In a recent development, Twitter’s implementation of new rate limits has caused a significant decline in the indexing and display of tweets on Google’s search engine. This change has had a substantial impact on the reach and visibility of crypto-related information shared on the popular microblogging site.
According to a report from Search Engine Land, Google Search has experienced a drastic drop of over 60% in the number of indexed URLs from Twitter in the past few days. The number of tweets indexed by Google plunged from 471 million to 180 million, highlighting the severity of the situation.
On July 3, Google’s indexing of tweets experienced a sharp decline of over 60%, with the number of indexed tweets plummeting from 471 million to 180 million. The following day, The Verge reported on a statement made by a Google spokesperson, acknowledging the limitations in crawling Twitter.com. This constraint has directly impacted Google’s capacity to display tweets and associated pages from the microblogging site in its search results.
A Google spokesperson acknowledged the issue, stating, “We’re aware that our ability to crawl Twitter.com has been limited, affecting our ability to display tweets and pages from the site in search results.” This limitation has also been confirmed by search engine optimization consultant Glen Gabe, who observed a decline in search visibility for Twitter accounts due to Google’s inability to crawl certain URLs, resulting from Twitter redirecting non-logged-in users.
This reduction in tweet visibility on Google’s search results is particularly concerning for the crypto community, which heavily relies on Twitter as a platform for communication and sharing information. The decreased exposure of crypto-related content originating from Twitter diminishes the dissemination of crucial updates and insights in the crypto space. Barry Schwartz, a technologist, also ran a few tests and observed a similar decline in tweets that were indexed.
Twitter’s executive chairman, Elon Musk, announced the implementation of temporary limits on the number of daily posts users can read, citing “extreme levels of data scraping and system manipulation” as the reason behind the decision. Verified accounts are now limited to 10,000 posts per day, while unverified and new unverified accounts face caps of 1,000 and 500 posts per day, respectively.
The imposition of these restrictions has faced significant criticism from the crypto community, where Twitter has become a vital platform for engagement and the sharing of valuable information. As a result, decentralized Twitter alternatives such as Mastodon have witnessed a surge in activity, with an increasing number of users flocking to these platforms due to the read restrictions imposed on Twitter.
In a related development, Instagram, owned by Meta, is preparing to launch a Twitter rival called Threads this week. This new platform is expected to provide an alternative space for crypto enthusiasts to interact and share content, potentially offering a solution for those affected by Twitter’s limitations.
While Twitter’s rate limits may be intended to curb data scraping and manipulation, their unintended consequence of hindering the visibility of crypto-related content on Google Search is a significant concern. As the crypto industry continues to evolve and thrive, access to timely and reliable information becomes paramount. The community eagerly awaits a resolution that balances the need for data protection with the essential flow of crypto-related updates and insights on social media platforms.
In the meantime, crypto enthusiasts may explore alternative platforms such as Mastodon and keep an eye out for the launch of Instagram’s Threads, which could offer new avenues for engagement and content sharing within the crypto community.