#Turmoil
"Twitter parts with 4 key executives in latest sign of turmoil" by Michael Liedtke Associated Press January 26, 2016
SAN FRANCISCO — Four of Twitter’s key executives are leaving the company in an exodus that has escalated the uncertainty facing the messaging service as it struggles to broaden its audience and lure back disillusioned investors.
This is the second major fissure in Twitter’s ranks since Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey was named the San Francisco company’s permanent CEO in October. His hiring followed a stint as interim CEO after the resignation of his predecessor, Dick Costolo.
In one of his first moves, Dorsey laid off more than 300 employees, or about 8 percent of Twitter’s workforce, to trim expenses at a company that has never turned a profit since starting nearly a decade ago.
Analysts interpreted Twitter’s changes as a distress signal instead of a reason to hope that the company is starting to head in the right direction.
‘‘We don’t see how the departure of the heads of three major business divisions can be viewed as a positive in the middle of an attempted business turnaround,’’ Stifel analyst Scott Devitt wrote in a research note.
Does have a rats deserting the sinking ship feel to it, yeah.
In another note, Citi analyst Mark May said the defections may prolong Dorsey’s attempt to turn around Twitter and could hint at problems that may surface Feb. 10 when the company is scheduled to report its results for the final three months of last year.
Twitter stock declined 4.6 percent to $17.02 at the close in New York, well below the price of $26 in an initial public offering in November 2013. The stock has lost about half of its value in the past 12 months.
The downturn reflects concerns that Twitter isn’t going to get much bigger than it is now, after a long streak of torrid growth in its early years. Twitter’s active users grew from 308 million in March to 320 million in September, a measly gain compared with Facebook, which added 104 million users during the same span.
That only confirms what I thought.
Twitter is trying to make its service more appealing with a feature called ‘‘Moments’’ that compiles photos, video, and messages about big news events. Twitter also is considering expanding the restrictions on tweets beyond the 140-character limit....
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#Tranquility
"Twitter names American Express executive Berland as CMO" by Sarah Frier Bloomberg News January 27, 2016
Twitter Inc. named Leslie Berland chief marketing officer as it undergoes a major overhaul of its top ranks in an effort to reboot growth.
Berland, 37, was previously senior vice president of digital partnerships at American Express Co., where she spent the past four years on an ad campaign that included a heavy presence on Facebook, Twitter, and Apple’s iAd mobile platform. American Express ranked 25th in Interbrand’s Best Global Brands 2015 report.
“She will help tell the stories of our iconic product,” Twitter chief executive Jack Dorsey said in a tweet.
Sorry, but stop that tweeting.
The appointment came after the social media company lost four members of its executive leadership team over the weekend, including its product and engineering chiefs. Dorsey, 39, is reshaping Twitter after the company’s stock fell 35 percent last year amid concerns the company is no longer able to attract droves of new users. Twitter was little changed at $17.01 at the close in New York.
But all the important people on TV and in the pre$$ tweet!
Berland spent 10 years at American Express, where she oversaw advertising, media, sponsorships, content, and brand identity. She also helped create the company’s first social media strategies. She was named sixth in Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business issue and has been included in Advertising Age’s Creativity 50 list, according to a bio provided by Twitter.
Adam Bain, Twitter’s chief operating officer, said in a post on Twitter that Berland can “flat-out execute” in tough times. “I’ve seen her run thru all kinds of obstacles and nothing stops her when she is determined.”
Too bad she wasn't at the helm of the Titanic.
Twitter has been looking for a CMO for months and started its first advertising campaign about itself in the fall. The duties were previously being directed by the company’s chief financial officer Anthony Noto.
Twitter executives think the company’s slowing user growth can be partially attributed to outsiders not knowing what they should use Twitter for, or how to find the content they need on the site. The company has been working to make the product easier for new users, especially during the sign-up process when they have to start following people.
Or just not being interested?
Last year Twitter changed its home page to reflect more of what’s going on on the site, instead of just a login box. The company also did a deal with Google Inc. so tweets would appear in searches, and started marketing it as a service even for people who don’t have an account.
Dorsey’s plan for getting Twitter out of a growth slump depends on enhancing the product, making it easier for people to use and less intimidating for newcomers to the social-media service known for its 140-character limit....
I'm already over mine.
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#Ta-Ta
#Plans to tweak Twitter spur an uproar
#Twitter user growth stalls; first-quarter sales to fall short
$elf-centered tweety bird gonna go $ilent?
# Twitter heard you: the 140-character limit is here to stay
