On Friday, tech news site Mashable reported that the platform formerly known as Twitter, now rebranded as X, has begun displaying a new and peculiar format of advertisements that cannot be blocked or reported, this move sheds light on the company’s struggle to attract advertisers effectively.
The Unconventional Ad Format:
Mashable pointed out that many X users have reached out in recent days to report encountering a novel type of advertisement under the “For You” tab, which they had not seen on the platform before, these X advertisements do not allow users to like or retweet them. Moreover, the new ad format does not clearly indicate the entity behind the ad, or even if it is an advertisement, it lacks the typical “Ad” label that usually accompanies ads.
Mashable confirmed this ad format by speaking with various X users and observing a diverse array of ads displayed in this new and peculiar format, consisting solely of written text, images, and fake profile pictures. The sole purpose of these ads appears to be making them resemble original tweets posted by users, the content promoted in these ads aligns with the annoying and low-quality marketing ads known for deceiving users into clicking and spreading below posts on certain websites.
One widely-circulated ad features different images with a single phrase: “This seems unbelievable, but it happens daily in Dubai.” Clicking on it redirects users to external websites filled with more advertisements.
Challenges Since Elon Musk’s Acquisition:
Since billionaire Elon Musk’s acquisition of X when it was still Twitter, the company has been striving to attract advertisers who had largely left the platform, nearly 50% of major advertisers ceased advertising on the platform shortly after the acquisition deal was finalized in late October last year.
Additionally, a recent report by Media Matters For America revealed that the returning advertisers’ spending dropped by 90% compared to their pre-acquisition expenditure, another report by Reuters noted that X has faced revenue declines every month since Musk became its owner.
X’s unconventional ad format raises questions about the platform’s advertising strategy and its ability to regain the trust and investment of advertisers, the shift from Twitter to X and the associated challenges reflect the evolving landscape of social media platforms and the complex task of monetizing them while maintaining user engagement and satisfaction.
