Twitter is fast, simple and viral. These are the ingredients for perfect real-time data sharing. By now, it should have a huge pool of data and you bet Twitter knows how valuable it is.
According to The Wall Street Journal’s All Things Digital, it was reported (from an undisclosed source) that Twitter is currently in advance talks with both Internet Titans, Google and Microsoft.
The basic idea is to license a full feed service that could then be integrated into the results of their search engines.
More from All Things Digital:
“Sources said a number of scenarios are being discussed to compensate Twitter for its huge and potentially valuable trove of real-time and content-sharing information, generated from the data stream of billions of tweets from its 54 million monthly users.
These include a number of structures, including a payment of several million dollars to Twitter, along with various revenue-sharing proposals that would give Twitter a piece of the revenue made from search results.
The deals, stressed sources close to the situation, are nonexclusive, especially because Twitter’s management is keen to remain independent and also nonpartisan in the growing search battle between Google (GOOG) and Microsoft (MSFT).”
Take it with a pinch of salt
It is indeed good news for Twitter supporters. Being able to license data feeds to Google and Microsoft will not only provide the much needed revenue source, but also greatly increase Twitter’s online presence.
With that, remember to take this piece of news with a pinch of salt. The same undisclosed source also mentioned that the talks might not lead to any final agreement with either parties.
