Twitter’s search feature is no threat to Google when it comes to informational searches.  People looking for information on the “perricone diet” (#2 “Hot Trend” today on Google Trends) are not going to use Twitter search for that information.

But informational searches aren’t where Google makes it’s living.  Google makes money from charging advertisers to display tiny text ads on commercial searches.

Take me as an example.  I’m the cofounder of a furniture store.  Of course, I advertise on Google Adwords.  But, like all other forms of advertising, I cast a wide net, cross my fingers and hope to catch something.

Advertising on Twitter will be much more targeted.  This morning, I woke up and did a Twitter search for “buy furniture.”  Had I performed that search on Google, more than likely, I’d be looking to purchase furniture.  On Twitter, I’m looking for people interested in buying furniture.

As I type this, the top result is @phooz: “This means I’ll have to look for a place, decide where I want to live, and have to buy furniture and stuff. Ikea anyone?”

Right now, it would be free for me to reply to @phooz and tell him: “Hey, before you check out Ikea, here’s a 15% discount to shop at nikkoSHOPS.com.”

How can Twitter monetize this?  Before it can do so, Twitter has to first allow DM (direct messages) from people who you do not follow, something which they currently do not allow.  (Currently, you can reply to someone you don’t follow but there is no guarantee that that person will read it.) Second, they have to charge for those DM’s.

Of course, this could quickly get out of control.  Twitter users would obviously have to opt in to this feature.  I’d be motivated to opt in if my mention of “buy furniture” prompted a coupon from a vendor.

Another issue is would users want to be barraged by 15-20 advertisers with DMs?  One way to stop this would be to make these DMs expensive.  Whereas I may bid $1 for the term “furniture” on Google AdWords, I’d have to bid ten or twenty times that for a Twitter lead, which would be much more likely to convert.

Why would a Twitter lead be much more likely to convert?  Because, I as an advertiser, would prequalify that lead before bidding.  I’d visit that Twitter profile, browse previous tweets to try to determine age, income and so on, all the metrics we marketers love to stare at.

Of course, there would be those advertisers that would have a bot that would automatically bid and respond.  Not only would would that result in high costs and a very poor ROI (a bot can’t prequalify a lead**) but Twitter could institute its own version of Google’s quality score, blocking advertisers based on poor CTR, message relevance and even Twitter community votes.

For those wondering if Twitter will ever monetize on all of those eyeballs, wonder no more.

**Side Note: If I could code, I’d be developing the tool that could prequalify Twitter leads based on the sentiment of the twit and the demographic of the user.

There is no wrong way to use Twitter.

For that matter, there is no wrong way to use a telephone.  You could make long calls, short calls, make a crank call, call to tell someone you love them, call and only talk about yourself.  Whatever.

So when I hear that people don’t “get” Twitter, I’m tempted to ask them if they “get” a telephone.

For me, Twitter is a professional tool.  I am not on Twitter to keep my friends updated on what I am up to Facebook-status style.  I am attempting to build professional connections with people that can help me and whom, in turn, I will help.

In short, what Twitter is to me can best be described by Zig Ziglar:

“You can have everything in life that you want if you just give enough other people what they want.”**

Twitter enables a barter economy like no other online tool.  My trade is marketing.  But I am not on Twitter to sell my marketing services, I already get paid for doing that.

I am on Twitter for two reasons:

1. I’m pretty good at what I do.  I am using Twitter because I want you to know that so you’ll reach out to me when you need marketing help.  What do I hope to receive in return?  Maybe you’re good at something I’m not.  Maybe you can design a better logo.   Note that I’m not expecting the favor to be returned.
2. nikkoSHOPS.com is a furniture retailer.  Everyone needs furniture.  My hope is that if you know me from Twitter, you know more or less what type of person I am and that I am part of a trustworthy business.  So when you need a couch, let me know.  I may not have what you want but I may know who will.  (Why would I tell you to go shop somewhere else?  See bullet #1.)

How are you using Twitter?  What do you hope to gain?

**Thanks to Darren Rowse over at Problogger for reminding me of the quote.

Photo credit: lepiaf.geo