Twitter: Carrier Revenue Shares, Not Ads

Wondering how Twitter’s going to make money? Well it’s not going to be by spreading false rumors of Patrick Swayze’s untimely death. And it’s not going to be with ads, either.

Instead, the micro-blogging site will likely strike revenue-sharing agreements with the mobile operators that reap Twitter traffic revenue in the form of SMS charges. Twitter also will focus on creating marketable tools for commercial users, such as "lightweight analytics" and business directories, according to Reuters.

Twitter co-founder Biz Stone came out with the plan at the Reuters Global Technology Summit in New York Tuesday, saying the company will double its headcount and implement a cash-generating model by the end of the year.

"[Advertising is] just not quite as interesting to us," Stone said via video feed. "There are no people at Twitter who know anything about advertising or work in advertising."

According to research firm ComScore, Twitter grew 131 percent in March 2009, boasting 9.3 million site visitors.