{"id":738385,"date":"2013-02-15T12:41:36","date_gmt":"2013-02-15T17:41:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/paidcontent.org\/?p=224763"},"modified":"2013-02-15T12:41:36","modified_gmt":"2013-02-15T17:41:36","slug":"twitter-plucks-ad-man-from-google-to-be-research-director","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mereja.com\/index\/738385","title":{"rendered":"Twitter plucks ad man from Google to be research director"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a sign of Twitter’s ever-growing advertising ambitions, the company has hired Jeffrey Graham, a Googler and former New York Times<\/em> executive, to run its ad research operations.<\/p>

AdAge reported <\/a>the news Friday morning. Twitter’s head of revenue, Adam Bain, announced it in a tweet:<\/p>

Proud and excited to welcome @jeffrigram<\/a> as our Director of @TwitterAds<\/a> research!—
adam bain (@adambain) February 15, 2013<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>

While Twitter already has a huge and sophisticated ad operation, the value it provides remains unclear to many brands and marketers. On Black Friday, for instance, a study reported that Twitter ads led to almost zero direct sales<\/a>; Twitter’s value may considerably higher, however, if marketers consider other metrics like data or brand-awareness.<\/p>

In his new job, it will likely fall to Graham to explain such distinctions. As AdAge notes, Twitter is forecast to take in over $500 million in revenue this year but will need a more finely-hewn product pitch to get to a billion. Graham is not a regular Twitter user (before today, his last one was in January about cats<\/a>) but Friday morning he tweeted news of his hire and suggested the company’s acquisition of analytics firm Blue Fin will be a key part of its strategy:<\/p>

So glad to join the flock and the incredible ad research team @twitter<\/a>. @twitterads<\/a> @adambain<\/a> @joell<\/a> @bluefinlabs<\/a> Insights = Opportunity.<\/p>

\u2014 Jeffrey Graham (@jeffrigram) February 15, 2013<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>

Graham’s background is in agencies and, from 2007 to 2009, as a director of customer insight<\/a> at the New York Times; in the latter position, he advised the publication on ad research and metrics. Most recently, he was head of ad research at Google but is joining a growing tide of people migrating to Twitter.<\/p>
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