Podcast: Time Traveling With Twitter

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Two years ago, Twitter was a company in distress. Usage and revenue were in decline, executive turnover was rampant and the company was rumored to be for sale.

“For someone who loves this company, and so many people at Twitter love the company, it was super hard reading every single day … at many outlets, ‘Is this the end of Twitter?’” according to revenue chief Matt Derella.

On the podcast this week, Derella talks about the company’s return to growth under the leadership of its Obi-Wan-like CEO, Jack Dorsey. The company’s revenue and daily active users have improved, and it has joined the S&P 500.

The advertising story, however, is a work in progress. At CES this week, the company has introduced a new advertising tagline, #StartWithThem, highlighting the platform’s reach among people who are setting the tone in culture, business and communities.

Whether the topic at hand is the World Cup or #MeToo, Derella says, “When people are on Twitter they’re engaged. It is the front door to the internet in so many ways. For advertisers that want to launch something new or connect with what’s happening in the world … we bring them their most valuable audiences when they’re most receptive.”

But Twitter is still hampered by bugbears, including incivility and brand safety. Derella describes the company’s efforts to ameliorate these factors through manual and technology-based reviews of tweets.

“It is a challenge for every platform, not just us,” he says. “We want to create a place where people feel comfortable having conversations.”