Insights

Wordle takes Twitter by STORM



Clever brands join the conversation with puzzle fans in the UK. 

THINK. TODAY. TWEET. People on Twitter in the UK have five-letter words top of mind, as Wordle has skyrocketed in popularity. Every day, avid fans of the word game Tweet the already-iconic green, yellow, and grey scorecards, which show their progress at solving the five-letter word of the day. 

There were 1.3M Wordle Tweets in the UK alone in January,1 with the conversation growing sixteen-fold over the month as the craze exploded.2

Born of a love STORY.

Recently acquired by the New York Times (@NYTimes) for a seven-figure sum, Josh Wardle (@PowerLanguish) created the game for his partner, and Wordle’s romantic origins endear it all the more to fans.

When KNOLL flared in infamy.

Wordle has also succeeded in uniting its many fans, especially on days with challenging words. The word “knoll” proved too tricky for many, and puzzlers flocked to Twitter to vent and joke about it. 

People on Twitter in the UK used “knoll” 10x more that day than they had on average over the previous week.3 And the topic continued to fizz with the ongoing use of “knoll” seen 3x more than average over the coming days after Wordle’s “Knoll Day.”4

SMART brands look to puzzle fans.

It’s not so surprising that Wordle has taken off with people on Twitter in the UK – they’re already 18% more likely to play puzzle games than the general internet population. Not only that, but 61% of them play games on their smartphones.5

This tends to be an affluent group, too – the highest earners on Twitter are 43% more likely to play puzzle games compared with people in other income groups.5

Whether it’s to draw attention to a cause or put a product in the spotlight, quick-thinking brands have been getting creative with the Wordle template. There’s been a noticeable rise in the “Not a Wordle, just …” format. 

If your brand decides to jump into the fray, whatever happens, don’t make the ultimate Wordle faux pas. Never give away the word of the day until the day is over. Remember, everyone’s in it together when they Wordle.  

Sources:

1. Twitter Internal. Wordle Tweet Volume from Jan 1st - 31st, 2022. UK only.
2. Twitter Internal. Comparing Wordle Tweet Volume Jan 1st vs Jan 31st 2022. UK only.
3. Twitter Internal. Comparing Knoll Tweet Volume Jan 17th - Jan 24th 2022. UK only.
4. Twitter Internal. Comparing Knoll Tweet Volume Jan 17th - 23rd vs Jan 25th - Feb 7th 2022. UK only.
5. Global Web Index, GWI Core for Q4 2020 - Q3 2021, Retrieved Feb 4th 2022. UK only. 

February 17, 2022
Tags
  • Insights
  • Research
  • United Kingdom
  • The Conversation Report UK

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