Twitter announced on March 30, 2023 changes to its policy and use of its API. The API is the mechanism that Twitter provides to applications and developers, to be able to read Tweets and post on Twitter.

The change of policy of use of the API was scheduled for April 29, 2023, but Twitter moved the update forward by a week without prior notice, and it finally became effective on April, 21.

The change affects how Easypromos uses the Twitter API. To adapt to the changes in the API, we have had to modify some applications, delete others and modify the products and functionalities of some plans.

In this article, you will find a list of the changes applied. We describe the changes according to the type of application and integration:

1. Twitter Giveaways (Retweets, Mentions, Replies, Followers)

2. Twitter Integration in Multi-network giveaways

3. Twitter integration to monitor hashtag + mentions in Photo, Video and Text Contests

4. Integration to Share promotions on Twitter

1. Twitter Giveaways (Retweets, Mentions, Replies, Followers)

In the Twitter giveaway application, the following participation mechanics are maintained:

1. Retweets giveaways: this type of draw offers two modalities:

a) Raffle the prize(s) among all users who retweet or quote retweet a (1) tweet during a specific period.
b) Raffle the prize(s) among all users who have retweeted your brand's tweet, including a specific #hashtag during a specific period. 

2. Giveaway based on replies: run a draw among all users who responded to a (1) tweet during a specific period.

3. Mentions + Hashtag Giveaways: Draw a prize among all users who posted a tweet mentioning your brand and included a specific #hashtag during a specific period.

The specific period is limited to a maximum of 7 days. That is, the application will not include in the draw interactions/tweets that are over 7 days old.

In all these types of draws, the platform automatically obtains random winners and issues a certificate of validity guaranteeing the transparency of the draw.

Features that remain available in the Twitter giveaway:

• Winners page to publish the result of the draw.
• Automatic generation of a video with animated presentation of the result of the draw optimized for social sharing.
• Alternate winners management. Replace winners with substitutes if the user does not meet your conditions or do not claim the prize.
• System for the winners of the draw to claim their prize: allows to obtain automatically the winners data for the management of the prize, along with their consent for data treatment.
• Export the list of winners and alternates.
• Exclude users (up to a maximum of 10). Participations made by the organizing account are always excluded by default.

Features that were modified in the Twitter giveaway:

• The finalists' tweets should be from the last 7 days, instead of the 30 days that were given up until now.
• The maximum number of winners and alternates cannot exceed 10, instead of the 1,000 that were allowed until now.
• User exclusions are limited to a maximum of 10. The organizer may manually exclude users or select them from their blacklist or from their list of former winners.
• The way to carry out a giveaway among the retweets of multiple tweets from the account has been modified. Instead of selecting the tweets to retweet, a draw will be made among all the retweets of the account's tweets that have a specific hashtag. The organizing brand, therefore, will have to put a hashtag on all the tweets it wants users to retweet in order to participate.
• [NEW] Giveaways based on promoted tweets are allowed.
• [NEW] Retweet giveaways include direct and quoted Tweets.
• [NEW] The hashtag + mentions draw gives the option to include or exclude retweets.

Features removed from the Twitter giveaway application:

• Followers Giveaway removed: The draw among all followers allowed the admin to obtain a random winner from their entire fan base. Users did not take any action to participate.
• It is not possible to automatically exclude users who are not followers of your account. If you requested participants to follow you, it will be necessary to confirm it manually after the result of the draw, and apply substitutions in case the original winner is not a follower.
• It won't be possible to automatically exclude users based on the number of followers they have. This step should be taken manually after obtaining the result of the draw, and you will be able to apply substitutions in case the winner does not have enough followers. The application will provide the information of "followers" and "followed" of the winners.
• It is not possible to export the list of participants in Excel or CSV format: the list of all the names of the participants is not accessible. You will be able to export the list of winners in Excel or CSV format.
• The total number of finalists of the draw will not appear on the validity certificate. The dates of the finalization of the draw, when the winners have been selected will appear.
• The test tool to preview the draw is eliminated. 
• The statistics module that allowed to know the user with the most tweets and see the graph with the daily evolution of participations is removed.
• It is not possible to automatically exclude all blacklisted users: you can select which blacklisted users you want to exclude, up to 10.
• You cannot automatically exclude all past winners: you can select the old winners that you want to exclude, up to a maximum of 10.
• The option to make a draw for replies to multiple tweets is removed: to make a draw among participants who interact with multiple tweets, use the draw for retweets with a specific hashtag instead of replies. The draw for replies is limited to a single tweet.

Changes in the subscription plans:

• There will be no free Twitter giveaway, even if it is the first of an account.
• The Twitter giveaway application is available from the Basic pro plan ($49 USD)and is not included anymore in the Basic plan.
• The application is also included in Premium, White Label and Corporate plans.
• Each Easypromos account is limited to 4 Twitter giveaways per month. If you need to run more than 4 draws per month, please contact the Easypromos commercial team, which will evaluate your case individually.

2. Twitter integration in the Multi-network giveaway

The option to add replies to a tweet in a multi-network giveaway is disabled.

In this way, the multi network giveaway is now to draws that combine Facebook and Instagram participants.

Giveaways on sponsored tweets can still be done but will be done from the Twitter Giveaway directly, instead of from the Multi-network tool.

3. Twitter integration to monitor hashtag and mentions in Photo, Video and Writing Contests

The integration that allowed to monitor content on Twitter with a brand mention and a specific hashtag, and publish the content in a gallery is disabled. The integration was previously included in Premium, White Label and Corporate subscription plans.

This integration allowed users to participate in a photo, video or writing contest by simply posting a Tweet with a mention of the organizing brand and the contest hashtag. Content on Twitter was automatically published in the contest gallery.

This participation flow is now disabled for Twitter, but remains available for participants from Instagram.

You can do sweepstakes among users who participate in Twitter by posting a tweet with a mention to the brand and that includes the campaign hashtag. You can solve the draw with the Twitter giveaway application, but you cannot publish a gallery with the content shared by users.

4. Integration to share promotions on Twitter

The possibility to share the promotion on Twitter remains available in all Premium and White Label promotions. In this way, participating users, after confirming their participation or while participating, can share the promotion on Twitter to increase the exposure and virality of the campaign.

The promotion manager can customize the text and image that will be shared on Twitter from the Editor of the promotion. 

For any questions about the changes of the Twitter API, and its impact on the integrations in your promotions, the entire Easypromos team is at your disposal. You can contact us from here.

Thank you.