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Twitter Grows Up, Adds "Promoted Tweets"
CWmike writes "Twitter is finally taking off the training wheels and moving into the world where real businesses tread with the launch on Tuesday of its first advertising model, dubbed 'Promoted Tweets.' The microblogging phenom has long avoided coming up with a business plan or even talking about one. But the time has come for Twitter to figure out how to make money over the long haul. Analyst Dan Old isn't so sure that Twitter users will welcome the change. 'There will be a vocal minority of users who will hate any advertising at all,' Olds said. '[Many] users understand that it's necessary and will accept it as long as it doesn't interfere with their usage. But if the ads look like regular tweets, that could cause some serious outrage from users who feel that Twitter is attempting to deceive them.'"
Great! ~ they got a business model, it's bad enough I have to read about how twitter finally got paid online, but it's worse when CNN ( a supposed respected news organization ) is reporting on how jim carrey is getting his ass chewed out because he commented on another less interesting tigre woods scandal. Why do we let this crap out in the air waves?! worse, why do we let the people that run this stuff breed?!
Of all the things I've lost; I miss my mind the most. - Mark Twain
This will take off like wildfire. The Starbucks example is a great description of how it will do so. Twitter is already a great medium for finding underground discounts for stuff, but Promoted Tweets take it to a whole new level. Yes, there will be businesses that will abuse the living hell out of it, but its potential is enormous.
Of course, I have to include a retort against the Twitter haters. It is perfectly fine to not own a Twitter, Facebook, MySpace or whatever account. Nobody is holding you at gunpoint demanding that you expand your social media presence and/or build your social network. (Yes, these are official marketing terms. How quaint.) However, if you take a step back and see Twitter, Facebook or whatever from a more holistic perspective, you might see the amount of good that comes from these services.
Yes, there are buckets (many, many, MANY buckets) of people that post useless status updates to feed their delusions of grandeur or self-importance. Personally, reading my "friends'" status updates is almost always a huge waste of time. (Today's snippet: Look at my new shades! Wow, big pizza! I'm back home from work, tired! Sadly, the last one is oh so damn common.) However, (real, unbiased) news spreads like bacteria on Twitter, and there are lots of promotions, offers and even events that are exclusive to only Twitter users. Facebook is leaps and bounds more effective for planning events or reconnecting with old friends. It's also good for finding others who share similar interests, which can lead to bigger and better things (or at least an expanded worldview). It also makes for a great restricted blog or photo storage location.
Naturally, none of this matters if your social circle doesn't use these tools or if you just have no friends.