Currently there are hundreds of applications build around Twitter; Statistics, Get more followers, Make money (via ads) with Twitter, Create your own avatar or background, etc.

 

Recently businesses have also discovered the power of Twitter. When you are selling a product or service you would like to know how your customers think of your company or your products.

In the old days you would ask them, but will they give you an honest answer? Nowadays companies scan all recent tweets containing their company, service or product name. They can provide direct feedback to their customers with solutions making them feel important. Companies like Salesforce.com provide features in their customer service application to use social media to communicate with their (potential) customer base. Customer tweets that the product is not working, case is automatically created and the solution to the case can be (automatically) posted back to Twitter or any other social media it originated from.

 

Famous people with a lot of followers are being contacted by add selling companies for clandestine advertising of their product for a lot of money. And it works; if your idol says he likes, bought or uses a certain product you read about that product and are probably tempted to also like it.

 

Leaves us with the question on how Twitter it selves will start making money. Will they start selling add space? Will we get unwanted tweets with ads? Will we have to pay to use Twitter? The future will tell. Don’t forget to meet your real friends once in a while, you know the ones you can look in the eyes and actually touch…