful for keeping up to date with the latest news around various topics, but to do so you have to follow specific users – often times people you might not even like. Starting November 13, Twitter it is rolling out a new feature that allows you to follow specific topics rather than accounts, as reported by The Verge. It gives you a birds-eye view of conversations around people, things, and events without having to read all the ramblings of a particular account.

Aside from distilling tweets on a subject, it could also make it easier to discover tweets from people you might not have followed who nevertheless have something interesting to say about a subject. The company also hopes the feature will make it easier for new users to get started on the platform. Currently, that can be a bit daunting, as people who are logging into twitter for the first time probably have no idea who to follow aside from select friends and celebrities.

It’s similar to the original concept behind Twitter moments, which amassed tweets surrounding particular current events. The differences are that Topics are not nearly as ephemeral, as they’re subjects you can follow indefinitely, and that they show up directly on your feed like any other tweet.

To follow a topic, simply search for the subject you’re interested in. You’ll see a description of the topic listed atop the search and can then just press the ‘Follow’ button. Thereafter, you’ll see a badge on tweets in your timeline sourced from the topic you’re following. The feature currently covers 300 topics, with more on the way.