Table of Contents
Throughout Elon Musk’s Twitter legacy, the platform has undergone massive changes. From Twitter’s rebrand to “X,” ad revenue payouts for subscribers, and Linda Yaccarino’s new position as CEO, Twitter has been at the forefront of experimentation and discovery. On October 2nd, Musk announced he was testing Twitter’s livestreaming feature.
Before Musk streamed, he created a burner account to test-run the stream. Musk livestreamed Diablo IV, a popular action RPG developed by Blizzard. The stream lasted 52 minutes as Musk ran through dungeons. Musk believed the test stream was a success but stated that Twitter has “a lot of things to improve on.” How will Twitter compete against livestreaming platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and Kick? Will these new changes promote a new wave of ecommerce on Twitter?
Did you know that NeoReach runs world-class influencer marketing campaigns? Check out our case studies here!
Elon’s Twitter X Plan and Twitter Livestreaming
The new Twitter livestreaming test falls according to Musk’s plans for Twitter. When Musk inherited Twitter, he devised a strategy to make Twitter into “X,” a universal app like China’s WeChat. Musk intended to make Twitter an all-inclusive platform to accommodate daily life and various forms of content. Fast forward to Twitter’s post-rebrand, Musk’s plans are slowly coming to fruition.
Twitter was originally known for its easily digestible posts under 140 characters. Now, blue users can post tweets of up to 25,000 characters! In addition, Twitter’s livestreaming feature and Twitter/X Spaces promote alternative content like podcasts and livestreams.
These features allow users to interact with brands, influencers, and businesses. For brands, this means you’ll find new, innovative ways to interact with your audience and expand your reach! If Musk’s “X plan” continues in this route, Twitter will become a centralized hub for ecommerce and content, from short blog posts to interactive podcasts.
Twitter’s History with Periscope
Years ago, the platform tested out Twitter livestreaming through Periscope, a platform Twitter picked up in 2015. However, Periscope was discontinued in 2021 due to rising costs and decreased popularity.
Musk conducted a livestream using old Periscope coding on May 2nd. While the stream was blurry and otherwise used to test the platform’s capabilities, this 5-minute test catalyzed Musk’s Diablo stream. It’s unclear whether or not Musk’s Diablo stream used Periscope’s coding, but what is certain is that Musk wants to test the waters.
What would prevent Twitter from becoming a full-fledged livestreaming platform? Livestream platforms are high maintenance. Platforms like Mixer have fallen short due to maintenance costs and tight competition with bigger services. Considering the platform’s volatility in the past year, a more engaged Twitter livestreaming feature might not be possible. Even so, Musk’s dedication to testing the feature might mean it could be released soon.
How Will the Twitter Livestreaming Feature Work?
It’s unclear how exactly Twitter livestreaming will work. Twitter allows users to livestream, but additional features are underdeveloped or nonexistent. Platforms like YouTube, Twitch, TikTok, and Kick, allow viewers to save clips, interact in chat with emotes, and donate to creators. Musk’s stream test gauged the platform’s ability to stream while retaining viewer engagement and quality.
His livestream didn’t show live comments on screen, so Musk occasionally read and responded to chats on his phone. To accommodate the amount of active Twitter users, it wouldn’t be surprising if Musk required chatters to have Twitter Blue to send chats. However, if this feature existed, non-verified users would be gatekept from interacting with brands and influencers. This potential feature would warrant cause for concern as social media marketing encourages audience engagement.
While these are speculations, businesses and creators should keep tabs on the Twitter livestreaming feature. If Musk and developers expand on these tests, Twitter could blossom into an ecommerce hub.
The Future of Livestreaming
With the rise of streaming sites like YouTube, Twitch, Kick, and Rumble, Twitter is trying to get a foothold on its benefits. Viewers watched over 5.71 billion hours of live streams on Twitch in Q3 of 2022, but the total across all livestreaming platforms reached 7.2 billion. Live videos will become more popular as creators and brands discover their power. A previous NeoReach article discovered that live shopping streams benefit brands:
- Increased engagement with targetted audience.
- Promotes community building and strengthens consumer trust through live interactions.
- Grants consumers control by asking influencers questions about the product before purchasing.
- Promotes impulse buying through limited-time deals and products during the livestream. As a result, the brand generates higher profits and encourages viewers to return.
Creators also benefit from livestreaming platforms:
- Increased engagement with viewers, as well as a more authentic experience. Real-time events feel more genuine and interactive than previously recorded content.
- Impactful reach and engagement that attracts businesses and brands. Creators can also open up doors to new partnerships.
- Maximize their reach by posting a variety of content on multiple platforms.
So, if you’re a brand or creator who loves Twitter, you’ll want to watch future platform news. If Musk does release a fully fleshed-out Twitter livestreaming feature, the creator economy will reach new heights!
