Call it Twexit, Twexodus or Hadenoughoftwat, these past few weeks have seen people leaving X (the Artist Formally Known as Twitter) in their droves.
But we’ve been here before, right? Ever since Elon Musk caged the little blue bird over two years ago, we’ve periodically seen similar ‘mass departures’ (remember when swathes of users upped sticks and moved to Mastodon?). This time, however, the shift feels different—it feels permanent.
In a blog post from a couple of years ago, we pondered the question: Will Twitter Thrive or Survive in 2023? When revisiting said blog earlier this week, the following prediction stood out:
For many individuals (myself included) who used it in a personal capacity, the direction X has taken following Musk’s meddling has been unsettling and disruptive to say the least. This month, I, along with millions of others hotfooted it over to the previously little-known BlueSky, just as interest in this alternative platform went nuts:
(Can’t possibly think what particular event happened in early November to kick-start this upward trajectory….)
BlueSky benefits from having a very similar look to X, but an entirely different ‘feel’ (for now, anyway). It’s all a little less, well, shouty. That being said, user numbers are still very low compared to X (20m v something like 400m – although how many are actual people... who knows), but numbers are rocketing up daily.
Should travel brands remain on X?
Removing personal accounts is one thing, the question of whether travel brands should remain on X is another. But perhaps the more poignant question for the travel industry isn't about the platform owner's murky controversies – it's whether X was ever really the right stomping ground for travel brands in the first place.
Let’s face it, selling dreams of sun-drenched beaches, romantic getaways or adventure holidays in 280 characters was always going to be a tough gig, especially when up against the likes of Instagram or TikTok.
The data backs this up. The graph below from Statista demonstrates that Instagram is the primary social media platform for trip planning among both Millennials and Gen Z. For Gen Z, YouTube and TikTok followed, while Millennials favoured YouTube and Facebook:
These findings highlight that platforms which prioritise pictures and videos are far better suited to travel marketing than X’s word-centric approach.
I was actually surprised X even made it on to this chart at all.
Why aren’t travel brands jumping ship?
Even with these insights, many - in fact most - travel brands still have some sort of presence on X. But that’s not to say they're all sticking around. Expedia Group, Airbnb and Uber pulled their advertising some time ago and more recently, Austrian Airlines announced it was closing its account, signing off with the cheeky line ‘we took a moment to locate our nearest X-it’.
So, should travel brands follow Austrian Airlines' lead and wave adieu to X? The answer isn't straightforward. While X may not be the go-to social media platform for those dreaming moments, it is still a hugely important tool for communication and customer service. When flights are cancelled or the weather is causing chaos, X's real-time nature makes it invaluable for urgent updates and rapid response. Brands can also actively engage during events, emergencies or trending topics, often using the latter to their advantage:
Final thoughts
Everyone who is either currently on X, or has been on it in the past, will have an opinion on what value the platform holds, both presently and in the future. For now, most travel brands are still active on X to some extent but, in all honesty, I think it’ll be a different story this time next year. While some companies may be reluctant to cut the cord due to its use for monitoring trends or offering real time responses, few marketers are likely to prioritise X for customer reach – not when visual powerhouses like TikTok, YouTube and Instagram offer such compelling alternatives. After all, when it comes to selling dreams of holidays or adventures, a picture - or a video - is worth a thousand tweets.
