In recent assessments, a decline in the number of active users of X (formerly Twitter), has come to light. Musk’s vision to metamorphose X into a global hub for discourse encounters hurdles as it struggles to allure and maintain a user base, especially against competitors like Instagram and TikTok, thriving in video-centric social media domains.
Sensor Tower Data Highlights a Substantial Downturn
Sensor Tower, a prominent market research entity, underscores a notable reduction in X’s daily active users, notably within the United States. February statistics reveal a stark 18% plunge, with a similar trend globally, depicting a 15% decrease from the previous year. These figures underscore a sustained downturn since Musk’s acquisition of the platform in October 2022.
User Dissatisfaction, Technical Glitches, and Competitive Landscape
Abe Yousef, a seasoned insights analyst at Sensor Tower, ascribes X’s dwindling active user count to multifarious factors, encompassing user discontent over content moderation, technical glitches, and the emergence of concise video platforms. Musk’s relaxation of content moderation guidelines has triggered concerns over the proliferation of objectionable content.
X Adapts with Subscription Services amid Waning Advertiser Interest
In response to dwindling ad revenues and an exodus of advertisers, Musk has ushered in subscription-based models on X, spanning from basic to premium tiers. However, these endeavors haven’t compensated for the significant revenue dip stemming from traditional advertising. Sensor Tower said that, according to its research, X’s revenue from in-app purchases last month was about $9.5 million, including for X subscriptions and payments to creators.
Meta’s Threads Emerges as a Strong Competitor
Meta’s Threads, a contender to X, gains momentum, particularly owing to its seamless integration with Instagram. With substantially higher downloads and user engagement rates, Threads poses a formidable challenge to X’s supremacy in the microblogging sphere. According to Apptopia, Threads has beat out X in the number of downloads worldwide by a ratio of 8-to-1.“For microblogging platforms, X had dominant market share of app downloads right up until Threads launched,” Tom Grant, vice president of research at Apptopia, wrote in an email. “That turned market share completely on its head.” Threads has ranked highly in some app store rankings lately, topping Apple’s chart for free apps Sunday and staying in the Top 4 for most of this week. X ranked No. 34 on the Apple app store Sunday and No. 30 on Friday. On Friday, Threads ranked No. 7 in Google’s Play store and X ranked No. 43.
Active Encouragement and Innovative Features
Musk actively interacts with X users, urging them to share posts and enticing new entrants. Furthermore, X introduces revenue-sharing incentives for content creators to spur engagement and content generation.
Uncertainty Marks X’s Journey into Its Second Year under Musk
As X traverses its second year under Musk’s tutelage, it confronts obstacles in user retention and attraction amid escalating competition and waning advertiser interest. The efficacy of Musk’s revitalization strategies remains speculative as X grapples with a tumultuous phase in its evolution.
X Navigates Turbulent Waters in a Dynamic Social Media Realm
Despite ambitious initiatives and endeavors to revitalize the platform, X encounters hurdles in retaining users and monetizing under Elon Musk’s leadership. As the competitive landscape evolves and user preferences undergo metamorphosis, the future trajectory of X remains shrouded in uncertainty amidst the ever-changing social media panorama.
