Why would Google want to pay MILLIONS for Twitter?

This is a no brainer. According to Adage.com, Twitter.com is one of the fastest rising social networks with 7.1 million users and an unbelievable growth rate of 1,382% (January 2008 to January 2009). Do you Twitter? Most likely, if you are reading this, you have a Twitter account. Did you start out like the rest of us? I remember my first few days “twittering”. I couldn’t believe people actually did this. Microblogging? What was that?

Okay so let me get this… I type a one sentence “update” about something I am doing, or something I want to broadcast to perfect strangers as important information. Are you crazy? YES! Yes, I do all of that and more. I started off slowly, then added one follower… my dear friend Dawn. Slowly more joined, and then more and then more. I started posting my blogs, news that was important in my industry, and OH NOOOOO!!!, I started retweeting things I saw from other people. I found a search feature that allowed me to search all of Twitter, all of their followers, and search for “Real Time” updates and news. More often than not, I knew about the latest industry trends before the news channels did. Why? Because someone Tweeted about it, added a link, and I was able to get the information immediate and first hand.

So what does Twitter do now? Ok, so they release Twitter Job Search. Is there any doubt in your mind about how fast this will explode? The Twitter Job Search website states that it has posted, “37,105 new jobs in the last 7 days.” Over 30,000 jobs in 7 days, for a new website! They even have a mantra, “Until now, search engines for social media sites merely looked for words. We’re looking at context. We use semantic tools to look at what was said. We then look at what they’ve said before. We then look at who was saying it. If we do this right, we can figure out why they’re saying anything at all.”

You have the ability to search for jobs by category and niche within a category, from there you can look at the job posting, retweet it or follow the poster… much like Twitter itself.

Now all the  gossip rags have said Google is in late stage talks with Twitter to buy them out. Still other refute the claim.

So what is the deal? It seems only Twitter and Google know. The bottom line.. it really doesn’t matter. Either by acquisition or through their own form of real time “Twitter” like microblogging and searching source, Google needs to make a move…and they are well aware of it!

To Google, Twitter is uncatchable right now, and they do not like being behind on any new technology or trend. Every time Twitter releases a new way to search, talk, or update… Google loses a small piece of its pie. So what does a big dog do when a little dog is snapping at its heels? Either buy it, or beat it.

That’s where they are right now. Buy it or beat it…so the rumors that Google is in talks to buy Twitter…. believable! The rumor that Google is in talks to have Twitter help create a real time Twitter like search feature and microblogging application…. again believable! We will know when they want us to know. The true question is not when will some sort of deal be made, but HOW MUCH will it be worth!

-Kimberly Veautour