Twitter Now Allows Users to Pin Tweets to Communities

Twitter Community moderators will now have a new 'Pin to Community Timeline' option on any Community tweet as the platform has added a new tool to stimulate more conversation, as shown in this example, which will keep that tweet at the top of the Community feed, effectively functioning as a dialogue prompt or notice. The option may assist to spark more focused participation within your Twitter communities, though whether Twitter's more confined Communities option fits the service at all is another question.

Twitter explains it this way:

“Some Tweets deserve the spotlight, which is why mods and admins can now pin their Community Tweets on the web. This feature was highly requested and we’re excited to see how you use it. Coming soon — the ability for mods and admins to pin their Community Tweets on iOS and Android!”

Communities don't seem to be taking off yet, with most communities reporting low levels of participation. Part of the reason for this is probably due to the difference in attitude. Twitter has always been about the 'public square,' allowing everyone to comment on current events and tweets. Communities, on the other hand, limit dialogue, which might have certain advantages, as we've seen on Facebook.

There is room for it on Twitter, with some users already creating separate Twitter handles for different topics - for example, if you're into UFC and work in digital marketing, you can have a separate feed and audience for your topical tweets in each, so you don't end up spamming each community with irrelevant content. Though Twitter does have other, more practical solutions that seem to better line with Twitter's ultimate use case, rather than attempting to change user behaviors and limit their discussion reach, Communities gives a mechanism to solve this.

This feature, known as 'Facets,' which Twitter teased in July, would allow users to tweet about a variety of topics from a single profile, with their followers being able to choose which elements and tweets they care about or don't. The added complexity here is that you'd have to categorize each tweet as you publish it, which may be why Twitter has decided against moving through with the project at this time. However, the concept appears to be more in line with Twitter's actual use case than Communities, which hides parts of tweet debate from public view.

Do Twitter users want to limit the number of people who see their tweets to have more private conversations, especially when they've already created a following based on their main topic areas?

Only Twitter knows for sure – and, for the record, Twitter's Communities team has told Social Media Today that they're pleased with the progress they've made with the choice. However, no official usage statistics or information on Community membership and involvement have been released. As a result, it all boils down to your perspective and the value you derive from your Twitter Communities right now.

Pinned tweets could serve to stimulate a little more activity in this regard, and for those who are already using them, it could be a useful addition – while for branded groups, it could be another method to raise awareness of new products and programs within these more private discussions.