Tweeter in chief: How Trump could save Twitter

If there’s one thing we know about Donald Trump, it’s that he loves Twitter.

He tweets about policy. He fires off predawn tweetstorms about subjects that have him riled up. He uses it to fire up his base and steer the news cycle to whatever topic he chooses.

Trump frequently cites his more than 26 million Twitter followers to prove his popularity.

For better or worse, Trump has embraced the platform and made it America’s No. 1 source for White House news.

And that could well save the social network, which has struggled from years of tepid user growth and disappointing advertising results.

“Twitter’s role in American society has never been as clear or pointed as it is now,” says William de Lannoy, group communications strategy director at Noble People, a New York agency.

“It has always been most useful for news, but now Twitter’s specific brand of news is the most visible one in the country.”

An advertising decline

Twitter’s relevance is now unquestioned. But advertisers have yet to follow.

Ad spending actually fell slightly during fourth quarter of 2016, from $641 million to $638 million.

The company has long claimed that a decline in users a couple years ago put a dent in ad sales and that the effects are still playing out.

But with younger, hotter sites such as Instagram and Snapchat seeing big ad gains, analysts have said Twitter needs a kick to recover.

It’s possible Trump could be that kick.

“For the right advertiser, Twitter today offers a different contextual and conversational opportunity than it did before the election cycle,” de Lannoy says.

“User numbers aside, Twitter’s visibility as a premier source of breaking news (fake or not) and as the mouthpiece of the president is palpable.”

Different type of Twitter advertiser

The question is, which advertisers?

De Lannoy notes that Twitter tends to be “sharply opinionated,” more so than other social platforms.

That can be a major turnoff for a number of advertisers. “Promoting a TV show, graduate education program or flower delivery service in a feed full of political vitriol is awkward, to say the least.” 

Twitter’s best hope may be in going after advertisers who are less concerned with protecting their brand’s image and see real value in appearing in the midst of spirited public debate.

There are plenty around. One need look no further than the advertisers appearing on CNN and Fox News. There’s a lot to be said for reaching engaged eyeballs.

Tags: social media, trump, trump twitter, twitter, twitter ads, twitter advertising