Twitter Fleets

Twitter has finally jumped on the stories band wagon! Introducing a new way to share content on social— Twitter Fleets!

After months of testing in select markets, Twitter confirmed the global rollout of a new stories-like feature called “Fleets” which should be available in the UK over the coming days. Do you have it yet? If so, here’s everything you need to know about Twitter Fleets:

What are Twitter Fleets?

The “stories format” has proven quite popular since Snapchat first rolled onto the scene in 2011 – it’s been adapted for Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and, most recently, Twitter. According to Twitter’s announcement, “Today, we’re launching Fleets so everyone can easily join the conversation in a new way – with their fleeting thoughts.”

The announcement goes on to explain that Fleets, give users a venue to share casual, everyday thoughts without stressing over the permanence of those thoughts.  Hence, “Fleets” — which, if you hadn’t guessed already, stands for “fleeting Tweets.”

https://twitter.com/Twitter/status/1328684389388185600

So what makes Fleets different to regular Tweets?

Well, unlike regular Tweets, Fleets disappear after 24 hours and can’t be retweeted or liked. You can fleet text, reactions to Tweets, photos or videos and customise your Fleets with various background and text options. Plus, you can also respond and react to Fleets by tapping on one and sending a direct message or emoji to the creator, which will start a DM conversation.

There’s also plans to introduce stickers and live broadcasting to Fleets in the future. A user’s Fleets will appear at the top of their home page and anyone who can access your full profile will also be able to find your Fleets there. If your DMs are open, people will be able to react to your Fleets with a text-based message or emoji. 

How to share a fleet?

Fleets are being rolled out to all markets, so you may already have access to the new feature, take a look! 

Here’s how to post your first Fleet:
  • To create a Fleet, start by tapping the “+” button that appears at the top of your Fleets feed (just like you would on Instagram Stories).
  • From here, you can type up to 280 characters of text or add photos, GIFs, or videos. You can Fleet text, reactions to Tweets, photos or videos and customise your Fleets with various background and text options.
  • Once you hit “post,” your Fleet will appear in an Instagram Stories-like feed at the top of people’s feeds.
  • To share a Tweet in a Fleet tap the “Share” icon at the bottom of the Tweet and then tap, “Share in Fleet.”

What Twitter Fleets Mean for Businesses

It’s clear from Twitter’s announcement that their hope for Fleets is that it will entice more users to engage on the platform — particularly those who aren’t as comfortable sharing regular or permanent Tweets.

This could very well be the case, but it really depends on how many people adopt the feature (and how often they use it). For instance, while Instagram Stories was a near-instant hit, Facebook Stories has been slower to gain traction.

Since Fleets were only tested in select markets like Brazil before their global rollout, it’s difficult to say how it will play out.

So should businesses jump on the trend?

It’s too soon to say but we’re definitely hopeful! Ephemeral (which means too exist only briefly) content is one of the biggest social media success stories in recent years, and Twitter might be able to ride that success with Fleets. Time will tell! 

If your business would like to use stories features but you’re not sure how – our team of creatives are here to help. Our Retainer Services take the stress of content creation and  keeping an eye on your social media presence, away. Contact us today to find out more.