I love it when I can use the word “atwitter” in a blog post. So it’s my lucky day because my inbox and twitterstream are both atwitter about Twitter’s rumored new business model: charging companies for commercial use. Simple enough, right? I mean, if Twitter is now a mainstay of corporate communications–garnering all kinds of notoriety for companies like Comcast and Dell–shouldn’t it cost them something?
But wait a second–same story, different headline this time: “Twitter to begin charging brands for commercial use.” The operative word here being “brands.”
Sure, just semantics–but it does make me wonder what “companies” Twitter’s new business model would encompass. Sure Dell made a million dollars (allegedly) and who knows how much companies like Comcast might potentially make as a result of their turn-around in customer service resulting from Comcastcares. But what about nonprofits or associations using Twitter? Or freelancers? Or even the White House?
Where will Twitter draw the line? And will this business model work for them or will they all agreee with Bob Pearson, VP of communities and conversations at Dell:
“If it becomes complicated and costly, our instinct would be to move elsewhere.”
Last question–I promise–where exactly would they move and still get the same results Twitter is delivering?
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