Conversations: The bloodline of Twitter

Twitter has recently announced they are testing several new features aimed at increasing engagement. The platform is famously known for allowing their users to dictate innovation including the inception of the #hashtag and @mention which is now found on most (if not all) social media sites.

Among the new features are color-coded replies on tweets and a blank bar for replies directly on tweets. The features are intended to entice more people to engage with each other, which would be a great way for brands to further connect with their consumers online.
But encouraging engagement means potential for harm, which has been addressed by a new privacy feature that allows a user to block specific accounts from viewing or replying to their tweets.

While what we’re seeing here is nothing new in terms of social media, opening the access for public conversation allows Twitter users to better control the conversation they started, and the opportunity to connect with more users.

How do you think these new features will change a user’s experience?