Before reading further, consider these questions:
- Did your brand have a Twitter account before it was rebranded to X?
- Do you still refer to 'X' as Twitter? (Yes, this includes if you suffix ‘X’ with ‘or Twitter’)
If you answered yes to either question, it’s important to recognise that – for better or worse – X is almost an entirely different platform to what Twitter represented. And with that change comes new risks, rules of engagement and opportunities, especially for brands involved in sport.
In this blog, we’ll explore how the platform has evolved since its infamous rebrand, what these changes mean for brands, and how to navigate X’s ever-changing tides.
The Shift from Twitter to X
Twitter has always been a conversational platform. However, pre-takeover, it was also seen as a reliable source of breaking news and opinions, where users with blue verification ticks were vetted, credible figures like politicians, journalists, or celebrities. This provided a safe space for brands to share news and engage with their audience.
Since becoming X, the platform has undergone significant changes:
- Paid Verification: The blue verification tick, previously a mark of authenticity, can now be purchased for $8 a month. This has diluted the tick's credibility, turning it from a marker of authority to a subscription badge.
- Content Prioritisation: Content from paying users is now prioritised, often pushing less credible voices to the forefront.
- Reinstatement of Controversial Figures: Previously banned users like Tommy Robinson, Kanye West, and Donald Trump have been allowed back, bringing back the contentious elements Twitter once purged but also praise in some circles for supporting free speech.
- Less Moderation: The platform has seen a reduction in moderation, leading to more adult content and a rise in negative language. Research shows that the use of specific hate-speech terms increased by 49% just one week after Musk took control.
The culmination of these changes has muddied the waters of credibility on the platform, making it harder for users to distinguish the practitioners from the pretenders. As such, the value of X as a news-sharing platform has diminished.
Unfortunately for brands, this shift has been mirrored in user attitudes. Recent research found that trust in advertising on X has plummeted, with only 4% of users finding ads on X trustworthy. Meanwhile, with brand ads continuing to appear next to harmful content, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for brands to control their reputation on the platform. Altogether, this has caused an exodus of advertisers from the platform. In fact, it’s projected that 26% of marketers are planning to reduce ad spend on X in 2025.
This clearly shows that many brands are rethinking their presence on the platform, with some even stepping away from X. This makes it a good time for your brand to also evaluate its future on the platform. However, before making any decisions, let’s explore the opportunities that X offers.
Where One Door Closes…
As with anything in life, where there’s risk, there’s also reward. And while a lot of brands are taking a step away from X, there are plenty of businesses using it to great effect, especially in sport.
One thing has remained consistent with X: it’s still the go-to platform for sports fans. Of X’s 500 million monthly users, 42% are considered sports enthusiasts, making it an ideal platform for brands to engage with this audience.
Sports brands or sponsors can leverage X to engage with fans. However, it’s crucial not just to share content but to actively participate in live conversations around the sport. This approach can help brands connect with other sports fans on the platform in a real way.
Paddy Power has mastered this approach in recent years, particularly with its focus on Premier League football. By embracing the culture of football banter and rivalries, its X account has become a go-to source for football memes that resonate with fans. This strategy has ensured that Paddy Power remains a constant presence on football fans’ X timelines, significantly boosting the likelihood that they’ll choose Paddy Power when placing their weekend bets.
For F1 sponsors, it’s useful to see how the teams themselves engage with their audience on X. The Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team, for example, recognised that meme culture is strong amongst the F1 community on X and has successfully tapped into that trend with its own original content. Meanwhile, McLaren live posts during the race weekend to provide updates on the team’s performance.
Importantly, both teams are providing a service to their fans. Sponsor brands should take inspiration from this, finding their own niche to provide value for an audience that live and breathe F1.
No matter which direction your brand takes, it's essential to remember that X is, and always will be, a conversational platform. While brands can still use the platform to share news, this must be combined with a more conversational approach that directly engages your audience and taps into the latest trends. Your strategy for navigating the platform should always centre around this principle.
Final Verdict
As the risks of using X continue to multiply, it's more crucial than ever for brands to navigate the platform effectively. To stay on the right side of the risk-reward dynamic that increasingly defines X, brands must use the platform as it was intended: as a space for starting and contributing to conversations. This approach allows brands to engage authentically with their audience, driving organic growth in both engagement and followers. Sports content is particularly well-suited to this strategy.
Brands that continue to rely solely on using X to disseminate news or promote products are likely to see their engagement and follower growth stagnate. And while advertising might seem like a quick fix, the current risks and uncertainties associated with advertising on X may outweigh the potential benefits for many brands.
Amidst this uncertainty, one thing is certain: the platform will continue to evolve in the coming months. Therefore, regardless of the approach your brand takes, staying informed is essential for making the right decisions for your business.