Dive Brief:

• Twitter has released a new button for websites that allows consumers to direct message a business or individual, according to TechCrunch.
• Twitter has been testing a direct message button on brand profiles, which takes over the real estate that once included a “message” and a “tweet” button.
• Twitter has been trying to encourage consumers to direct message brands with customer service issues rather than publicly tweet at them. 

​Announcing our new Message button. Now people can easily slide into your DMs from your website. Get yours now! https://t.co/ash9ouvgzu

— TwitterDev (@TwitterDev) August 24, 2016

Dive Insight:

Social media sharing buttons are commonplace on many websites, and Twitter hopes it can do the same with its new direct messaging button. The button would allow consumers to privately message businesses on Twitter directly from the business's website. 

Twitter has become something of a go-to place for customer service complaints, and with the new message button, businesses can drive consumers to keep more of those conversations private instead of putting the business on blast on social media. But Twitter faces competition in becoming the go-to place to chat with a business: Facebook has moved to encourage businesses to connect with audiences via its Messenger chat app, rolling out chatbots to automate basic conversations, TechCrunch points out. 

Th feature comes at a time when the microblogging platform is trying to reinvigorate its own business. Twitter is struggling with stagnant user growth — eMarketer just dropped its forecast for Twitter’s user growth this year from 8% to 2% — and competitors like Snapchat eating into its share of social media ad revenues. Twitter has responded by rolling out new features to attract new users and advertisers, including Promoted Stickers and live streaming video capabilities.