Twitter: 10 Billion Tweets Served

Apple iTunes recently hit 10 billion downloads and now Twitter is the latest member to the 10 billion club. Everyone’s favorite micro-blogging service has just had its 10 billionth tweet. It’s crazy to think that four years ago in 2006, we were contemplating what Twitter was and why in the world we needed it.  Two years later, the service was breaking the 1 billion mark. After that the growth was exponential, with the site hitting five billion tweets a year later in 2009.

So how did Twitter hit 1o billion so quickly? Easy, according Twitter it pulls in an astonishing 50 million tweets a day, which translates into about 600 tweets a second. So what does this mean for Twitter? It’s hard to say exactly. We’re still waiting for the monetization strategy that analysts have been speculating about since the site started becoming popular. I mean seriously, how surprised were you when you heard the news that Twitter was actually profitable last December? The only thing that the numbers show is that Twitter continues to grow despite all the hubbub about declining growth in January.

So lets look back at those incredible numbers. Who is doing all this tweeting? With 14,038 tweets in one year, I’ve definitely contributed my fair share of quips and quotes. Through our need to share information and just chew the fat, we’ve helped Twitter make history. When the Haiti earthquake struck, Twitter was there disseminating information about the crisis and where people could make donations. We follow our favorite celebrities and interact with them in a way that was previously unthinkable. Remember when Oprah joined Twitter? What about Chris Brown and his frustration-filled rants on his album sales post-drama? Some of us aren’t on the digital paparazzi chase and are wily enough to become celebrities ourselves by way of a barrage of 140-character zingers.

The latest Twitter celebrity would be the person who tweeted the 10 billionth tweet. Unfortunately since the user was protecting their tweets we have no idea what that landmark tweet was about. One thing’s for sure, Twitter is here to stay and it’s showing no signs of stopping.

About the Author
Sherri is a freelance writer that has a love of all things fun and geeky including gadgets, gaming, anime, and comics. When she isn't writing or out on the town living it up, she loves doing 10-12 hour marathon sessions on her Xbox 360 or one of her older consoles. It's not an addiction, it's a way of life!
See all posts by Sherri L. Smith.