I’ve started to see a new trend creeping up into the blogosphere. Several blogs that I visit on a regular basis have started posting “Sponsored Tweets” advertisements on their blogs. At the same time, those blogs’ Twitter feeds have started to have some extra tweets with #ad at the end of them. This really got me thinking about Twitter and how I use it, and what its future may be now that Sponsored Tweets is starting to make the rounds.
Unless you’ve been living in a cave (or don’t have any friends between the ages of 18 and 45) you’ve probably heard of Twitter. The unique “social media” network that allows people to briefly and creatively express their thoughts in 140 characters or less. What made Twitter so unique was that it was a stream of consciousness, almost spur of the moment reflection of what that person is thinking or feeling at the time. It was like back in the early 2000’s when I would constantly update my AIM or ICQ (remember ICQ?) away message to accurately reflect why I was away, only now I can do it while I’m walking to the place that is causing me to be away. It’s a perpetual, customized “away” message. At least that’s how I think it was early on.
Since it’s launch in October 2008, Twitter has seen over 1000% growth and has now been embraced by celebrities and companies as a legitimate way to communicate with us – the people who talk about baking chocolate chip cookies at 11:30PM (which I did do after the solid encouragement from @kayte71.) The rate at which companies have launched consumer outreach/service campaigns that leverage and embrace Twitter is really quite astonishing. Have any of you seen those Best Buy ads for their Twitter based customer service Twelpforce? At my “real” job, Twitter has been thrown around as a way to promote meetings and events. Even I will admit that I use Twitter more to promote the blog and my exciting new posts than I do my random thoughts.
But now, with the introduction of Sponsored Tweets, it seems like the tweet-waves are at risk of losing the already semi-diluted “personal” touch that our tweets have. Will all of my favorite bloggers start infusing more and more sponsored tweets into their tweeting? Sponsored tweets kind of seem like those annoying pop-up ads that certain websites still have (thank God for pop-up blockers.) I guess I kind of feel like sponsored tweets are imposing their ads on me just like pop-up ads. Will someone eventually create a Twitter app that can automatically filter tweets that start with “Ad” or end with “#ad”? That would be awesome. Also, in my mind, it’s one thing to share something that I’ve actually tested out and experienced or eaten. It’s another to just send out an ad promoting a company or website. Or is it?
I can’t help but wonder whether as more and more companies start using Twitter for corporate promotion, will it no longer have the same purpose or vibe as it originally had. Is the 8% drop in month-month Twitter visitors a fluke or the beginning of the end, that will be hastened by the monetizing of Twitter?
Anyways, I just wanted to throw this out there and see what you all, my readers, think about Sponsored Tweets. Love em? Hate em? Don’t really care? Ultimately, I don’t think I’m going to go down that road. I already feel bad enough with tweeting you about giveaway end dates (I convince myself they’re just friendly reminders.)
Tara says
November 13, 2009 at 8:10 pmI actually just signed up last week for Sponsored Tweets! LOL 🙂 Had my first Paid tweet a few days ago and made 1 dollar WOO HOO lol But in all seriousness I do understand what you mean.. everything seems to take over everything doesn't it? Wait til Net Neutrality passes (if it does) then Sponsored Tweets will seem like child play! The one thing about Sponsored Tweets.. they may be annoying.. however..they pass so quickly because of the speed of Tweets. Right now it doesn't bother me too much on Twitter to see #ads because there a lot of non ad tweets..that are just as annoying LOL 🙂 But it could become overwhelming.. if everyone starts doing it..then we will just be overwhelm with ads lol
Tara says
November 13, 2009 at 3:10 pmI actually just signed up last week for Sponsored Tweets! LOL 🙂 Had my first Paid tweet a few days ago and made 1 dollar WOO HOO lol But in all seriousness I do understand what you mean.. everything seems to take over everything doesn't it? Wait til Net Neutrality passes (if it does) then Sponsored Tweets will seem like child play!
The one thing about Sponsored Tweets.. they may be annoying.. however..they pass so quickly because of the speed of Tweets.
Right now it doesn't bother me too much on Twitter to see #ads because there a lot of non ad tweets..that are just as annoying LOL 🙂 But it could become overwhelming.. if everyone starts doing it..then we will just be overwhelm with ads lol
angelam0031 says
November 14, 2009 at 4:31 amOh vomit. I hope twitter doesn't take a nose dive. I just figured it out. lol. I was one of those cave people…until a few months ago. I'm super annoyed with all the hacker DM spam. But I still love twitter and will just skip the ad tweet, if I can. 🙂
angelam0031 says
November 13, 2009 at 11:31 pmOh vomit. I hope twitter doesn't take a nose dive. I just figured it out. lol. I was one of those cave people…until a few months ago.
I'm super annoyed with all the hacker DM spam. But I still love twitter and will just skip the ad tweet, if I can. 🙂
Sharon Ressler says
November 14, 2009 at 1:24 pmIs there really a difference than all the other ads floating around out there? Blog/web sites have rather large sponsers logos on they're sites which I for one find quite annoying (although I do understand the reason), Where Twitter's concerned theres already so much junk on there that I just bypass it all and go on to what is relavent to me. Hey, in this economy if someone can make a buck for a tweet more power to them. Saying that I also have this nightmarish future vision of a wadeing through hundreds of sponsered tweets to find that 1 great tweet for a high value coupon, lol:). I guess you can tell by my post that I'm really not leaning one way or the other on the topic either that or I'm just quite confused on where I stand on it. Like your blog – first time here.
Sharon Ressler says
November 14, 2009 at 6:24 pmIs there really a difference than all the other ads floating around out there? Blog/web sites have rather large sponsers logos on they're sites which I for one find quite annoying (although I do understand the reason), Where Twitter's concerned theres already so much junk on there that I just bypass it all and go on to what is relavent to me. Hey, in this economy if someone can make a buck for a tweet more power to them. Saying that I also have this nightmarish future vision of a wadeing through hundreds of sponsered tweets to find that 1 great tweet for a high value coupon, lol:). I guess you can tell by my post that I'm really not leaning one way or the other on the topic either that or I'm just quite confused on where I stand on it. Like your blog – first time here.
WCatDD says
November 14, 2009 at 1:34 pmSo maybe people are just taking Sponsored Tweets in stride. Sharon – welcome to the blog! And I agree with you that if there starts to be more ad tweets than good tweets, I'm going to start having issues.
Either way, I think I'll stick with my “no Sponsored Tweets” stand so you guys don't get sick of me!
WCatDD says
November 14, 2009 at 6:34 pmSo maybe people are just taking Sponsored Tweets in stride. Sharon – welcome to the blog! And I agree with you that if there starts to be more ad tweets than good tweets, I'm going to start having issues. Either way, I think I'll stick with my “no Sponsored Tweets” stand so you guys don't get sick of me!
WCatDD says
December 8, 2009 at 10:17 amHi Michelle, Thanks for visiting and sharing your thoughts! I think you're right that advertising on social networks will become more mainstream as companies start to realize how many people are logging onto these sites each day. Did you notice that Facebook reach 350 million users? That's more than the population of the United States!
michelle says
December 8, 2009 at 10:01 amwell I'm guilty of using twitter mostly for blog contests and giveaways. none of my family or friends are on twitter so its not my top choice of social networking sites. I keep an eye on my fave blogs and my favorite author (which is actually really interesting!) I'm pretty sure all social networking sites are being used by companies as ad space. its inevitable since its free networking.
WCatDD says
December 8, 2009 at 3:17 pmHi Michelle, Thanks for visiting and sharing your thoughts! I think you're right that advertising on social networks will become more mainstream as companies start to realize how many people are logging onto these sites each day. Did you notice that Facebook reach 350 million users? That's more than the population of the United States!
WCatDD says
December 8, 2009 at 3:17 pmHi Michelle, Thanks for visiting and sharing your thoughts! I think you're right that advertising on social networks will become more mainstream as companies start to realize how many people are logging onto these sites each day. Did you notice that Facebook reach 350 million users? That's more than the population of the United States!
michelle says
December 8, 2009 at 3:01 pmwell I'm guilty of using twitter mostly for blog contests and giveaways. none of my family or friends are on twitter so its not my top choice of social networking sites. I keep an eye on my fave blogs and my favorite author (which is actually really interesting!) I'm pretty sure all social networking sites are being used by companies as ad space. its inevitable since its free networking.
michelle says
December 8, 2009 at 3:01 pmwell I'm guilty of using twitter mostly for blog contests and giveaways. none of my family or friends are on twitter so its not my top choice of social networking sites. I keep an eye on my fave blogs and my favorite author (which is actually really interesting!) I'm pretty sure all social networking sites are being used by companies as ad space. its inevitable since its free networking.
WCatDD says
December 8, 2009 at 8:17 pmHi Michelle, Thanks for visiting and sharing your thoughts! I think you're right that advertising on social networks will become more mainstream as companies start to realize how many people are logging onto these sites each day. Did you notice that Facebook reach 350 million users? That's more than the population of the United States!
michelle says
December 8, 2009 at 8:01 pmwell I'm guilty of using twitter mostly for blog contests and giveaways. none of my family or friends are on twitter so its not my top choice of social networking sites. I keep an eye on my fave blogs and my favorite author (which is actually really interesting!) I'm pretty sure all social networking sites are being used by companies as ad space. its inevitable since its free networking.