Changing How StockTwits works with Twitter

Beginning August 1, StockTwits is changing how messages sent via Twitter make their way into the StockTwits streams.

Today, anyone who follows @StockTwits on Twitter and includes a $[Ticker] tag in their Tweet will have their message shown on StockTwits.com (subject to our TOS and House Rules).

While most StockTwits messages are posted from StockTwits.com (or our cool Seesmic Plugin and other integrations), this feature allows members who post some of their investing ideas directly to their Twitter account to make sure they are seen in the StockTwits stream by just adding a $[Ticker] or $$ tag to the Tweet.

Most members also have created an account on StockTwits.com (you can use your Twitter, FaceBook or LinkedIn IDs or create your own) – and also link that account to their Twitter ID, so they can automatically have StockTwits messages and Chartly charts sent to their Twitter feed.

Starting August 1, it will be required that you have created an account on StockTwits (you can do it with one click using your Twitter identity if you like) before your Tweets with $[Ticker] or $$ will appear on the StockTwits stream.

The ability to post to the StockTwits stream directly from Twitter (or any of the great Twitter clients) will not change, you just need to make sure you have set up a StockTwits account and linked your Twitter ID.

If you already have a StockTwits account, you can make sure you have associated it with your Twitter account HERE.

Why make this change now? The simplest explanation is that we have found that there are very few members who have not already set up a StockTwits account who are sending ideas from Twitter. By making this change we will be able to better support our Twitter integration and improve the user experience on StockTwits.com in a number of ways that are now limited for messages that do not have a linked StockTwits account.

For most StockTwits members – you don’t have to do anything; just make sure your StockTwits and Twitter accounts are linked and keep sharing ideas – from StockTwits, Twitter, Twitter clients – just like you always have.

If you have questions regarding the transition, please contact our support group or contact Phil directly at phil at stocktwits dot com.

Thank you for being a part of our real-time investing community.