Twitter To Step Outside The 140 Character Box

Since its emergence on the social media scene, Twitter

has been branded as a ‘micro-blogging' site because the platform only allows users to send tweets with 140 characters or less. That limitation has set the site apart from its competitors like Facebook

, where users can post rants of any length they like. However, with user growth slowing and engagement lagging, the firm is looking for new ways to draw attraction to the little blue bird and some believe that

may do just that.

Earlier this year, the site took steps to loosen its 140 character rule by allowing users to send direct messages without any length restrictions. However, removing the limit all together may make a significant change to the site's model. Twitter was built on the premise of carefully crafted, to-the-point tweets that followers can appreciate quickly. By eliminating the character limit, the company could be in danger of offering nothing new compared to other, similar sites.

Instead of completely removing the 140 character limit, the site is also considering some alternatives that will relax the rules without removing them completely. One possibility is to remove links from the character count, allowing people to share content without taking away from their comments. The site could also exclude Twitter handles from the character count, making it easier for users to engage with their contacts and include others in their conversations.

Twitter has been on a mission to improve its offerings lately after worse than expected earnings reports caused traders to reconsider whether or not the social media firm was a smart investment. To entice advertisers, the site is planning to roll out click-to-buy tweets and the site has ingrained itself in the 2016 Presidential Race by allowing users to make political donations through tweets. However, advertisers will be reluctant to spend their budgets on Twitter campaigns when the site's user growth is grinding to a halt, so making changes to attract new users will likely remain Twitter's top priority.