I know, I know we still have a few months to go, but now is the time to evaluate digital marketing strategies for 2025 and make any necessary adjustments. With so many changes happening constantly in social media, figuring out which platforms are still worth your time is almost impossible. One platform I get asked about a lot is X (formerly known as Twitter). Businesses want to know—is it still a worthwhile platform for marketing my business? Let’s dive into what’s going on with X right now and help you figure out whether it makes sense to make it part of your business plan for next year.
X in 2025: What’s Changed?
You’re not alone if you haven’t been keeping up with X lately. Since the rebranding, X has expanded far beyond its 280-character limit. It now supports more diverse content, like multimedia, longer conversation threads, and various paid ad options. But despite these updates, I’m finding that most people (myself included) agree that X doesn’t quite feel like the powerhouse it used to be.
While it still has millions of daily users, other platforms have risen above X in popularity, providing users with options that are sometimes more entertaining and easier to navigate. Still, X remains a go-to platform for real-time news and conversations, making it a viable choice for media, tech, and entertainment industries. But is it a good fit for your business? Let’s look at the pros and cons.
Pros of Using X for Marketing
1. Real-Time Engagement
If staying part of real-time conversations is an important part of your business operation, then it’s worth considering X as part of your social media strategy. X is great for real-time engagement, especially for trends, events, and news. However, alternatives like Threads, Bluesky, Instagram Stories, Reels, LinkedIn, Facebook Live, and YouTube Live also offer robust real-time interaction options, often with more visuals and longer-form content flexibility.
2. Brand Visibility
One benefit of X is that it can help amplify your brand’s voice. Leveraging trending hashtags and viral conversations can help grow a brand’s voice. You can get significant reach if you’re good at jumping into the right conversation at the right time.
However, the challenge with being heard on X is that it is crowded, and for most SMBs, it requires a significant amount of direct engagement to build a community and be heard. X has made algorithm changes that can make it hard to be heard and increase competition for attention. It is harder than ever to leverage X organically for marketing purposes. Consistent, timely engagement is crucial, but even then, getting visibility often requires paid promotion to maximize your reach.
3. Direct Customer Interaction
For brands that need direct access to customers for real-time engagement, X offers a fast, direct way to do so. Whether answering questions or managing customer service, keeping a direct line of communication can help build strong relationships with your audience, which can grow your brand awareness and drive growth.
The Challenges of X in 2025
We’ve discussed the pros and benefits X can offer, but now, let’s look at the reasons you may not want your brand to be present on X in 2025.
1. Decreasing Organic Reach
One of the most significant pain points for brands on X is the declining organic reach. X’s significant algorithm changes have made getting content in front of your audience without paying for ads harder. And X users are less receptive to promoted content than Facebook or other social media platforms.
2. Overcrowded Space
Let’s face it: as a real-time platform, X is inherently noisy, and with that noise, many people and businesses are fighting for attention. It is hard to stand out and be heard unless you’re constantly interacting with others, creating fresh content, and looking to participate in hot topics that are happening in real time. This requires being active and pushing fresh, engaging content. Creating a presence on X and keeping it active nonstop is time-consuming and necessary for results.
3. Negative Feedback and Reputation Management
This is a double-edged sword in that X is a great place for unhappy consumers to go and complain, so not being present can be dangerous, especially if you are a company that works in a volatile industry where things can go wrong. An example is the home care industry. This is an area we have extensive experience in, and when the adult child of an elderly person is unhappy with the care their parent has received, they will often go online. These types of businesses may need to keep a presence on X and monitor their name to ensure they can address any complaints published on X.
For some brands, presence on X is simply for customer service, which is also okay. It’s important to assess where your customers are and be present to answer them if they are prone to using a platform like X to complain. If your customers are on X and using it to provide feedback, your choice to be present is simple: you must be present on the platform and engage with them.
4. Content Limitations
Even though X has expanded its content options, it focuses primarily on short, quick updates. X might not be your best choice if your business thrives on visual storytelling or long-form content. On the other hand, if your business is not visual and doesn’t have great stories to tell but instead likes to drive facts and conversation in an industry, then X may be a great fit.
5. Time-Consuming to Build An Audience
Building an audience on X is a marathon, not a sprint. More than most other social media platforms, X requires more vigilance and participation, including regular tweeting, quick responses to followers, and active involvement in trending conversations. You have to continually put yourself out there in order to get accounts to value your voice and actually follow you back. This can easily become overwhelming for businesses, especially smaller ones with limited resources, because creating engaging content within character limits and monitoring real-time discussions takes a lot of time and observation.
Is X the Right Platform for Your Business in 2025?
So we’ve reviewed the pros and cons, but the question remains: Should your business continue investing in X? The answer depends on a few key things:
Is Your Target Audience on X?
There’s no point investing in a platform if the people you’re trying to reach simply aren’t there. Start with researching and deciding whether X’s audience aligns with your target market. The platform has around 600 million monthly active users, with about 28% falling within the 18-24 age range and around 30% between 25-34. You’ll still find journalists, industry leaders, and influencers on X, but if you want to talk with the average consumer or older generations, X might not be the best call.
Another thing to remember is that X tends to skew more male, with approximately 68% of users identifying as male, and users generally engage with quick updates rather than longer content. If this doesn’t sound like your target audience, it’s very possible that other platforms will offer you more in terms of growth and engagement. If you need a professional’s opinion about the best path forward, I’m here to help you navigate your options. Feel free to contact me for a free consultation.
Can You Dedicate the Resources?
X requires consistent and near-constant engagement to build an audience and gain traction and visibility. It may not be worth the effort if you don’t have the time or staff to stay active and create real-time content. For most SMBs, it is challenging to dedicate the resources needed to succeed on X. I advise businesses to dig deep into who they are and their resources when deciding whether to be present on X.
Does the Format Fit Your Goals?
X could be a good fit if your marketing strategy revolves around real-time updates or short, punchy messages. While X has added features to extend conversations and allow for more content to be published, it’s still not as robust as other visual and long-form content platforms. Staying clear on your message and how you want to present it can help you decide where to invest your time.
Will You See a Return on Investment?
Paid ads on X can drive traffic and brand awareness, but it’s important to weigh the costs against the potential ROI. Does X offer enough value for your brand to make the time and budget worth it? Also, with competition for ad spend on other platforms, it’s worth deciding if this is the best place to put your ad dollars.
X in Competitive Business Environments Like Minneapolis
The decision becomes even trickier in a competitive market like Minneapolis, Minnesota. In cities where businesses fight for local attention, X can be hit or miss. On one hand, the platform can offer visibility in real-time discussions around local events and trending topics. On the other hand, it’s noisy, and you might find that your efforts don’t go as far unless you invest in paid ads or have a targeted and dedicated strategy.
For small and mid-sized businesses in cities like Minneapolis, where SEO and paid local ads are key drivers of success, X might not be your best option for building a digital marketing program that gets results. For most SMBs with razor-thin budgets, dumping resources into endless posts on platforms like X often does not make sense. That’s why, over years of working with SMBs to help them grow their businesses with digital marketing, I have created a cost-effective Paid Social Growth and Engagement Program that drives traffic to client websites and builds a community online to drive overall growth. Contact me today to learn more.
So, Should You Be on X in 2025?
For some businesses, X will remain a valuable part of their digital marketing strategy—especially if you’re in an industry that thrives on real-time engagement. However, for those in highly competitive markets like Minneapolis, several valid reasons exist for considering opting out. The decline in organic reach, overcrowding and congestion, and the dependence on paid ads can make it difficult to achieve visibility in a meaningful way. Finally, X might not be the most cost-effective choice if operating on a tight budget, especially if other platforms fit your goals better.
Before making any final decisions about your 2025 marketing budget and strategy, consider where your audience spends their time and whether the benefits of X fit with your business needs and resources. If you want to discuss strategy and get a professional’s opinion, I’m here to help.
At SocialNicole Digital Marketing Agency, we help SMBs navigate digital marketing from a holistic approach. We look first at your resources and overall budget, then evaluate your current online presence and build a strategy that leverages your budget in the best way to help build visibility and grow your brand to reach your goals. Let’s chat about how we can fine-tune your strategy for 2025 and beyond.
