PAPERmaking! g FROM THE PUBLISHERS OF PAPER TECHNOLOGY ® Volume 12, Number 1, 2026
The Advertiser Exodus By the end of 2023, major global brands such as Apple, Disney, and IBM had suspended or ended advertising campaigns on X. Their departure signalled a broader shift in corporate trust and investment in the platform. Since then, many other brands have followed suit - some choosing to pause posting, while others have deleted their accounts entirely. A Push Toward Paid Features In response to falling ad revenue and user activity, X has pivoted toward monetization through subscriptions, with two key offerings: x X Premium is aimed at individuals and creators. There are three tiers of subscription: basic, premium and premium+. It offers features such as a blue checkmark, access to longer posts, higher-quality video uploads, editing tools, priority placement in replies and search, and access to analytics - features unavailable to free users. x Verified Organizations is tailored to businesses, non-profits, and government entities. It provides a gold checkmark, enhanced branding tools, and the ability to affiliate employee or partner accounts with the main brand profile. While these tools may boost visibility for paying users, critics argue that they create a ‘pay-to-play’ model, further limiting discoverability and transparency for those who opt out of subscriptions. AI Integration: xAI and Grok Another major development is the integration of xAI, Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company, into the X platform. Its flagship chatbot, Grok, launched in November 2023, is now available to Premium+ subscribers. Marketed as an unfiltered alternative to other chatbots, Grok is designed to offer real-time responses directly within X’s user interface. The move reflects Musk’s broader ambitions to turn X into an ‘everything app’, combining social media, AI, entertainment, and possibly financial services. Should my company be on X? While there are many reasons why X may no longer be relevant for some brands, the platform still holds value for certain niches. If your business operates in areas like media, sports, entertainment, or breaking news, where real-time engagement is essential and your audience is actively present, maintaining a presence on X can still be beneficial. Even if you're not posting regularly, monitoring conversations on X through social listening can help you stay informed about trends, sentiment, and industry developments. Despite the rise of competitors like Threads and Bluesky, many users still find X to be the most effective real- time platform, especially during live events or news cycles. X also continues to serve as a useful tool for customer support, offering a direct, public channel for engaging with your audience. To make the right decision, assess: x Your audience demographics and where they are most active x Analytics from your current or past X activity x Competitor activity and engagement x The relevance of real-time conversations to your brand Ultimately, if your audience is still on X and real-time interaction is important to your business goals, it may still be a platform worth investing in.
Article 10 – X for Business
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