14 DAY TRIAL // Twitter has introduced a number of tweaks and updates to the design and usability of the “Followers” and “Following” pages. The new pages, available for everyone, now come with more detailed information about the users and several new options. With Facebook continuing its Twitter transformation it's good to see that the popular micro-blogging service isn't resting on its laurels.
“When you click on the Following and Followers links from your Twitter home page, you'll notice that we've upgraded the design of these pages and added features. Instead of a basic list, there are now actions you can perform that provide a better overall experience. For example, you can turn on SMS, unfollow, mention, block, direct message, and more. Tip: You can also view the accounts that someone else is following and follow them yourself,” Biz Stone, Twitter co-founder and CEO, wrote on the official blog.
There are two new viewing options, the “List” view, which offers a compact list of the users, making it easier to manage large number of followers, and the Expanded view, which gives more details about each user, like their last tweet, real name or location. The Followers list also has a checkmark now for users you follow back.
A new drop-down button was also introduced for every follower, allowing you to block, unfollow or "mention" a user. If you are also following the user, you can send them a direct message from the same drop-down menu. The new version of the pages is being implemented gradually and isn't yet available all the time. The new options should make the Followers and Following pages more useful but there are still some changes that many users are asking for before they can become a powerful tool, like filters or search options.