Elon Musk’s Twitter/X Revolution: What Marketers Must Adapt To
Since Elon Musk acquired Twitter (now X), the platform has undergone seismic shifts—from verification chaos to algorithm overhauls. For marketers, these changes bring both challenges and opportunities.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
- Major platform changes under Musk’s leadership
- How the X algorithm works in 2024
- New advertising rules & alternatives
- Proven strategies to still win on X
7 Biggest Changes Affecting Marketers
1. Pay-to-Play Verification
- Blue checks now require $8/month (No more free verification)
- Impact: Organic reach for non-paying accounts dropped ~40% (SocialInsider)
2. Algorithm Favors Engagement (Especially Controversy)
- Musk confirmed: “Negative tweets get more clicks”
- Marketer takeaway: Balanced hot takes work—but avoid brand risks
3. Ad Revenue Sharing (But With Caveats)
- Creators earn 55% of ad revenue from replies
- Catch: Must be verified + have 15M+ impressions/month
4. Long-Form Content & Articles Allowed
- “X Articles” lets users publish blog-style posts
- Opportunity: Repurpose LinkedIn/Medium content
5. Community Notes Fact-Checking
- Users can add context to misleading posts
- Brand risk: False claims get publicly corrected
6. Declining B2B Audience
- 43% of marketers reduced X activity (HubSpot 2024)
- Shift: More B2B conversations moved to LinkedIn/Threads
7. Video & Spaces Prioritization
- Live audio (Spaces) and vertical videos get 2x reach
X Marketing Strategies That Still Work
1. Leverage Verified Status
- Blue checks get 3x more impressions (X internal data)
- Tactic: Verify your brand account + key executives
2. Engagement-Driven Posting
- Ask polarizing (but brand-safe) questions
- Example: “Agree or disagree: Cold outreach is dead?”
3. Repurpose Top-Performing Content
- Convert viral tweets into:
- LinkedIn carousels
- Instagram Reels text overlays
- Email newsletter snippets
4. Experiment With X Articles
- Publish short thought leadership pieces
- Pro tip: Include CTAs to your website
When to Shift Focus From X
Consider reducing X investment if:
- Your audience is B2B professionals (LinkedIn/Threads perform better)
- You rely on stable organic reach (Algorithm is volatile)
- Your brand avoids controversial spaces
Alternatives for Twitter Refugees
If you used X for…
Breaking news
B2B networking
Viral memes
Try instead…
Threads, LinkedIn
LinkedIn, Slack communities
TikTok, Instagram Reels
