Instagram has announced the return of Twitter Cards to allow Twitter users to share a preview of an Instagram link as opposed to just the URL.
A reversed decision
This news comes almost a decade after Twitter Cards were first removed in 2012 when the founder of the photo-sharing app, Kevin Systrom, admitted it wanted to take control of its content and prevent its images from being viewed on another platform.
This decision was, however, met with backlash with cross-posting now a difficult task for users relying on both channels for work, for example, with the emergence of third-party platforms becoming a regular occurrence.
The return of Twitter Cards was teased earlier this year when the option to share Tweets as shareable stickers on Instagram Stories became available. This paved the way for greater cross-app collaboration and let both apps know that there was a demand for cross-posting on a wider scale.
A welcome return
The return of Twitter Cards is now available for Android, iOS, and web users. It may only be a small update, but it has already been welcomed by users that previously struggled to cross-post on both channels.
It will save time by allowing users to view a smaller version of the post to let them decide whether or not they should click to find out more.
Instagram announced the news via a Tweet in which it said: “Now, when you share an Instagram link on Twitter a preview of that post will appear.”
