Should we leave X? 6 questions to ask yourself before leaving any social media platform.

In the early days of social media there were just a few big platforms, and organisations in the creative and culture sector generally had a presence on all of them.

Today, there are over 30 social media apps with 100 million active users each and new ones popping up all the time. Not only that, but existing platforms change constantly, whether due to algorithm updates, favouring new content formats, or owners moving the platform in new directions – such as on Twitter, now known as X.

Since Elon Musk purchased Twitter in October 2022, the changes to the platform have been the subject of much discussion, with some users deciding to leave for other channels. This has led some creative and cultural organisations and individuals to question whether X should continue to be part of their social media strategy.

But it’s not just X. With platforms being so changeable, it’s worth regularly reviewing your approach to social media to ensure you’re in the right place to reach your target audience. This article will guide you through what X is, what’s changed recently, and 6 key questions to ask yourself if you’re thinking of leaving it or any other platform.

What is X?

X is a social media platform that launched in 2006 under the name Twitter. Initially limiting posts to 140 characters, it was designed for sharing short updates and real-time news. It quickly became known as a news-breaker and for highlighting trending topics and building audience connections.

X’s core user base is still passionate about the network. 48% of social media users across all age demographics have an X profile, with men significantly more likely to have a profile than women. In fact, 60.9% of users worldwide are male, with men aged 18 – 34 making up around 42% of the audience. In the UK, X’s monthly social network market share reached an all-time high in April 2020 at around 37%, making it the second leading social media website.

What’s been going on lately?

Since its sale in October 2022, there have been lots of changes to X’s algorithm, paid features, content moderation, AI policy and more, that have led some users, organisations and advertisers to leave the platform. An investigation by the BBC reported that instances of trolling and hate speech have increased, and X’s Global Transparency Report published in September 2024 showed that there were 224 million reports of accounts and individual content flagged for violations in the first half of the year.

This has led to a shift in sentiment. In the USA, only 40% of people have a positive opinion of X. In the UK, several nonprofits and campaign groups have left or are considering leaving X in light of recent events. A report by Ofcom on digital habits showed that X’s total reach dropped by 8% year on year, moving it to sixth place in the table of UK social media platforms behind Reddit, which grew by 47%. However, the report also showed that X still reached 22.1m UK adults in May 2024 alone, reaching an average of 8.6m UK adults a day.

So, despite some reports of an “X-odus” to new text-based social media challengers Threads and Bluesky, the platform is clearly still reaching a huge number of people in the UK. Should you stay or should you go?

6 questions to ask yourself before you leave X – or any social media platform

1. Where is your audience?

Your decision should revolve around your audience and stakeholder’s online behaviour and if they’re still on X or have migrated to other platforms. Monitor your analytics over a set period of time – e.g. 3 months or a year – and see how your follower count, reach and impressions are fluctuating. If your following on X is still strong, think about how you would reach these people if you left the platform. Also consider the different segments of your audience and how their social media behaviour differs. For example, if you rely heavily on speaking to journalists or schools there may be a risk of losing this audience if you leave X. Check your competitors or peers and how they’re using social media. It’s worth noting that X’s analytics are now only available for paid subscribers, so if you’re not already using a social media scheduling tool, you will need to pay to access your data.

2. Are your followers engaging with you?

Your audience may be on X, but they also need to be interacting with you. Engagement metrics are a key indicator of a platform’s relevance to your strategy. Assess your recent activity to see if your followers are liking, commenting, or sharing your posts. If engagement and your engagement rate is consistently low, it may signal that the platform is no longer serving its purpose for you. Find out more about measuring engagement on your social media channels in this blog post from Hootsuite.

3. Is the platform meeting your social media objectives?

Evaluate whether X is helping you achieve your key social media goals, such as raising awareness or building a sense of community. Think about the quality and relevance of the interactions you’re having on the platform and if they are meaningful and supportive of your organisation’s mission. If you find that X is no longer delivering value or aligning with your objectives, it may be time to reconsider its role in your social media strategy. For example, if one of your main objectives is driving traffic to your website, then X’s approach to downgrading posts that contain links may mean that it’s not the best platform for you.

If you don’t have a social media strategy , watch the recording of Social Media Tech Champion Nicola Barratt’s webinar, What goes into a social media strategy?

4. Do your current social media platforms align with your values?

Consider whether the platform’s environment and policies are in line with your ethos, and how this applies to every social media platform that you’re on – if you’re thinking about the ethics of using X, are you doing the same thing with other platforms, like Meta? If you prioritises inclusivity and positivity, this may need to be factored in your decision. Investigate if there are any safeguarding risks and if the platform’s content moderation policies align with your values. Plan how will you handle any crisis comms on the platform. You can find out more about creating a crisis comms plan for your social media in this Digital Culture Network article.

CharityComms have also created a useful social media platform checklist.

5. What other platforms are you on? What is your capacity for creating content and managing engagement?

Before leaving X, evaluate your current workload. Building a presence on a new platform requires time, resources and skills. You’ll need to assess whether you or your team have the capacity to manage new content strategies, possibly create new content types – such as short-form video – and sustain meaningful engagement across multiple platforms. Assess if you have the skills in-house or if training will be needed. Or, if you’re over capacity in your team now, it could be beneficial to drop a platform and focus on the platforms that are working well.

6. If you do leave X, what is your exit plan and what are the alternatives?

If you decide to leave X, your account will be permanently deleted in 30 days and your username will become available to others, so it’s important to consider if this could be a threat to your brand identity. Some organisations have deprioritised X rather than leaving entirely and have pinned a post to the top of their feed redirecting users to their other accounts. However, you should note that X says users must log in at least every 30 days or they will consider your account inactive.

If you decide to move on from X and would like to join another text-focused platform, there are several to consider:

• Threads: Integrated with Instagram, Threads is designed for conversation-focused content. It’s gaining traction but still lacks advanced scheduling and analytics tools. You can find out more about Threads in Nicola’s article, Should you be using Threads to grow your social media audience?
• Bluesky: This emerging platform is attracting journalists, academics, and arts organisations. It offers features like customisable feeds and prioritises creativity and accessibility, and is gaining traction but still remains small compared to X.
• Mastodon: Mastodon is a decentralised social media platform made up of independently operated servers, where users have more control over content moderation. Its growth has been driven by concerns about privacy, trolling, and transparency on larger platforms. The independent servers means it’s more a collection of small communities than an open ‘town square’ style of platform.

In summary

Leaving X or any other platform is a difficult decision to make, particularly for organisations and individuals who have built up a significant following. It’s important to consider where your audience are, the role of the platform in your strategy, and the resources you have available for exploring new channels. While X may no longer serve as the cornerstone of your social media presence, it could still be crucial for connecting with your key audiences and stakeholders. Evaluate the alternatives and consider exploring them with clear strategic aims before making the leap.