Twitter Inc. (NYSE:TWTR) is really shaking things up. From their new user profiles (similar to Facebook’s) and updated algorithms to pushing for more media relationships, Twitter is also poaching executives from Google, as well. In fact, Twitter recently hired Thomas de Buhr. He was Google’s Director of Branding for Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Now, he is set to become Twitter’s new Germany chief.
According to Buhr’s Twitter profile, he is excited about the digital future, is a Bayern Munich soccer fan, and loves Bikram yoga. This move certainly signals that Twitter is ready to take on the German market. Buhr’s role includes convincing German companies to use the micro-blogging site as an advertising platform. To date, Germany is a boon for online advertising revenues, spending 1.32 billion Euros ($1.8 billion) in 2013 and coming in at a year over year growth rate of 9.3 percent.
Twitter needs to make a push in this space because according to eMarketer, Twitter still falls behind Google and Facebook. While Google and Facebook controls two-thirds of the world’s online and mobile marketing space, Twitter only manages 2 percent.
Right now, Rowan Barnett is Twitter’s Germany chief. However, he will continue as director of market development and media. His role is to persist in encouraging political figures and celebrities to tweet. It makes sense given that, in the U.S., celebrities like Ashton Kutcher played a large role in bringing Twitter to the forefront.
Previously, Twitter did not have separate marketing and sales departments in Germany, but now they will. This follows after their model placed in other countries like the U.K. and France. Only 22 percent of German participants, in an online poll created by news website operator Tomorrow Focus, said they used Twitter. While 83 percent, said, they used Facebook, and 52 percent said they used YouTube.
