Twitter advertising isn't new, but advertising on users' profiles? That is a first.
The social network is testing out promoted tweets on some profile pages, according to a Re/code report. And if those ads are there at all, you'll find them a few tweets down in a section specially marked, "Suggested by Twitter," so there's little chance of mistaking them for anything else.
While these experimental ads will only be displayed for Twitter users who are logged in, it's possible that could change down the road once the company's recently reported deal with Google -- one that Twitter CEO Dick Costolo said would take "several months" before we see anything come of it -- officially rolls out.
While Twitter's deal with Google all but ensures people will eventually notice tweets in their Google search results, it also means those same people are likely to visit Twitter.com, provided they click on content. Once that happens they could see promoted tweets on user profiles, too.
Promoted tweets on profiles is one in a series of Twitter's experiments as it continues its long, ambitious climb from $1.4 billion in annual revenues last year to its "strictly hypothetical" target of $14 billion in 2024.
As part of its grander plan, the company is exploring ways to monetize syndicated content and diversify its advertising products. Those efforts include deals with Google, Yahoo Japan and Flipboard, as well as promoting accounts from brands like MasterCard and IFC, whether users follow them or not.