Blocking Google Search was not the only action taken by Twitter; it also blocked unregistered users.

In recent days, Google Search has eliminated over half of the URLs from Twitter from its index. This move was in response to Twitter’s implementation of a “feature” that restricts tweets to signed-in and registered users. Additionally, ongoing throttling at Twitter is likely contributing to this issue.

According to the latest data, Twitter has gone from having 471 million tweets indexed by Google to only 180 million. This represents a significant 62% decrease in index saturation.

Furthermore, a site command search in Google for Twitter conducted last Friday revealed the downward trend in indexed URLs. A screenshot captured at that time showed 471 million results, while a recent site command search displayed only 180 million results.

For further proof, a screenshot shared on Twitter by Glenn Gabe displaying third-party tool Semrush’s data also demonstrates the declining visibility of Twitter in Google Search.

It is important to note that Google Search can still display new tweets from Twitter due to a long-standing agreement between the two companies regarding the firehose. However, older tweets appear to be gradually disappearing from the core Google web search index. This decrease in visibility means less access for searchers and journalists trying to find content on Twitter, as well as a potential decline in ad impressions for Twitter’s platform.

Brands that heavily rely on Twitter and the visibility of their tweets in Google Search may be adversely affected, particularly if their visibility derives from older tweets. Furthermore, older tweets that previously ranked well in Google Search may no longer perform as strongly.

At this time, it remains unclear whether Twitter will reverse its decision or implement supported markup for paywalled content, which would help maintain its visibility in Google Search.

Currently, Twitter appears to be facing various challenges.