Twitter’s Connect tab takes another shot at the 'who to follow' problem
The Connect tab replaces a previous Find People section, and does more to explain why it is recommending particular people and accounts.
Trending accounts no longer have their own section, but are instead featured in a carousel at the top of the screen. Below that, there’s an option to connect your address book for finding people you know in the real world.
The meat of the new Connect tab, however, lies below these two sections. Here, you can scroll through a series of recommendation cards, each based on a group of people you’re following already and on your recent activity. Additional cards are interspersed for popular accounts nearby and people you might know through your Twitter contacts. Twitter says it will continue to refine these recommendations over time.
Frankly, it’s a lot to take in. But at least each section explains who or what the set of recommendations is based on. By comparison, the old Find People section’s recommendations felt like they were coming out of nowhere.
Twitter is rolling out the new section to all users now. Look for the person icon in the top-left corner on iOS and, in some regions, on Android. In other regions, Android users should hit the three-dot overflow button in the top-right corner, then hit Connect.
Why this matters: For years, Twitter has struggled to retain users on its social network. While the company has recently turned to algorithmic feeds, looping videos, polls, and more content embedded in tweets to improve the problem, ultimately users are going to get bored if they don’t like who they’re following. The Connect tab isn’t a major change on that front, but it’s a welcome improvement for users who need a bit of direction.