Twitter's reputation among advertisers needs rebuilding, and new CEO Linda Yaccarino is up for the challenge. A recent report reveals Yaccarino's initial action plan for rejuvenating Twitter’s business, with video, AI, and in-stream commerce as the main focal points.
Yaccarino's preliminary plan includes:
- Full-screen, sound-on ads: Yaccarino plans to introduce a full-screen, sound-on ad offering that inserts promotions into Twitter's scrollable video feed. The aim is to align with the short video trend spearheaded by TikTok and make video content a bigger focus in the app.
- Attracting celebrities and influencers: The new CEO intends to attract high-profile users to Twitter by pitching the platform as a superior choice for sharing content. Despite the challenge of competing with platforms with larger userbases, this strategy could solidify Twitter's place as a key news content app.
- AI ad tools: Yaccarino plans to introduce generative AI elements to Twitter's ad system, aiding brand partners in creating, testing, and improving their campaigns. This long-term goal will contribute to the development of a better and more equitable system for ad partners.
- In-app shopping: Yaccarino aims to incorporate in-stream payments in the app, opening up new opportunities for eCommerce and product marketing.
- Hand-to-hand combat: In an effort to re-establish trust, Yaccarino plans to hire more sales staff for face-to-face meetings with potential ad partners.
Yaccarino acknowledges that there are obstacles to overcome, such as overcoming the perception that Twitter is not as brand-safe as it once was, and potential regulatory challenges related to payments. Despite this, she is confident that her experience will lead to short-term success in re-building the platform's ad business.
Yaccarino is scheduled to share more about her vision for Twitter 2.0 in a Twitter Spaces presentation in early August. The industry will be keenly observing how these strategic initiatives evolve and their impact on the Twitter marketing landscape.
