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Twitter unveils ‘Follow’ button for third-party websites

twitterTwitter has just made it a whole lot easier for users of its service to follow and be followed, by unveiling a new one-click “Follow” button for third-party websites.

Before now, if you wanted to follow someone, you’d click on a Twitter link on their website. That would take you to their Twitter page from which you could click on a “Follow” button to join their feed. OK, so two clicks instead of one.

The button, which can be easily incorporated into a website, was introduced via the Twitter blog on Tuesday. In the post, Brian Ellin writes that it’s now “easy for you to discover the Twitter accounts of your favorite reporters, athletes, celebrities, and other personalities.” He continues: “Using the Follow button is as simple as a single click. You can also see the profile and latest Tweets of the account you want to follow by clicking the username next to the button.”

Ellin also explains how the new button will benefit publishers and brands. “Adding the Follow button to your website and using Twitter to stay connected with your audience is a powerful combination. People who follow your account are much more likely to retweet and engage with your Tweets, and to repeatedly visit your website,” he writes.

The popular micro-blogging service was founded in 2006 and is thought to have somewhere in the region of 200 million users.

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