What you need to know
- Twitter found working on a new test drive feature.
- The new test drive allows users to "try Twitter" and experience the platform without signing up for an account.
- It is a limited test drive experience that enables users to follow and read tweets.
Twitter is working on a new experiment that lets people follow users and read tweets without creating an account, effectively letting users "Try Twitter" before committing.
The test was spotted by security researcher Jane Manchun Wong on Twitter, showcasing this new experience is about. The splash screen shared by Wong displays a new login page with the new "Try Twitter" button, while a typical "Sign up or log in" link can be found at the bottom.
Twitter is testing “Try Twitter”, letting people follow and read Tweets in the mobile app without having an accountThis test drive is public and requires personalization. Most of other actions like retweeting, liking, bookmarking, tweeting still require signing up / logging in pic.twitter.com/Sj0axwyXGoJuly 28, 2022
The splash screen further mentions that users can take part in the experience for a limited time. That said, even without an account, the test requires some data to be collected to create a personalized experience for users willing to give Twitter a try. Those users likely have to enable the "Personalize based on places you've been" toggle.
Enabling the toggle will allow Twitter to collect the user's geographical location upon trying the new feature. Once you're in, you can still find the conventional sidebar, which showcases various navigation options. However, many actions, including the ability to tweet, would still require users to sign up or sign in, suggests Wong.
Twitter's Product Lead Laura Burkhauser further elaborated that the new test drive is to give people an easy approach to experience Twitter firsthand, like exploring a timeline or following someone without having an account. According to Burkhauser, the experiment is being tested in multiple variations.
Not everyone is ready to sign up for an account the first time they try Twitter. Our team wants to give people an easy way to read tweets and experience having a timeline. It's an experiment and still mvp. LMK if you have feedback (but you'll need to create an account first 😉) https://t.co/2kJe5gvRNGJuly 28, 2022
She further clarifies that the first iteration of the new practice doesn't necessarily have new features and is pretty basic. However, it is subject to change based on feedback taken during the test drive. She also hints that there could be room for improvement and give users an enhanced experience beforehand without logging into the app.
Given all the new features Twitter has rolled out and the various experiments coming to the platform, Twitter could potentially be overwhelming to newcomers. This new test drive could be a convenient way to help people get a feel for the platform before joining.
In other news, the recent Twitter Q2 2022 earnings have showcased another increase in daily active users on the platform amid the Elon Musk takeover deal, meaning the platform doesn't seem to have a problem attracting users. However, the company reported a drop in revenue, suggesting it may need to figure out how to further monetize existing and new users.
