The Guardian's Xit: A Turning Point in the Social Media Landscape?

The Guardian – with its 80+ accounts and close to 27m followers – has made a significant statement by becoming the first major media outlet to depart X (Source: The Guardian), signalling a potential turning point in the social media landscape.

This move underscores the increasingly turbulent times in social media and spotlights the ongoing "social sorting" (Source: Drew Benvie | LinkedIn) phenomenon of users actively seeking alternative platforms aligned with their values and needs.

The Tipping Point? US Elections

While X's viability has been questioned over the past 12-18 months with the reinstatement of previously banned accounts or the changes to content moderation policies, Elon Musk's most recent involvement with (and influence of) the US elections has been cited by The Guardian as a key factor in their decision, demonstrating the impact of platform leadership on publisher trust and participation.

This departure raises questions about the future of media engagement on X and highlights the growing importance of platform alternatives.

Like The Guardian, everyday users are also exploring alternatives to X. This dynamic scenario sees platforms vying for user attention, with shifting growth patterns across the landscape:

• Threads:?Despite an impressive initial surge to 275 million users, fuelled by a million new users per day following its launch, Threads is facing headwinds. User outcry over Threads' rudimentary algorithm ?(source: TechCrunch) and questionable user matching, particularly its failure to deliver timely information in crucial moments like the US election — described by some as "a disjointed, outdated, and nearly unusable experience... highlighting hours-old posts" — is driving users to explore other options. Daily active users have reportedly dropped by over 80% since its July 2023 launch (Source: CNN). This highlights the challenge of replicating the real-time engagement and community feel, crucial for political discourse, that characterized Twitter at its peak.
• Bluesky:?Emerging as a significant contender, Bluesky is benefiting from this social sorting, recently adding 700,000 new users in a single week following the US election (Source: SkyNews). This brings its total to 14.5 million, a substantial jump from 9 million just two months prior. Launched in 2021, entering beta in February 2023, and opening to all in February 2024, Bluesky's decentralised, federated model—meaning a network of interconnected servers rather than a single centralised platform—offers greater user control and data privacy, appealing to those wary of more traditional infrastructure setups. While still far from Threads' user base, Bluesky's rapid growth and focus on community building position it as a strong and attractive alternative. As social media researcher Axel Bruns points out, the platform offers an alternative to X, including a more effective system for blocking or suspending problematic accounts and policing harmful behaviour, fostering a more pro-social public sphere. (Source: The Guardian)
• Mastodon:?This decentralised, open-source platform continues to offer a community-driven approach. Following Musk's acquisition of Twitter, Mastodon saw a noticeable influx of users, gaining hundreds of thousands of new users. Precise numbers remain difficult to ascertain due to its federated structure (Source: TechCrunch). And its decentralised nature presents discoverability challenges, limiting mainstream adoption. Mastodon remains a viable option for users prioritising decentralisation and community moderation, but it hasn't seen the explosive growth of some competitors.
• [Special mention] LinkedIn:?Interestingly, LinkedIn – with its 1Billion+ users – is evolving into a real-time news and information feed, with many suggesting it is attempting to fill a void left by X. It’s most recent updates around video have also seen it compared to TikTok and Instagram with less polished – ‘more authentic’ – commentary from subject matter experts or budding business influencers, with video content getting 5x more engagement on LinkedIn (Source: SproutSocial).
• [Special mention] Instagram:?While still a dominant force with a massive user base, ?Instagram's user growth has slowed considerably, going from 1.21 billion monthly users in 2021 (28% of internet users) to a projected 1.44 billion by 2025 (31.2% of internet users) (Source: Statista, 2024). This represents slower growth than previously seen, presenting a challenge for brands who have heavily relied on Instagram for reach and engagement. The shift towards increased privacy on the platform, evidenced by the growing popularity of features like "Close Friends" and the rise of private messaging, also presents complexities. While private sharing resonates with users, it can limit the organic reach of brand content and necessitate a greater focus on paid advertising strategies.

?The days of relying solely on established platforms are over.

Success requires a strategic shift towards a diversified, multi-platform approach. While in the thick of 2025 planning, we as communicators, marketers and brand custodians must critically assess social investments we are pitching for and embrace a more nuanced approach. This means:

• Rethinking "platform" as a concept:?No single platform has replicated Twitters unique blend of features and community dynamics. Instead, we must understand the evolving ecosystem of platforms and how our target audiences navigate it. This requires a shift from platform-centric thinking to audience-centric planning.
• Embracing agility and adaptability:?The social landscape is dynamic. Experimentation is key. We must be prepared to test and learn across emerging platforms, adapt our strategies quickly, and remain responsive to shifting user preferences. Diversification mitigates risk and allows us to reach audiences where they are.
• Evolving content strategies for connection:?As users increasingly gravitate towards private and closed communities, traditional broadcast-style content loses its impact. We need to prioritise content that fosters genuine connection, encourages interaction, and sparks sharing within these networks. Think user-generated content, targeted influencer collaborations, and interactive experiences that resonate with specific communities.
• Prioritising authentic community building:?Cultivating engaged communities, whether within private groups, through targeted influencer partnerships, or on emerging platforms, is crucial for building deeper relationships and circumventing the limitations of organic reach.
• Mastering the evolving advertising landscape:?Declining organic reach necessitates a sophisticated approach to paid social. We must explore new ad formats, leverage data-driven insights for precise targeting, and constantly optimise campaigns to maximise ROI in increasingly complex environments.

One could argue that the Guardian's departure from X will accelerate the fragmentation already underway. Whether you’re a sensationalist or not, the constant evolution of social presents both unprecedented challenges and exciting new opportunities for brands; one of which being the ability to connect with niche audiences and build more meaningful relationships.

The future of social media is not about finding the?next?Twitter – it’s about knowing and accepting the simple fact that users will always actively experiment and diversify their online presence, seeking platforms that best meet their evolving needs. And as brand guardians, we should focus on balancing our understanding of our target audiences across a diverse and evolving ecosystem of platforms, with the critical – and sometimes challenging – task of staying true to our brand purpose and objectives.

This post was written with the assistance of AI.