You know you’re successful when, despite your much-documented problems, and around $20million in VC funding, your fans try to raise money.
Which is exactly what @ChrisReed is trying to do with Twitterfund.
OK, so at the time of writing, it’s raised a total of £30 since it launched around the end of May – but it’s the fact it even exists which shows the level of involvement and commitment that Twitter, and other microblogging platforms, can generate.
(Incidentally, you can find me @badgergravling.)
The other reason Twitter is so inspirational is in the sheer number of applications being developed. Twemes, Twitpic and Quotably are now part of the Microblogging Tools list. Oh, and Tweetscan. And Yoono. I think that’s the lot!
Thanks for the mention Dan. One of those things – between coming up with the idea/buying the url and launching the site, Twitter was handed $15M- $20M on a plate. Which has dampened potential donors’ appetites a bit I suspect. Hey ho.
But, even if we don’t meet the amount of money the VCs have injected – the other thing that I’m trying to do with Twitterfun is to suss out how Twitter’s users would like to see it develop/fund it’s future. So the vote on there will be interesting.
Will people be happy to pay a monthly fee? Or have ads (but will that work for advertisers, too – I suspect not)? Or maybe voluntary donations will be the model which both keeps users, and keeps twitter afloat. Watch this space.
Anyway – hope to meet you in the real world sometime soon. Next measurement camp perhaps?
Chris