Despite a decline in overall traffic and monthly active users following Elon Musk’s acquisition and the subsequent rebranding to X, the platform’s core power users remain as engaged as ever, according to recent data.
The Persistence of Power Users
The percentage of total time spent on the platform by U.S. power users has remained remarkably stable, showing no significant shift since the transition from Twitter to X. This suggests that while casual users may be drifting away, the platform’s most dedicated base continues to drive the majority of engagement.
Engagement Metrics Defy Expectations
Data indicates that X is actually becoming more habit-forming for its daily active users in the U.S. In January 2022, users spent an average of 18.8 minutes per day on the platform. Following the launch of Threads in July, that figure climbed to 19.8 minutes, and by September 2023, it reached an impressive 20.6 minutes per day.
Pebble, the Twitter alternative previously known as T2, is shutting down
Casualties of the “Stickiness” Factor
This unexpected resilience has already claimed its first victim among emerging competitors. Pebble, a startup formerly known as T2, officially announced its closure this week, citing the brutal competitive environment and the difficulty of breaking X’s hold on its audience.
“The durability of the network effect of Twitter is stronger than anticipated,” admitted Pebble CTO Michael Greer. The founders noted that the digital landscape is currently saturated with Twitter clones struggling to capture meaningful attention from the incumbent’s user base.
One year post-acquisition, X traffic and monthly active users are in decline, report claims
The Competitive Outlook for Rivals
While Meta’s Threads may still pose a legitimate challenge due to its deep integration with Instagram and massive corporate backing, the road ahead for other alternatives looks increasingly difficult. Platforms such as Spill, Spoutible, Bluesky, and Mastodon face a significant uphill battle in convincing X users to fully abandon the platform in favor of a new home.
