Today, Twitter has taken a few small steps to alleviate one of their biggest issues for users by introducing Advanced Twitter Search to their user interface.

In a post on their blog, Twitter notes that an update to their search algorithms will now suggest key accounts to follow for any topic you search for. For example, if you search for racing, you’ll get a bunch of NASCAR and other folks suggested to you. Previously, these searches were only looking for a term like “racing” in an account’s name or username. So yes, this is much smarter, and better of the advanced Twitter search functionality.

Advanced Twitter Search: A new day for Twitter users!

The other key change is buried at the bottom of Twitter’s post:

One more thing! Now, when you search on Twitter.com, you’ll see a tip from Twitter. This tip points you to a set of search operators and our advanced Twitter search page, which help you more quickly find what you’re looking for.

Yes, Twitter has finally ported over Advanced Twitter Search to Twitter (or “New Twitter” if you can still call it that). Previously, these advanced Twitter search options like phrases, hashtags, people, places, sentiments, and others only resided on the Advanced Twitter Search standalone site. Some of these features have been very useful, but no one uses them because it has been nearly impossible to find them unless you knew about the advanced Twitter search site.

Now, Twitter is highlighting advanced Twitter search under the main search box after every search you do. And the entire thing resides on twitter.com instead of a separate sub-domain.

Advanced Twitter Search, Making It Easier

via techcrunch.com

Advanced Twitter Search: Perhaps Twitter Does Care?

To be clear, even with Advanced Twitter Search, Twitter is far from where it needs to be in search — results still only go back five days. But this is a good first step. Perhaps Twitter is beginning to realize their lack of concern for users is affecting the engagement of their users overall on the platform? Therefore the much improved alignment between search topics and users is a positive change, and with this step of making available Advanced Twitter Search, perhaps Twitter does care a tiny bit about their user’s experience.