Today is a big day for Twitter.com with mainstream Australian media covering a PR event on Twitter.

So is this the time to revisit the local version of Twitter that we built two years ago and put in the “great idea but no business case” basket.

Australian Twitter – “Tribes”

So what did we build? ( And why did we shelve it? )

We built a local version of Twitter with all their features so it would work in Australia. (Currently twitter.com doesn’t deliver SMS updates to Australia – it used to… ) People register, choose a user name, search for their friends or people they want to connect with, and start to post their messages and follow their chosen “tweets” as Twitter calls them.

We added some features – People could submit their posts online, via email, or via SMS. People could follow people online, by receiving SMS or emails. All great features but we thought that it needed more so we used our technology to extend the messages from 140 characters to full content Picture Messages.

Try texting f480 to O41O 125 125 to experience an XY Picture Message.

Why did we shelve it?

Well the service is great but the business case is harsh. If people select the update via SMS option (and that was the power of the original service – and why it was limited to 140 characters) then the economic kicks in. Image you have 100,000 users and they all follow 1 person. If someone updates their message then this generates 100,000 SMS messages. If I use 20c as the cost then this is A$20,000. You then compound this with more uses and more messages and the costs make you go hmmmmm.

So not to be discouraged we built a “user pays” service. People could buy credits and have the service delivered – Or the messages could be branded & paid for by a sponsor. Then we thought lets built a broadcast model where people could update their information and the service would update their “chosen” friends. All great stuff but a little hard to promote because people are used to FREE on other social services.

And then there was the cost of making the service known to people. Another major investment for a service that has no revenue stream or very limited. So this sounds like a field of dreams build and we had to look at other services to pay for 12 months of toil.

Should we relook at it?

Sitting on our servers is a generic service that could be rolled out in days and be whatever a brand wants it to be.

Is it a brands dream to be able to have a one to one relationship with their target markets? Is it a media company’s dream tool to bridge the gap between their static media and online? Is it a researchers dream to have a tool that tells them what the pulse of Australia is “in real time”. Is it a simple tool for the average Australian to keep in touch with their “tribe” or “things they are interested in?

Or is a dream that will sit on our servers and eventually be deleted?

Now is the time to talk to your friends or people that you think might be interested in bringing this concept to life. IS IT TWITTER LOCAL FOR SALE or a tool that should be nurtured for the good of Australian?

Talk to me – Paul Hughes at paul@xyinteract.com.au for more information