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Click-Happy Tweeters View Ads Twice as Often

Twitter users are nearly twice as likely to click on internet ads, review products online and visit advertiser and company profiles than those who use only traditional social networks, such as MySpace or Facebook, according to a study from media research firm Interpret, LLC (via paidcontent.org).

The survey, which was conducted in August 2009 among more than 9,200 internet users found that one-fourth (24%) of Twitter users  had reviewed or rated products online, compared with just 12% of those who’d used other social networks - but not Twitter.

Tweeters also show double the propensity for viewing online company profiles than do non-Tweeters  (20% vs. 11%), and are almost twice as likely to investigate ads or sponsored links by clicking on them (20% vs. 9%).

Interpret, LLC hypothesized that the short length of Tweets and the lack of other things to do on the Twitter website might leave users with more time to click on ads that take them to other domains.

The fact that Twitter is not meant as a “destination site,” might also play a role in the willingness for more off-site engagement because users may not feel as bothered by intrusive ads as they might on other social networks that offer more engrossing activities and require more concentration.

A recent study from Penn State University found that 20% of Tweets contain brand-related messages.

Though Twitter has not yet announced plans to run advertising on its site, the firm announced last week that it had secured an additional $100 million in funding, and is estimated to be valued at $1 billion.

Currently, the 60-person company has no discernable plan to  monetize via advertising or sponsorships, even though Comscore reports it sees approximately 54 million users a month.