Twitter launches Earlybird bargain alert service

Microblogging giant Twitter will expand into digital commerce services with the launch of Earlybird Exclusive Offers, promising time-sensitive deals to users who follow the @earlybird tweet stream. According to Twitter, @earlybird deals are created expressly for the Twitter community--advertiser partners will determine the terms of each promotion, including availability, amount and price, with Twitter earning a cut of resulting revenues. The concept parallels social commerce services like Groupon and Woot, which also offer limited-time deals to registered consumers--the Twitter Help Center suggests future evolutions of @earlybird could include location-sensitive offers as well as bargains tied to specific merchandise categories, like fashion or music.

In late May, Twitter announced it will no longer accept third-party advertisements outside of its own Promoted Tweets program, with a blog post from chief operating officer Dick Costello chalking up the decision to "the long-term health and value of the network." According to Costello, Twitter will not allow third parties to introduce sponsored tweets into a timeline of any service leveraging the Twitter API: "Third party ad networks are not necessarily looking to preserve the unique user experience Twitter has created. They may optimize for either market share or short-term revenue at the expense of the long-term health of the Twitter platform," Costello writes. "The basis for building a lasting advertising network that benefits users should be innovation, not near-term monetization."

Twitter introduced Promoted Tweets in mid-April. the initiative features ads that show up when users search for keywords tied to advertiser campaigns--from there, Twitter will eventually insert user-relevant promotional posts into the Twitter stream based on metrics like geographic location or shared interests among followers. Brands including Starbucks, Best Buy, Virgin America and Bravo have already signed on.

For more on Earlybird Exclusive Offers:
- read this New York Times article

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