Despite losing millions of users to other apps, despite losing millions of dollars in ad revenue, and despite struggling to build its slate of original video programming. Despite all of this, X continues to tell us that everything’s all good, and in fact, better than ever, as it seeks to rebrand and remarket the former bird app.
This week, X has once again touted its great success throughout 2024, despite, again, many, many indicators suggesting that the platform is on track to post a significant financial loss for the year.
As per X:
“X has not just evolved: it has transformed into a powerhouse of engagement and meaningful conversations. As a result, the advertisers that returned in 2024 are showing signs that they are here for the long haul!”
I don’t even know how an advertiser would show signs that they’re in for the long haul, but X has shared some new data points and insights which it claims show that it is indeed on the right track.
First off, X says that video views are way up this year, a stat that its shared previously.
“UAS” is user active seconds, which is a questionable stat we’ve previously explored in more depth.
X also says that its gaining traction with Gen Z users, which “reflects the progress we’ve made in building long-term success for X, delivering content, community and innovations that cater to this new wave of consumers.”
But this chart:
Doesn’t really make a lot of sense without any further context or reference to the source. Is this saying that Gen Z users who use X every day log into these other apps at these rates? If so, then that’s not really much of an endorsement of anything, and if the claim is that all users of all of these other apps also log into X every day, there’s no way that’s true, because X’s daily active usage is significantly lower than several of these apps.
X also claims to have launched a heap of “game-changing” innovations his year:
Which is another confusing claim that X has repeatedly made, that its innovating at some stupendous rate, and breaking industry norms with its releases. But it’s not really. X, as a platform, remains fundamentally the same as it was when it was called Twitter, and none of these updates, outside of Community Notes, is significantly different than what other apps have launched first.
And Community Notes was already a part of Twitter, so its not like its new. And while X is keen to talk up its change in approach, and rapid innovation, I don’t see any significant advances in the app. And clearly, given that it continues to lose users, others don’t either.
X has also praised its original content push:
“With exclusive content as one of our key drivers, we raised the bar this year through our Originals on X series. The mission is clear: we’re creating long-term value attracting new users to experience exclusive content only here. Projects like The Offseason, the All In Boston Celtics docuseries and collaborations with cultural icons like Jim Rome captured audiences and drove deeper engagement across the platform, proving that storytelling on X was a big hit in 2024.”
I think X was holping that Linda Yaccarino’s experience and connections, based on her years of working NBCUniversal, would yield a slate of new programming for the app, but thus far, the results have been pretty disappointing. X has signed content deals with Paris Hilton, a lesser Kardashian, The Big 3, and several right wing comm