New Twitter Test Highlights ‘Related Fleets’ Beneath Selected Tweets in Timelines

Twitter is really keen for you to give its Stories-like Fleets a shot, and it’s working to highlight the best Fleets content, in various forms, in order to entice you into its mobile-aligned content stream.

Earlier this week, we reported that some users are now seeing Fleets from profiles that they don’t follow appear in their top of feed Fleets bar, as a means to boost Fleets discovery.

And now, it seems that Twitter’s also trying out another option to showcase related Fleets.

Take a look at this video posted by social media expert Matt Navarra (shared from user Aboubakr Daqiq).

It looks like, as part of a new test, Twitter is now showing users Fleets that include tweets that you’ve viewed as additional content recommendations when you expand that initial tweet. The idea, then, would be to, once again, guide more users into Fleets content, helping to maximize Fleets discovery.

That could then see you not only discover new Fleets content, but also new accounts to follow – but primarily, it seems like it’s designed to showcase Fleets specifically, which Twitter seems convinced is a really good element, that more people should be engaging with.

It’s hard to tell whether that’s a good or bad thing.

From one perspective, it’s possible that maybe Twitter is actually seeing good engagement with Fleets among those who do view them, and it’s therefore looking to highlight Fleets to more users in order to prompt users to spend more time in the app, capitalizing on elements that are seeing good response.

Or, it could be that Fleets are just not being viewed, that few users are giving the new surface a chance, and that Twitter’s now looking for ways to promote the option, by any means it can, in order to boost usage leading into the Q2 reporting period.

Without definitive stats from Twitter on Fleets usage, we don’t know, so it’s all speculation at this point.

But if Twitter is going to move both of these new Fleets discovery options beyond tests, that could definitely make Fleets a more enticing option for brands, as these are both extended organic reach benefits, to accounts that will likely be interested in your content – without you having to pay for that extra amplification.

If Twitter is showing your Fleets to users who’ve engaged with similar content, why wouldn’t you give it a shot?

That’d more beneficial in the new display of Fleets from profiles that you don’t follow within the prominent top Fleets bar in the app, but in this new context, it could also see more brands re-sharing their own top tweets within Fleets, or popular tweets about their products, as a means to maximize exposure by potentially coming up as a recommendation when other users engage with the same.

It’s not clear how broad the user pool is for these current tests, nor what Twitter’s plans are with them, but they could offer new reach potential, which may make Fleets a more viable consideration in your strategy.

Or it’s a reminder that Fleets exist, and that no one really cares about Twitter Stories.

Maybe, when Twitter reports its latest numbers on July 22nd, we’ll get some more insight.