Last week, Twitter finally revealed that it has filed its S-1 with the SEC, which mean its IPO is probably just around the corner.  But some of the conditions it has to meet before it can go public are that Twitter must reach the 400 million user mark and have a total $1 billion revenue.  This is where Big Data can help, and Twitter’s been busy buying up analytics firms to boost its offerings.

Revenue required

Where that revenue comes from is the looming question for Twitter, which has been exploring some new advertising models in recent months.  The goal is to maintain the user experience while leveraging Twitter’s massive social network for targeted marketing. Moving forward, Twitter will need to ramp up its efforts in the Big Data sector in order to provide better analytics to advertisers.

Right now, Twitter has its Web Analytics platform that allows users to measure how well they are reaching their target audience.  This platform allows website owners to understand how much their website content is being shared across Twitter, see how much traffic Twitter sends to your site, and measure the effectiveness of the Tweet Button integrated on your site.

Twitter’s Big Data Buys

Twitter has been very busy acquiring companies that help improve its analytics offering.  In 2011, Twitter acquired BackType, a social analytics platform that has been helping the microblogging site with its develop tools for its publisher partners.  Earlier this year, it acquired BlueFin Labs,  a social TV analytics company, which helps Twitter in analyzing the trending shows, or TV moments, that would enable brands to use them for their own advertising efforts.  And recently, Twitter acquired Trendrr, the social tracking TV service.

With Trendrr and BlueFin, Twitter has a better grasp of of what’s happening on TV and how Twitter users are engaging with the content.  This gives them a better way of understanding what the viewers want.

Speaking of acquisitions, Twitter may have acquired its most important company just in time for its IPO.  According to reports, Twitter has acquired MoPub, a mobile advertising firm that automates buying and selling mobile ads, in an estimated price of $350 million.  The acquisition of MoPub could allow Twitter to become the middleman in ad sales not only in the social realm, but in the broader mobile landscape.

Other areas Big Data can help Twitter

Twitter also needs is to improve on its search, or a better and easier way for people to get to their Advance Search page.  Did you know that Twitter has a Search homepage and an Advanced Search page?  The Search page acts just like the search bar you find on top of your Twitter page, while the Advanced Search page has many fields to help you find what you’re looking for.  By making these tools more accessible to users, Twitter will be able to learn more about its users based on what they are searching and the terms they use for searching content.

Now that’s data Twitter (and its advertisers) can take to the bank.