As many marketers found out this morning, Twitter and Comedy Central have signed a deal to show exclusive comedy shows on Twitter via pre-recorded clips and jokes via the hashtag, #ComedyFestival.
It’s another sign that Twitter is looking to become a media company and include as much content as they can to supplement their core business – ads on tweet timelines.
I think Twitter is heading in a great direction, unlike Facebook, who’s having a tough time expanding their core business while keeping Wall Street happy. Twitter on the other hand is laying the ground work for advertising opportunities that may come later, in their vision to dominate social conversations. TV is a big part of that future, as users regularly turn to Twitter for real-time conversations about popular TV shows. They’ve already signed deals with Nielson and bought Blue Fin Labs to help decipher all the chatter around TV shows. Twitter’s media ambitions should be solidified after this past week’s news events.
The Boston Marathon bombing allowed Twitter to become the go to place for real-time updates on what was happening on the ground during the bombings but also the chase to capture the two suspects in the bombing. There were Vine videos of the blast, police scanner updates, and also updates from all law enforcements officials to Bostonians to stay indoors when the second suspect was running loose.
I can’t wait to see what unfolds for Twitter in the next few years but they’re clearly headed in the right direction. They must be learning from mistakes Facebook made before heading towards an IPO, as they plan their own attempt in the next few years. I also love their strategy by using popular morning shows to announce product such as #TwitterMusic (on GMA) and the new page refresh (on the Today Show). These are excellent ways to reach the average viewer, especially moms, who may not be on Twitter but could potentially sign up by learning more about it from trusted sources.
Social Convo 