Why Twitter Advertising Could Be A Huge Success

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Saw Marcie's comments show up in Google Search on Twitter Ad Units.
Interesting. This is exactly what we're seeing, with the more innovative approaches to Twitter advertising. We're also afraid that the "easy" solution may mean that a lot of junk advertising fills this space, a lot like Ad Words littering the public timeline (it's been tested and they seem keen to push that format).
If Brands want an engaging and intelligent campaign in Twitter, they will need a format that appears seamless and part of the general user experience. The conversational ad unit format seems the most natural and potentially valuable for Twitter.

Dale M. of MA 12:13PM July 31, 2009

We're seeing a few interesting new commercial and beta applications for entirely new ad formats within Twitter.
The most interesting by far is the "conversational ad unit" that is driven off of AI (artificial intelligence) "characters". On an entirely opt-in basis, adding value and information (or entertainment) for the Follower, it's half User Generated content and half AI character.
The contextual keyword search/response systems are also looking good for more data driven quick replies.
This will also apply to using Polling on TWITTER to pull any range of analytics.
Interesting times.

marcie_d of CA 2:33PM July 28, 2009

I know it sounds horrible that Twitter will start to allow advertising. The fact is this is how the world turns. I would argue that it is so common that you probably don't realize it anymore.
The other side of the story is that we all love Twitter but at the end of the day love can't pay for web hosts and food and rent for people who are developing the useful Twitter apps we all use. That money has to come from somewhere.
This is why my twitter app is seeking sponsors. If I want to keep the service going, despite my respect for the Beatles, we'll need a little more than love.
http://www.dizzysoft.com/twitter/twitter-advertising

FeedTwit of NC 11:05PM July 10, 2009

This is a well-written article, as one would expect from Mort's publication. Is Mort on Twitter?
This could be a slippery slope, possibly deteriorating to the email spam situation. However, the point is valid that someone has to pay.
Michael Willett
Willett Corporate Communications
http://www.willettcorpcomm.com

Michael Willett of MA 11:12PM April 23, 2009

that enable me to monitor my brand and identify and interact with a community of customers in more sophisticated ways than I can now for free. The methods by which Twitter makes money can range from charging flat-rate access to marketers, charging per lead or even earning commission for sales generated via Twitter-mediated conversations.
Be more creative and think beyond the traditional ad model. Twitter and other new social media are not going to monetize by extracting value from users (an approach with diminishing returns over time) but by delivering value to users and marketers alike and getting marketers to pay for access to unique data and (I'll bet) web-based tools for working with that data and interacting with potential customers.
Think about how Comcast customers are getting value through Twitter by getting their problems solved with the help of @comcastcares, and so is Comcast. Twitter is creating a new kind of marketplace in which customers can target brands rather than the reverse.

John McCrory of NH 5:13PM April 21, 2009

No to the ads on Twitter. When I was introduced to Twitter it was explained to me that being on Twitter is like being at a cocktail party, you get small snippets from all around the room. Enough all ready "on being sold to" keep it pure, keep it fresh, keep it organic.

Rochelle LaMontagne of FL 4:30PM April 21, 2009

Do Tweeters really think Twitter was set up with the intention of remaining free forever? Read their website. They are very open and honest about their intentions. Someone has to pay for the running of Twitter sooner or later. Why not advertisers? Advertising will keep Twitter 'free' for as long as it's popular. It will not remain free unless someone funds it sooner or later. Stop demonising the ad industry, the web's huge success has been driven by it.

Brian Storey 3:20PM April 21, 2009

Twitter actually can offer me, a marketer, something far more valuable than an advertising channel. It can offer me an interaction channel.
The point of advertising it to initiate interaction that leads to a transaction, right? Twitter (and potentially other social media, like Facebook) can help me, the marketer, skip past the advertising step and go directly to the interaction step. I would prefer a tool that enables me to interact with if it gives me tools for finding real prospects, and not waste my time bothering folks who aren't interested in what I can offer them at this moment.
The other great thing is that interacting with real people in a social media marketplace can create a "sales force" of referers whose actions and tweets on my behalf are more believable and valuable than advertising I would have to first produce, and then distribute, and then hope to cut through the clutter and then wait and wait and wait for customers to respond by interacting with me.
No thanks. Advertising is just the price businesses pay for being unoriginal.

John McCrory of NH 2:11PM April 21, 2009

Just... stop it. Don't give anyone ideas.
Advertising is too pervasive already. It's almost impossible to get away from them; try it sometime.
I mean, the only reason we don't have drop-cards in books, is that so few read them anymore. But it's making its way into our email, our entertainment, even our news. And coming soon: your tweets.
Oh, boy! A new advertising medium! We can *never* have too many vendors hawking their wares!

Rich of CO 1:32PM April 21, 2009