Twitter profiles get Facebook-style revamp

The new profile lets one use a larger profile photo, customise headers, show off best Tweets

Twitter today began revamping profile pages to let users display more of their online personalities, giving the popular service a Facebook-like feel.

"The new web profile lets you use a larger profile photo, customise your header, show off your best Tweets and more," Twitter designer David Bellona said in a blog post.

Twitter showed off the redesign at the accounts of high-profile accounts such as that of US First Lady Michelle Obama at @flotus and music stars @JohnLegend and @Weezer.

On redesigned Twitter pages, messages that prompt people to respond or "re-tweet" appear in larger type to reveal which comments resonated with followers.

A favorite 'tweet" can be pinned atop pages to make it easy for "followers to see what you're all about," according to Bellona.

Filters are being added to allow more selective views of timelines on pages.

San Francisco-based Twitter said the changes are "coming soon to everyone."

As of the end of last year, one in every six people online in the United States used Twitter and approximately a quarter of those on the Internet in Britain tuned into the service, according to industry-tracker eMarketer.