After spending several years mired in an identity crisis, Twitter is beginning to find itself – and experiencing the customary growing pains.

The social networking/microblogging/real-time messaging service is looking and acting more like a media platform every day, and the proof lies in its increased focus on advertising and brand marketing. A revamped homepage, new search tools and reports of offering businesses a bigger platform through profile pages are all designed to attract more users and build advertising revenue. But the company’s recent emphasis on monetization has also alienated its community of client developers, creating hostility among many of those who helped build Twitter’s success. The challenge ahead will be finding a balance that works.