This week Twitter has released a host of new features that focus on images and give users more control over personalising their profiles.

Profile pictures

Users are now able to upload a header photo that will appear behind the profile photo at the top of the profile page.

This header image is similar to Facebook's cover photos and is viewable on Twitter's mobile apps for iPad, iPhone and Android or twitter.com.

Brands using the new layout include @TODAYshow and @BreakingNews. 

Images

Recent images will now appear in a stream beneath the most recent tweets. 

Twitter wrote on its blog that the new profiles would help get users to know each other better through their images.

Ipad refresh

Twitter has also refreshed its iPad app. Users can now expand tweets with a single touch to view images, videos and web page summaries in the timeline,or experience these in fullscreen mode. 

Other new features include the ability to track interactions with other users using the 'Connect' tab and more relevant, curated content via the 'Discover' tab.

Users can also add a header photo to their profile under the 'Me' tab which will appear above tweets on iPad, mobile apps and twitter.com.

Twitter or bust

Users will have to use Twitter's official channels to access the updates, meaning popular apps such as Tweetbot will miss out on the refresh.

This move is Twitter's latest clamp down on third part apps, as the micro-blogging platform aggressively moves to win users back to its native ecosystem. 

How brands can benefit

Through giving users more control over image-friendly profile pages, brands have ability to connect more directly with customers in an engaging, dynamic way.

As the saying goes, a picture is worth more than 140 characters.

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