Hacked accounts and controversial law suits. Twitter has been hitting the headlines recently for all the wrong reasons. However, with their newly announced Advertising API, revenues at the Social Media giant are set to soar.
According to eMarketer, Twitter ad revenues hit $259 million last year. TechCrunch predict this could rise to a massive $1billion in 2013.
With Twitter set to make its inaugural travel industry appearance at EyeforTravel’s Social Media & Mobile in Travel conference in San Francisco next month, we examine what opportunities lies ahead for the travel industry.
Twitter has a billion tweets every 2.5 days on every conceivable topic - including travel. Through introducing an advertising API they aim to allow brands to "to run ad campaigns through the company’s API partners, rather than having to buy them through Twitter itself."
This will allow advertisers to buy more ads, run them more quickly and in a more sophisticated manner. It will also allow for better targeted campaigns. The value-add is the ability to productively and efficiently grow and scale campaigns,” a source said.
Twitter have already started briefing large social media marketing agencies, which help brands and big advertisers plan and buy ads on social networks like Twitter.
What does this mean for travel brands? Well, many airlines and hotels are successfully using Twitter particularly as a customer service and engagement tool. But, will they see the value in purchasing advertising?
Well, Twitter advertising could potentially help them extend their reach as interestingly, 70% of Twitters 200 million monthly active users are based outside of the U.S. The advertising API allows brands to launch global campaigns across different geographies.
Whether travel brands will be interested in purchasing advertising remains to be seen. It also remains to be seen how users will respond the greater infusion of advertising into the social network.
Would you advertise via Twitter? We’d love to hear your thoughts!
Want to find out more? We’ll be quizzing Twitter themselves during their inaugural travel industry appearance as well as gauging the travel and hospitality industry opinion at EyeforTravel’s upcoming Social Media & Mobile in Travel conference in San Francisco, March 18-19.
Dan Greene, Director of US Online Sales & Operations fromTwitter will be joining Facebook, Google, Uber, and Cathay Pacific to share Twitter’s views on the future of social business and what it means for travel brands.
