Skip links
GET IN TOUCH
Giraffe Social
To X or Not to X Evaluating the Continued Value of X Ads for Brands
Published in: Paid

To X or Not to X: Evaluating the Continued Value of X Ads for Brands

Author
Published on:
Last updated:

In the world of digital marketing, one question always revolves around marketers’ minds: should we be running ads on X? With platform changes, user behaviours ever evolving, and budgets being under the microscope.

In this blog, we’ll explore both sides of the argument, look at strategic considerations and give you some insight so you can decide if the platform fits into your paid social mix.

X: The Platform Formerly Known as Twitter

Of all the social media platforms, it has gone through the most dramatic changes, from Twitter’s micro-blogging roots to its rebrand and purpose in the social media world. The platform’s identity, user base, and advertiser appeal have all changed.

Today’s businesses must assess if the platform can still offer them value, such as reach, engagement, alignment with brand values, cost efficiency and risk aversion.

The Case for X Ads

We’ll explore here the ‘for’ case and why you should consider it in your paid marketing mix.

Audience Reach and Engagement

Even with all the changes that have happened, it still remains one of the key social media platforms to be on.

  • It is estimated to have 586 million active users in 2025 (source: https://www.demandsage.com/twitter-statistics/)
  • The platform’s ads reportedly reach about 10.5% of the world’s internet users as of early 2025. (source: https://datareportal.com/essential-x-stats)
  • The platform states on its own advertising page, users are “7x more likely to engage – following, reposting, liking, or clicking URLs – compared to identical ads on the Home Timeline.”

This suggests that for many audiences, who are interested in topics like real-time news, commentary and niche communities, the platform is still a reputable place for brands to exist on.

To X or Not to X Evaluating the Continued Value of X Ads for Brands

X Ads Innovation and Formats

The platform offers a variety of ad formats, such as promoted tweets, video ads, in-stream placements via “Amplify” and interactive elements such as polls, hashtags & website apps/buttons.

When compared to other paid social media platforms, the cost opportunity is also a lot greater. Advertisers have reported their first cost per action around $0.26-$1.50 (source: https://sproutsocial.com/insights/twitter-statistics)

Video is now growing ever popular on the platform, making up a large proportion of sessions, and vertical ads offer unique engagement advantages. (source: https://www.spiralytics.com/blog/x-twitter-ads-statistics-you-should-know/)

So, like the mobile-first approach we have seen on Meta and other social platforms, it is now evolving as a serious option for advertisers.

Brand Opportunities

Although a lot of brands have abandoned the platform, there are still many opportunities to be had.

Real-time engagement & cultural relevance: Unlike other social media platforms to an extent, it is still a leader for breaking news, commentary and trends. If your brand thrives on quick, agile engagement matters (such as news-adjacent, cultural and trend-driven), it can make sure you’re in the conversation.

Niche & influencer reach: Not as popular with influencers as much as Instagram and TikTok, but their content exists in a different form. Focusing on a more text-discourse-oriented format means that brands that engage authentically can potentially stand out.

Cost-efficiency and testing advantage: With lower CPMs or cost per action in some cases (compared to the other paid media platforms), smaller or agile brands may use the platform as a testing ground for ideas, new markets or real-time campaigns.

As a summary, if your brand is comfortable being agile, conversational and perhaps using more risky formats, the social media platform can still deliver.

The Case Against X Ads

Brand Safety and Reputation Risks

One of the biggest worries for advertisers on the platform is brand safety and trust concerns. Some studies have shown the following:

For brands that have little time for associating with controversial content, or those needing ultra-tight brand security (such as regulated industries or those with a highly visible reputational risk), the social media platform may be seen as not the right channel.

Declining Ad Performance and Trust

Whilst X ads can still deliver reach, trust in performance metrics and advertiser sentiment has declined.

These stats suggest that although the platform may be reliable for some advertisers, it may no longer be a viable option for others. No longer delivering the scale or performance it once did for broad reach advertisers who expect high volume and low risk.

Platform Stability and Uncertainty

Scratch the surface and there are other areas of the platform that raise questions: leadership changes, product changes (such as changes in verification, algorithm and advertising policies) and less transparency on metrics.

This creates further risk for brands who plan multi-year campaigns or rely on predictable performance and measurement.

In a nutshell, the platform is not the place it once was.

The Strategic Middle Ground

Looking at both opportunities and risks, many brands decide the perfect approach lies in the middle. Here are three strategies to guide a decision:

Testing Before Investing

Instead of investing in large budgets, advertisers may use it as a test platform for their ads:

  • Lead with a short campaign on the platform with a limited budget
  • Set clear performance goals (engagement, conversion, incremental lift) rather than vanity metrics alone.
  • Compare performance to similar campaigns on other paid social platforms. If the results are strong, scale. If not, reallocate your budget to another platform.

Audience Fit and Brand Alignment

Before committing budget, ask:

  • Is your target audience active on the social media platform? For instance, younger tech-savvy men, news or trend-oriented users appear more common. (source: https://www.demandsage.com/twitter-statistics/)
  • Does your brand voice match the tone of the platform? Will your brand “fit in”?
  • How important is risk tolerance to your brand’s safety? Are you OK with the improbability involved?

If there are more positives than negatives, great fit. If not, consider looking elsewhere.

Conclusion

So to X or not to X? To quote one of the most common phrases in marketing, it depends.

For certain brands, those with audiences that align, who value pace and real-time engagement over mass scale, and who are comfortable with some risk, the social media platform still offers a meaningful opportunity. On the other hand, brands seeking maximum reach, uber safe environments, predictable results and minimal reputational risk, the platform may be less ideal compared to alternatives.

If you choose to invest, make sure your approach is thought out: test with reasonable budgets, measure results thoroughly, align with your audience and brand voice, and don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

The question isn’t whether the platform is dying, whether your brand still belongs there. If the answer is yes, then “To X “ may be the right decision. If “Not To X”, allocate your budget where your brand finds stronger ground.

Ready to see if it’s right for your business? Contact us today for a strategy call.

You may also like