What About X?
X, also known as Twitter, is a social networking tool that is going through a lot of transition. Is X a platform that is important for your marketing? It depends.
This network is the place where people post about breaking news. It’s a staple for media outlets, used to not only post news, but also to capture quotes and commentary on just about any topic.
X is also a platform that is undergoing many shifts since ownership changed. The staff has been dramatically reduced. The identity has been changed.
The ultimate direction is somewhat murky. Owner Elon Musk has stated he would like the platform to become an “everything app” like WeChat, a Chinese platform for messaging, voice and video calls, social media posts, mini-programs, payment services, and more.
In the meantime, we marketers are wondering what changes will come next and when. And, we struggle to use the meaningless name of “X” and have that make sense to our audience. (When you saw the headline of this post, did you think X was a generic placeholder or did you realize this would be about the X platform?) I have many clients who don’t want to even use the logo on their websites, because of the negative connotations of X-rated.
Take Stock of Your Twitter Use
Deciding what is best for your marketing starts with assessing your experience with Twitter. Did you connect with your target audience there? Did customers contact you there? Do you have any indication that your employees, customers, prospects, key contacts, etc., value your participation on the platform?
Let the data tell you a story of the impact Twitter/X has for your marketing and communications efforts.
Assess the Value of New and Promised Features
Social media platforms change all the time. Mostly, the changes are incremental and consistent with the overall focus and operation of the platform. X is experiencing more seismic shifts. Whether those changes make it a better or worse tool for you is for you to determine.
We have already seen movement toward facilitating payments and banking, as well as advanced video-optimization features. Are these features an asset for your marketing efforts?
Is the current pace of change helpful or disruptive to your marketing? X has also been changing the ways that other technologies can access the platform which can be pretty disruptive to any feeds you may have set up between the platform and your website.
Make an Informed Decision
The take on Twitter was that it could be an effective way to engage users and followers, increase brand awareness, boost conversions, and provide timely and responsive customer service. As X morphs into the “everything app” vision, some opportunities will be lost, while others may be created.
Your marketing can ride with the changes or opt out for the short or long term, or something in between. The right answer depends on the current value of the platform as well as your interest in where you think things are headed.
For many small businesses, I think the smartest choice may be to back away from what was Twitter and give the current evolution time to become more concrete. This approach can save a lot of scrambling as things change with little or no notice. It can also save you from disrupting important relationships due to technology changes that you cannot control.
