Facebook, Twitter Battle For Billions In TV Ads

Social networks such as Facebook and Twitter are now going after the big media prize: billions of worldwide TV advertising dollars.

A new "Social TV" report from media researcher Futurescape says the next leap in the social-marketing world is pursuing the business of "social television," tapping into an $180 billion worldwide ad market.

The research company says Google TV and other connected TV systems will put Facebook and Twitter targeted ads on TV screens.

Futurescape predicts the next wave of TV's transformation will come from social recommendations and other consumer tools to find new TV content. The global TV business is projected to be a cumulative $250 billion by 2014.

Social networks are dramatically changing marketing of TV shows. "Facebook and Twitter buzz affects TV ratings, while broadcasters that use the social networks for viewer engagement are effectively sharing their audiences with them," the report says.

"One of the main commercial goals is to be the real-time conversation service that runs alongside major live viewing events, such as the Super Bowl or the Oscars," adds the report. "Such conversations are already increasingly integrated on broadcasters' Web sites, via Facebook and Twitter social plug-ins."

Television content owners -- and TV set makers -- are moving in this direction, says Futurescape. "The television is already becoming a social device, as Google TV, Yahoo Connected TV, CE manufacturers and pay-TV operators race to connect TV sets to the Internet."

Tweet