Google+ has been the most buzz-worthy social platform this month, the search giant's social networking platform has been getting positive feedbacks around the Web. Google+ is guesstimated to have reached 18 million users already. On the other hand, Facebook enhances its user experience as it integrates with Skype to bring real-time video chatting but seems to be on a losing end with its new chat interface. And as Google+ and Facebook become the most buzz-worthy companies early this month, we're left to ask: Is Twitter laying new eggs of innovation this year?
Early this month, Twitter announced that it will capitalize users' timestreams with promoted tweets. Just like Facebook's paid social ads, Twitter promoted tweets will be inserted into a user's Twitter feed. Since Evan Williams and Jack Dorsey's bird took flight, people have always asked how Twitter will make money. Advertising comes into mind, but as location-based deals are becoming popular nowadays, it seems Twitter's CEO Dick Costolo has set his sights on something big - eCommerce.
While it's not totally related to promoted tweets, a couple of brands have been using Twitter as an integral part of their campaigns, Kraft's Jell-O Pudding brand has launched the @Jell-OMoodMeter which tracks smile and frown emoticons. Sports teams have used Twitter to their advantage as well, the San Diego Chargers were able to sell 1,000 tickets to a game. It's not surprising, iPhone + Twitter is a sweet combination.
You know what's sweeter? Twitter + Mobile Payments. With Google launching Google Offers and Google Wallets, it makes sense that Twitter will bring mobile payments and daily deals to users soon. The bird just sharpened its beak.