Is Twitter too toxic: should businesses exit X in 2025?

Over the last year, the owner of the platform formerly known as Twitter has actively intervened in British politics in ways that are often ill-informed and divisive.

When Elon Musk purchased Twitter in 2022, he claimed his decision was motivated by the aim of restoring freedom of speech on the platform. His decision to replace suppression of content selectively deemed ‘extreme’ with a system of user-generated community notes was initially welcomed by many.

However, an increase in the volume of offensive content has prompted concerns about brand association and personal safety, leading to some high-profile exits from the platform, including The Guardian, several MPs and the Chartered Institute of Public Relations.

There’s no doubt, however, that the social media channel remains hugely influential. It has 24 million users in the UK alone, though most posts attract only hundreds or a few thousand views.

So, is it wise for brands to continue using such a controversial platform? This question has come up before in relation to other marketing channels, such as newspapers. Companies operating in Liverpool would, for example, have to take account of the strong feeling in the city that The Sun should be boycotted because of its coverage of the Hillsborough disaster.

In making such decisions for a business, personal views should be set aside. The key questions are whether or not a channel helps you reach your target audiences and what impact using it has on your brand.

Start by asking yourself, what does it say about your brand if you continue using X? In communications, your message is important, but how you deliver it also matters. Using a channel that contradicts the values of your organisation could undermine the effectiveness of your communication.

But what about your audience? When making strategic decisions about which marketing channels to use, it’s imperative to take customer insight into consideration. In this case, data about your target market’s online media consumption will be invaluable, as you need to know if your target market is even using X. Naturally, if the vast majority of your audience isn’t even engaging with the platform, there is minimal risk involved in leaving, whereas if X is a firm favourite, it may be wise to maintain a presence.

If your audience does indeed use X, it’s also worth assessing whether investing time in the platform is proving effective. Over the last 10 years of working in social media marketing, I’ve observed that most organisations receive very little meaningful engagement on X. Usually, that’s because the type of content they publish isn’t what works on the platform.

The challenge that many businesses face when using X as a marketing channel is that the algorithm rewards content that is humorous, shocking or polarising. This type of content isn’t compatible with the tone of voice of most brands – especially those operating in more corporate environments.

As a result, it can be very difficult for businesses to successfully use X to reach and engage with their target market, even if their audience uses the channel. If your organisation is one of the many that struggle to achieve more than a handful of X engagements, it’s likely that you aren’t getting much return on the time you are investing. Unless your brand standards give you the flexibility to pivot to content that gains traction, it may serve you better to put that effort elsewhere.

One final consideration – if you are considering leaving X, will you be willing to do the same with other social media channels? Mark Zuckerburg recently announced that Meta, which encompasses Facebook, Instagram and Threads, will soon move towards a moderation process similar to that of X. In light of this, making a point of singling out X risks accusations of hypocrisy.

Overall, 2025 looks set to be a challenging year for navigating social media marketing and the problem extends much further than X. With increased government intervention, polarisation among users and the emergence of new channels, the social media landscape is in a state of turbulence. To succeed in this uncertainty, it’s important to keep focused on the fundamentals, such as identifying your business objectives and understanding your target market. This will enable you to drive real results.