Monetize Twitter Update: I called it!

Twitter Monetization Model = Promoted Tweets based on CPM. Real-Time advertising people. I called it back in July 2009. Although, a lot of people called it. Not just me ;)

Incredible statistics! Twitter has 106 Million users. Its search engine gets 600 million queries every day. Insane. What stat I would love to know is the "real time on site" for the average user. Not the "time on site" because that stat is distorted. Why? Twitter is mostly run in the background on the desktop, laptop, and mobile. Users will toggle back and forth all day. I want to know the "real time" the typical Twitter user is interacting (focused) on Twitter. Real-Time on site (in addition to search and installed user base), is another way to pitch advertisers.

The MySpace Nuclear Option

Transform MySpace into a dating site.

The signs of MySpace problems go way back but really surfaced when CEO Owen Van Natta resigned. I won’t dwell on the many reasons why MySpace is declining (declining market share, shrinking revenue, loss of key employees, etc), instead I would propose that MySpace reinvent itself and become a dating site. Yes, I said it. A dating site. The demographics are there. 50-50 male/female ratio (at least in U.S.), MySpace is huge in the 18-34 age range (very pop culture), and nearly 40% earn an estimated $30-$60k/year. Plus you have the MySpace freaks, strippers, gamers, nerds, and everything "Twilight". Most importantly, the online dating industry is worth $1.049 Billion. Customers of dating sites spend an average of $239 per year. The average visit per site time is 22 minutes. 22 Minutes! Think advertising revenue as well as pay wall revenue right from the start. International revenue (specifically China) would be HUGE. The MySpace brand (like it or not) is formidable. MySpace should integrate the Twitter API with profiles and dating ads. I could go on and on again, but the main point is that MySpace trigger that nuclear option and become a dating site. Take all that revenue away from eHarmony, Match.com, and the adult dating sites. Do this ASAP. The revenues will be terrifyingly enormous. Game over.

See breakdown below.

The Number 1 Twitter Retweet Tactic

The easiest way to get your business message across Twitter is to follow the people in your niche with below average followings and get them to retweet.

Think niche Tweeters. Go for the long tail Twitter strategy. These below average niche tweeters give you more of a chance to get "retweeted" and follow you back. It takes between 3-4 retweets to get this momentum up to a "tipping point". The problem with following MASS twitter power players & celebrities with such a huge following is that they will probably not follow you back, thus never retweeting your message. This is good whether your promoting something, selling, branding or reputation management.

Another good "best practice" is to unfollow the people that don't follow you. Pretty simple. Get rid of the deadweight.  Its a< 1% chance they will actually read and retweet messages. Do this twice a month.