Sponsored tweet anyone?
Nick Jones, I Spy managing director
Does this move mean Twitter will become a more accountable marketing channel, and therefore more trusted?
It will certainly be far easier to track results from Twitter activity making it a far more accountable channel for marketers. The move will also mean that Twitter also has a revenue stream which can only be positive. No brand wants to spend valuable time creating social media channels only for that site to close down. Twitter needs to pay their bills.
Will it encourage brands previously wary of the platform to embrace it?
Twitter has grown to become an extremely popular social networking site. If the ads are targeted well, it could be an extremely attractive proposition for brands looking to engage in conversations with users. They need to follow Facebook and Digg’s lead in having inoffensive advertising that doesn’t turn users off. Signs from within Twitter are very encouraging in that they recognise this and aren’t looking to make quick buck but to develop a long term solution that works for them, their users and their advertisers based on extensive testing.
How will this affect Twitter user’s opinion of brands when a message/conversation becomes an advert? Does the move go against the spirit of Twitter and the brand/customer interaction?
Twitter has to ensure that any ads are clearly identified as such for users. Advertisers need to bear in mind the conversational nature of Twitter and use ads intelligently rather than just to push messages. It is definitely possible for the site to stick to its principles and have advertising. Consumers need to decide whether they want advertising or wish to pay for membership. There is no such thing as a free lunch.
Whats your general reaction to the development?
Whilst there has been a surge in tweets relating to the new, generally, there hasn’t been a surge on Twitter that talk of the ads negatively. Some people are commenting on how they’d never click on an ad but generally the feedback is mixed. The key for Twitter will be to ensure ads are of good quality and not overly intrusive, much like Apple are doing with their iAd offering. Our clients are very keen to find out more and to understand the opportunity.
