Making Money From Twitter

Twitter is a social phenomenon. But as a business, it hasn’t yet earned a passing grade.

Until now. In the past several weeks, two online games have launched with links to the micro-blogging site. Followers say at least one has begun making money – with the potential to make substantially more.

“Revenue is being generated from Twitter,” declares Jason Bailey, CEO of the Super Rewards, the provider of a virtual currency for games.

That’s because the games – Spymaster and 140 Mafia - are attracting users and, in the case of 140 Mafia, using Super Rewards’ virtual currency to let players pay for extra features, such as weapons, casinos or cars.

Bailey declines to say how much 140 Mafia is making. But some insiders suggest the take could amount to more than $25,000 a month in a short while.

“True commerce,” says Bailey

Both games make use of Twitter’s real time communications stream by posting updates of a player’s game activities on the Twitter network.

Thousands of people are already playing 140 Mafia. Bailey projects the game could attract 500,000 players in a couple of months.

While game play is unlikely to turn Twitter into board market place, it is an interesting first step to finding financially benefit from the social-networking craze.