Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by sreyaNotfilc 3959 days ago
The big issue is this - The goal of many start ups and software companies (especially modern ones circa 2000) is to get really big and then figure out how to make money. The problem with Twitter is that its doing just that. Exactly that even after its IPO. Its humongous yet doesn't have a decent business model (thus the falling stock prices).

You can't get much bigger (well known) as a brand/company than Twitter. From networks such as CNN, FOX NEWS, ESPN, ABC, etc... Twitter is everywhere! Everyone knows them.

So, there's a check. The issue happens with the second part : what do do with our fame?

Can Twitter use their power to make services that are profitable? Yes! Do they? No, not really :(

I often wonder why it takes so long for companies like these to blatantly monetize their services. They are backed by billions yet you rarely see an ad here or a "shop" there. Its as if they feel that its a bad thing to do. Its as if they feel that they are betraying the people using their services.

I feel that these services can survive with a little more push towards that. Then again I'm not the CEO or founder of that BIG company so I'm sure most would feel that my idea is not valid. It just frustrates me that you see so much potential (money-wise and service-wise) in a product/service yet it takes a long time to see those changes.

1 comments

The problem is that Twitter is trying to monetize like most with ad-tech at a time that many are becoming ad adverse. The rise of ad blockers should be a wake up call for such monetization efforts. Twitter is placing ads everywhere now. Auto play videos, promoted ads, a jumbled UX, and product decisions springing from a want-to-be-like-Facebook mindset are just damaging the brand especially with the lack of strong product leadership that exists (which shows in the official app). It's all about monetization and listening to advertisers who don't have UX chops.