Nonprofits and Campaigns Are Leaving X. Are They Ready?
As many groups and campaigns consider leaving X, formerly known as Twitter, in the wake of recent events, we discuss the implications of this decision and where they can go instead. Before you go, plan the next steps and consider the impact on your organization or campaign.
Why should nonprofits and campaigns leave X?
X has not been the best communication space for a long time, and it doesn't seem like it will improve anytime soon. It has become a hub for negative speech and online bullying. Recent management changes have exacerbated the situation by removing content moderation policies without addressing those who violated them. X's policies have also posed challenges for vulnerable communities, making it harder for them to use the platform. For those in the political and nonprofit space, X's brand is increasingly problematic for those aiming to do good in the world, especially with the involvement of CEO Elon Musk with the Trump administration. With improvements unlikely and policies in decline, the platform is becoming harmful to users.
What does leaving X look like?
Some people have deleted their accounts, while others have quietly quit X by becoming inactive, which is the approach we have taken. This trend is the likely short-term future of X, where the platform will become even less relevant with fewer active users.
Will X become an experience worth paying for?
Not likely. To be clear, we don't mind paying for good social media experiences, but X has not established enough value for us to pay for their service, and their policy changes that have prioritized the paid accounts have made the platform nearly unusable for those who do not wish to.
Should you use X to run ads?
For our clients, we continue to monitor X to assess if running ads makes sense, but we don't recommend it anytime soon. There is no fail-safe way to ensure your ads won't be shown on problematic content, and you don't want to associate your organization's or campaign's brand with users and posts you don't align with.
So where do you go?
While we don’t have a favorite yet, below are some of our favorite social media alternatives.
LinkedIn: If you are not using LinkedIn as a content channel, you should. It is a solid platform with good engagement and feels saner than other social media. Their video and newsletters are a solid option and may be worth increasing your digital footprint here.
Threads: This Meta product has gained millions of users since it launched as an alternative to X, and the good news is that it syncs to your Instagram account, prompting easier sign-up and an instant network for you to connect with. Although better than X, it has drawbacks. For example, since your Threads account links to Instagram, account deletion is more challenging.
Substack: A content platform for long-form and short-form content with a growing audience, ideal for building a long-term following with frequent content posting.
Medium: A platform with a solid readership of medium-length content, suitable for regular content posting.
Discord: Starting as a gamer channel, Discord has developed a following as a good community channel with built-in functions like Slack. It is best used as a communications channel around podcasts or a social space for friend groups, and it can be a good way to communicate directly with supporters who want to become involved with your work.
Bluesky: Bluesky has the feel of old-school Twitter but lacks the built-in user base of LinkedIn or X. Since it officially launched in February 2024, however, it's rapidly gained popularity, especially in the progressive sphere where folks want to distance themselves from Musk.
Mastodon: Similar to Discord, primarily used as a communication hub for TV shows and pop star fandoms, but clunkier and less user-friendly.
Your own website: Prioritize creating and writing website content, owning a space where you control the content.
Email lists: Despite being perceived as boring, growing and re-engaging your email list is crucial for developing your core audience. Having a solid email list on hand can be an easy way to communicate with folks.
Your own app: Instead of social media, why not develop your own app for your organization? This idea is not cheap and takes strategic planning, but at least you will have control over it. You can house content there and use push notifications to engage your audience. In the long term, app development could be a strong option for those with large organizations.
Are there any reasons to stay on X?
Stay in the fight: Staying on X allows you to engage with audiences who are not sold on your issues and may be against them on the surface- there is a school of thought that dropping out of the conversation cedes ground to those on the other side. How beneficial that conversation can be is up for debate, and you need to weigh staying in the fight with the resources and churn that can take.
The platform for media relations: Many folks first got on X to engage with the media. Many reporters and media employees still use X, making it a valuable platform for media connections.
All platforms will have controversy: However, some have even more than others. Recognize that you are renting land on social media—wherever you go, challenges will follow. For example, in recent months, Meta has also discontinued a lot of their content policies, creating a problematic landscape not unlike X.
Have a plan
Do not add (or leave) a social channel without a plan. The question you should ask is if you really need another social channel. Especially for a nonprofit or campaign, make sure you have the capacity and desire to manage another channel. When nonprofits and campaigns leave X without a plan, they encounter other problems. Choose a platform that aligns with your goals, and evaluate the need for another app before signing up or signing off.
Have questions or want to learn more about leaving X? Click below to get in touch or check out the rest of our blog for related content.