140 Proof

By choosing to expose their API, Twitter has built a 75+ million user-strong business, and an entirely new mode of communication.  This open API has launched an unprecedented developer phenomenon and created a unique ecosystem of developers and companies building innovative products on every imaginable platform.

While there has been an exceptional amount of press and discussion about how Twitter will monetize their platform, I suggest that this is a question that Twitter does not need to answer. 

Twitter could very well release next week their master plan for monetization, but I could also envision a world where Twitter applies the same approach to generating revenue that they took with respect to building applications…let the ecosystem lead the way. 

Once the ecosystem has developed multiple thriving business models, you can simply tax the rich.  Twitter has already done something similar with their search advertising partners at Google, Bing and Yahoo.  Effectively they have outsourced some form of search functionality and keyword monetization to the larger search companies in exchange for a tax on data usage and profits (a tax that some report to be in the $10 - $15 million dollar range per partner).  These probably are not the first ecosystem partners that one thinks about when you think about Twitter, but they are the ones that are currently able to pay big dollars.

Our vision at 140 Proof is to build a monetization engine for the slightly smaller-than-Google-sized application developers in the ecosystem which will allow them to grow and thrive.  We feel that our advertising monetization engine is uniquely suited to both the ethos of Twitter (unobtrusive ads that are highly relevant to customers) and to the capabilities of Twitter (full social interaction allowing conversations with advertisers and honest engagement).

Our hope is that Twitter continues to develop and promote their revolutionary infrastructure solution.  They have created a transformational communication medium.  Our mission is to apply our advertising and technological expertise to not only help develop closer interactions with all types of organizations and customers, but more importantly, to provide the ecosystem of developers (just like ourselves) a path to grow into sustainable businesses.  A healthy ecosystem is not only good for the ecosystem, but it is also good for Twitter and will help all parties deliver on the vision of creating a more open and connected global community.

Jon Elvekrog
CEO, 140 Proof

As Twitter developers, we’re excited about the very first Twitter developer conference, Chirp, which is coming up on April 14. We’re so excited, in fact, that we’re sending our entire dev team.

We’ll be attending to work on our API chops, hack away at making the 140 Proof app better, and talk to any developer who wants to monetize a Twitter app. If you want to chat during Chirp, just tweet to us at @140ProofAds.