Elon Musk's X to Revolutionize News Links, Focus on Visuals
Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter) is changing how news links are presented, prioritizing visuals and potentially reshaping user engagement.
Sumit Rawat
In a bold move that could redefine how news articles are shared on his social media platform, X (previously known as Twitter), Elon Musk is making a strategic shift. This change has the potential to transform the way audiences engage with news content. According to Musk's recent announcement, X is preparing to depart from traditional practices by eliminating headlines and accompanying text from news article links shared on the platform. Instead, the primary feature that will remain intact is the eye-catching lead image associated with the article. Fortune initially reported on this alteration, attributing it directly to Musk himself.
Analysts are speculating that Musk's objective might be to boost user engagement on X and redirect their focus toward subscribing to an exclusive service for more in-depth insights.
The exact implications for advertisers are currently unclear, particularly in light of Musk's earlier claim in July regarding a substantial user base of 540 million monthly users on the platform. However, this transition could potentially affect revenue generation and brand exposure.
Currently, news links on X are presented in a "card" format within users' timelines. This format includes an accompanying image, source citation, and a concise headline. This layout has proven effective in encouraging click-throughs and cultivating a wider readership for news publishers.
Nevertheless, with the impending truncation of link displays, users may be inclined to supplement their posts with more textual content. Over time, this adjustment could lead users to explore X's premium service, which offers an extended post capacity of up to 25,000 characters.
This strategic transformation positions X as a more relevant platform for content creators. The premium subscription tier now allows participants to share longer videos, gain increased visibility for their posts, and even share in the advertising revenue—offering a comprehensive appeal to those invested in content creation.
