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At $150 Per Tweet, @Statesman Sees Gold in Twitter
The first one, which launched this afternoon, promotes the Mansion of Terror haunted house, offering a buy-one-get-one-free deal if readers mention the ad when buying tickets. According to Editor & Publisher, the ads will adhere to a strict policy, appearing twice a day at fixed times while being clearly labeled as advertising. Only food/drink and entertainment-related "actionable" ads—such as coupons and special offers—will be permitted, at a price of $150 per tweet.
The reaction thus far has been all across the board, from supportive and intrigued to disapproving or skeptical, as illustrated in this exchange:
"We and Robert Quigley, social media editor, have worked really hard in the last year to grow the size of our audience through Facebook and Twitter," said Tim Lott, VP of audience strategy, to E&P. "After a certain point you want to make money on that effort."
Making money by renting out your Twitter account isn't anything new. At least half a dozen websites allow popular web "personalities" to participate in aggregate ad networks, earning a stipend that can range from a few bucks (for those with a relatively small number of followers) to five figures per tweet for celebrity accounts.
As print media outlets go, it's fitting that the tech-savvy team at the Statesman is attempting to tread unfamiliar territory. It's steadily developed a commanding presence on the social networking site over the years, growing to nearly 14,000 followers on its main account and over 10,000 following its entertainment-minded sibling, Austin360. Quigley even hinted at such a move in an interview earlier this year, saying, "[Twitter's] not about making money right now, necessarily, but in the long run it could be, and probably will be."
