Twitter is taking its search functionality from behind the curtain and is testing a search box on the Twitter homepage along with updated Twitter trends.
I’m not seeing the search box myself when logged into @lorenbaker (please follow me), but it seems that they are doing some random testing. If you’re not seeing the search box on Twitter, you can fool around with Twitter search at search.twitter.com
Incorporating search is a first step in establishing Twitter as a competitor to Google, or as a start page online, but one question I have is how many Twitter users are Twittering from desktop applications which already have some sort of search functionality?
Sponsored Search Results!?!
Still, it’s a signal from Twitter that they are getting serious about search and expansion of their basic funtionality; which is a good sign and may lead to a business model, which includes sponsored search results.
This screenshot I found on Flickr shows that Twitter is serving a sponsored result which points to the commercial Twitter profile of the New York Times. Very cool!
If this is the case (reminds me of the Techmeme advertising model), sponsors can boost their own profiles and followers by targeting relevant keyterms in Twitter, which of course can be identified by popular search terms .. and Twitter Trends! A great non-obtrusive way to test sponsored results in Twitter without shocking its userbase.
Search with ads, sounds like the start of a business model?
But will twitter be the next google? People are speculating…http://www.newsy.com/videos/twitter_a_new_google/
Didn’t @Graywolf suggest exactly this?
I have Twitter Search in my account.
No, I am not yet seeing sponsored results but do see Matching Users and Featured Users under both Search and Trends.
http://searchmarketingcommunications.com/2009/03/05/twitter-search-profile-settings-now-visible-web-login/
Twitter is the future. What’s happening right now search is tremendously powerful! =)
hi, this is a general question for loren.
i market other people’s websites, but i don’t take clients whose products i feel wouldn’t be good for other people. i am building backlinks for customers in what would be called an organic way, and it is increasing the visibility of these sites.
do you find anything morally wrong with that?
here’s one example: i am promoting an apartment complex, and there are about 15 apartment ratings sites that have just gummed up the main keywords search for where this apartment complex is located. it hasn’t just made my apartments less visible, these ratings sites have dominated the search term in order to sell advertising to apartment complexes in that area. to me, that’s unethical.
your thoughts?
thank you.
Twitter is going to monetize search the same way Google monetized search. They are going to charge advertisers to send little DM’s to people who mention things related to their line of business. For example, I’m a furniture vendor, if someone says they need to buy furniture, I want to advertise to that person. Arguably, that person is further along in the conversion cycle than someone performing a search for “furniture” on Google. For more on “Twitter Paid Search,” see my blog entry: http://inside.nikkoshops.com/twitter-is-the-next-paid-search-venue/.
Outstanding – Twitter IS the new black.
thankks you
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