Big changes are happening across the social media universe. Just this month, an estimated 15 thousand users left X while Bluesky added over 20 million and Threads 35 million, respectively. This follows the recent U.S. presidential election and release of X’s new Terms of Service. The updated Terms of Service allow all user accounts and posts to be analyzed to help train the X artificial intelligence service, Grok. This change has sparked a wave of privacy concerns and caused more users to flee. Naturally, disillusioned X users have sought out alternative platforms.
What are these platforms?
Threads – launched in July 2023 – offers seamless integration with Instagram and the Meta ecosystem, focusing on simplified content sharing and engagement. Users can create posts up to 500 characters and include links, photos and videos up to five minutes long. Users can also create polls with up to four answer choices and control who can respond. Notably, Threads has been criticized for its prohibition of political content, which is why many people relied on X for breaking political news.
Bluesky – launched in October 2021 – is an open network that appeals to users seeking decentralized platforms for greater safety, control and privacy through their personalized content, allowing them to filter and create lists of accounts they would like to view on their feed. Instead of operating on a master algorithm like X’s model, Bluesky allows for a more curated experience. While Bluesky hasn’t taken a stance on political information, it has hired moderators to increase community protection.
Given the options between two X counterparts, we anticipate seeing new features to come out soon from Bluesky and Threads as each platform competes for new users. Threads is already stepping up their game to compete with Bluesky by announcing they will be Beta testing the option for users to customize their default feed, a feature already prominent on Bluesky’s platform.
For the first time in history, we are witnessing a significant social media shift along political lines in the U.S., creating a wave of change and distinction between political parties based on their affiliation with specific social channels.
Our take? As we continue to observe a decline in users and engagement on X, the question needs to be asked – is X still where your audiences are? If yes, then it remains a viable investment in time and resources. If not, it may behoove you to look elsewhere.
What we can promise is that the next few months will be rife with extreme changes in the social media landscape. It’s time to explore the social platforms your company isn’t already utilizing and prepare a strategy to ensure your message reaches your audiences where they are actively engaging.
Our team at Green Room knows each organization has its own tailored needs, and with that in mind, we are ready to help discuss each platform option, examine competitors and prepare a tailored strategic recommendation with actionable next steps.
As the digital landscape continues to evolve, staying up to date with the latest developments is essential. Interested in a custom strategy for your company social channels? Get in touch with Green Room.
