If you use Twitter for marketing or customer service, your customers now have another option to access your content. The recently launched “Twitter Lite” for mobile devices is a service that minimizes data use and requires less storage space on the device to run. Twitter Lite also has the ability to load content more quickly due to low data and storage requirements. Let’s look at what Twitter Lite really is and isn’t.

Smaller. Lighter. Faster.

Twitter claims that load speeds are up to 30% faster while using Twitter Lite. Through optimizing the service for mobile, Twitter has given mobile users the ability to navigate the user interface quicker, as well as load content faster. The load times 30% increase will allow users to view more content in less time which bodes well for marketers. Nothing kills digital marketing faster and increases bounce rates more than slow load times. 

Device Storage

With Twitter Lite, users with limited storage on their device can rest easy. Requiring only 1mb or less, Twitter Lite benefits those people who bought the smallest iPhone to save money, only to find that they can’t have more than a couple apps, 4 pictures, and that one No Doubt song they love. Gone are the days of deleting precious memories to get your Twitter updates.

Data Saver Mode

If you live in an area without unlimited data, or where data is expensive, Twitter Lite is for you. With Data Saver Mode, Twitter Lite boasts a reduction in mobile data usage of up to 70%. This is achieved through displaying previews of photos and videos rather than loading the full file every time. Users are able to choose which photos and video they load by clicking on them. For marketers, this means that you will need to be aware that your content will not display as you designed it. In fact, images will be blurred and will be required to be clicked on in order to be seen.

For your customers that utilize the native Twitter app or a variety of 3rd parties clients, this new product from Twitter will likely be irrelevant. Twitter Lite is accessed through a web-browser only and should have minimal adoption in the United States. In areas of the world where mobile data is more expensive, however, Twitter Lite could become a big player. If you are marketing to such areas, be aware that your customers may opt to take advantage of Twitter’s new offering.