Twitter is officially rolling out a brand new user profile redesign from today, as it looks to help users show who they really are.
The news follows on from the broader refresh that came into effect back in February, which included a whiter design and bigger buttons. With this latest overhaul, you will be able to pin one of your tweets to the top of your profile page.
However this pinned tweet is pushed down the pecking order with every fresh tweet you send. So it’s not a permanent ornament on your profile, unless you repeatedly re-pin it or, well, never send any fresh tweets.
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Twitter’s Web profile will now also display a larger profile photo and customizable header, while it will also surface your best tweets – those that have received the most engagement will appear slightly larger, making it easier to find.
As you can see from the profile of the First Lady Michelle Obama, the new Twitter profiles look a lot more like a Web landing page, and photos/videos now have their own tab next to ‘tweets’.
The photos/video section takes on a gallery-like two-column display of all the photos and videos you’ve shared on the social network, a move away from the single-column format. Certainly, it looks a lot more engaging.
The new profiles have already been tested among a small group of users. You’ll be getting yours over the coming weeks, however if you’re completely new to Twitter – as in, you sign-up today – you’ll kick off with the new profile from the get go.
If you are joining Twitter for the first time today, or creating a new account, you’ll be guided through the fresh layout.
One of Twitter’s key growing pains in recent years has been how to appeal to more users. Many people have difficulty circumventing that initial hurdle when signing-up – knowing what they’re supposed to do on the platform. It’s not Facebook, after all.
While the latest update is certainly different, and is more appealing visually, whether this enhances its ‘stickiness’ at all remains to be seen. Twitter has also been toying with removing @replies from the platform in favor of Facebook-style mentions which would be a big departure from its roots, though this has yet to materialize.
In its post-IPO world, Twitter is working hard to gain traction globally, so we can likely expect additional features, tweaks, enhancements and more in the months and years that follow.
Meanwhile, let us know which design you prefer in our poll below.
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