From Twitter to X: What You Need To Know

Twitter is now X. Love it or hate it. And for some of us whose favorite social media platform is Twitter we hate it. Well, hate it a strong word. How ‘bout we say we’re not big fans of the change.

Why the change? Many articles have been written on the rebrand of Twitter to X. That’s not the intent of this post. In short, Elon Musk explained that it’s more than just a name change. Instead, it represents his plans to create an “everything app.” “Twitter was acquired by X Corp both to ensure freedom of speech and as an accelerant for X, the everything app.” 1 2 The change from Twitter to X is more than just a knee-jerk rebrand. It’s already changing the way Twitter works, and Elon Musk has laid out a grand vision that could see it become more like an ‘everything’ app in the vein of China’s WeChat. We’ll let others cuss and discuss Elon’s vision. What does the rebrand mean for your marketing?

The change to X means changes for you and other small business owners notably:

“Twitter” is obsolete. May the name rest in peace. It’s X now. So, encourage your customers to “Follow us on X.” Yes, some are going to wonder what you’re referring to and you’ll have to explain ‘Twitter changed to X.’
Tweets are posts. “See our posts on X for our new products this fall.” (This is one of the biggest missteps in the rebranding if you ask us! “Tweets” and “Retweets” set themselves apart from ‘Posts’ on all the other platforms, was recognizable, and unique to the platform. “Tweets” and “Retweets” branded Twitter without even saying “Twitter.” But… checking missed calls from Elon…)
Retweets are reposts. (Doesn’t flow off the tongue like ‘retweet’ does it? Again, Elon didn’t consult us.) So, you’ll encourage your followers to “repost your posts on X” or “give us a repost on X.”
The iconic bird logo is officially replaced with X. You’ll want to update your website and all collateral with the new logo. And unfortunately, Musk suggests it’s a temporary logo so be prepared to update everything again soon.

Changes outside of the rebrand you may have missed:

Your tweets, er, uh, posts can now be 25,000 characters long IF you are a Blue subscriber.
YOU CAN FINALLY EDIT YOUR TWEETS ugh, posts, but this is only limited to Blue subscribers. That alone may be worth the $8 a month!
You can now upload two-hour videos. Again, a Blue subscriber benefit. Why you are going to make a two-hour video to promote your product or service we’ll never know. Keep it to 3 minutes or less.

The rebrand aside, X is still a powerful social media platform for marketing your small business. Keep posting 4 to 5 times a day. Include videos in your posts as more than half of users prefer video. Share your news. X is the #1 platform for discovery. 46% of users want news including your marketing emails and newsletters.

In addition to these strategies, here are some other “BTYTips” to keep in mind when marketing on X:

Focus on quality over quantity. It’s better to post fewer, high-quality posts than to post a lot of low-quality posts. Make sure your posts on X are relevant to your audience and that they add value.
Use hashtags strategically. Hashtags can help you reach a wider audience with your posts. However, don’t just use any hashtag. Do your research and use hashtags that are relevant to your content and that your target audience is likely to be searching for.
Engage with your audience. One of the best ways to build a following on X is to engage with your audience. Respond to their posts, repost their content, and participate in conversations.
Track your results. It’s important to track your results so you can see what’s working and what’s not. Use Analytics to track your impressions, engagement, and clicks.

New marketing strategies to incorporate into your social media strategy:

Use Spaces to host live audio conversations. Spaces is a new feature that allows you to host live audio conversations with up to 100 people. This is a great way to connect with your audience in a more personal way and build relationships. You can use Spaces to host Q&As, product demos, or even just casual conversations.
Create Cards to add more media to your posts. Cards are a great way to add more media to your posts, such as images, videos, and even interactive content. This can help you make your posts more visually appealing and engaging.
Use Polls to get feedback from your audience. Polls are a great way to get quick feedback from your audience on a variety of topics. This can be helpful for everything from product development to marketing campaigns.
Use Threads to tell a story. Threads are a great way to tell a story or share a more detailed message. This can be helpful for breaking news, product launches, or even just sharing your thoughts on a particular topic.
Run Ads to reach a wider audience. Ads can be a great way to reach a wider audience with your marketing messages. You can target your ads to specific demographics, interests, and even keywords.

These are just a few of the new marketing strategies and best practices you can use on X. By following these trends and best practices, you can make the most of the platform and reach your marketing goals.

If you need help, drop us a note. We’d be happy to chat with you!