"T" STANDS FOR TWITTER. WHAT EXACTLY DOES "X" STAND FOR?

Much Needed Context

Twitter has undergone many changes since its change in ownership in 2022. The app offered new features like online calls and safety protocols which have not been received well (Carter, 2023). But there were times when the app was seen in a better light. Twitter was originally created by Jack Dorsey in 2006 with his work colleagues at the time (DeMilt, n.d.). This platform has been a popular topic as its name was changed from Twitter to X in July 2023 by Elon Musk, its current owner. X is not as well-known as Facebook or Instagram but it still does have a great number of users around the world:

My History with and Opinions about X

I made an account on Twitter the day I heard about it for the first time. I overheard two classmates talking about how they were going to talk to each other on Twitter.  After I made this account, I found it easy to use as I was familiar with other social media apps. For those who are new to the app, Techboomers (2023) has a video which will help you navigate it:

I have since deleted X as I prefer more media-based platforms but it was pretty useful. Users can make the best use of this platform by:

Sharing personal opinions: Users are encouraged to tweet (or post) their opinions on media, influential people, well-known events, etc.

Engaging in debates and discussions: Since this platform mainly revolves around sharing thoughts, users worldwide often indulge in conversations about controversial topics.

Catching up on news: News accounts on X typically share the summarized version of news or the most eye-catching topic for users to see. Several individuals get their news from social media platforms as it is more digestible and convenient. 

Raising social awareness: Users typically share petitions on X as it is known for being the most suitable platform with greater success. 

How is X Different from Other Platforms?

X is different from other platforms as it concentrates more on opinions than anything else. Users are allowed to post pictures and videos but the text comes first when the final post is uploaded (Columbres, 2023). There is number of text characters allowed for each post is around 280 which allows users to say exactly what they want to and nothing more. 

X is less strict when it comes to content as the platform believes in giving its users the liberty to express themselves with a filter preventing their true thoughts. Even though there are certain restrictions, X is more forgiving of users not abiding by those rules (Clark, 2023). 

Although hashtags can be found on platforms like Instagram or TikTok, Twitter was the first to use hashtags. In 2007, an employee at Twitter, Chris Messina, thought hashtags could be a good way to gather a specific group of people together to talk about a particular event (Cooper, 2013). After a while, other platforms saw how helpful hashtags could be and started to use them. 

Effects Ways Business Owners Could Use X

Business owners can use this platform effectively to:  

Promote their brand: Businesses can share updates on their products/services, promote their brand values and use hashtags to encourage conversations about their business.

Create content: Businesses can also share blog posts, articles or videos relating to their products so current or potential customers will know how to use it better.

Engage with customers: This platform can be a space for businesses to answer any queries or concerns customers have about its products. 

Announce events: Businesses can also promote events like product launches, charity events or trade shows so there is a higher number of attendees.  

In the future, X could be more useful to business owners as Elon Musk has plans to make this platform the ‘everything app’ (Heath, 2023). He said that the name change is just a representation of all the major changes to come. 

So what does X stand for? Does it mean there will be change for the better? Or does it mean there will be more chaos to come? What do you think it means?

References 

Carter, T. (2023, October 26). Elon Musk celebrates a year of owning X by adding a new feature absolutely no one wants. Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-x-rolls-out-audio-video-calls-everything-app-2023-10

Clark, M. (2023, January 27). Twitter vows to take ‘less severe actions’ against rule-breaking accounts. The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/27/23575170/twitter-less-severe-actions-suspensions-reinstatement 

Columbres, D. (2023, September 19). How Is Twitter, aka X, Different From Other Social Networks? TweetDelete. https://tweetdelete.net/resources/how-is-twitter-aka-x-different-from-other-social-networks/

Cooper, B. B. (2013, September 24). The Surprising History of Twitter’s Hashtag Origin and 4 Ways to Get the Most out of Them. Buffer. https://buffer.com/resources/a-concise-history-of-twitter-hashtags-and-how-you-should-use-them-properly/ 

DeMilt, J. (n.d.). The Origins of Twitter. Pennington Creative. https://penningtoncreative.com/the-origins-of-twitter/#:~:text=The%20origins%20of%20Twitter%20date,similar%20to%20sending%20text%20messages.

Heath, A. (2023, October 31). Elon Musk shares X ‘everything app’ plan in leaked all-hands. The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/23940924/elon-musk-x-twitter-all-hands-linda-yaccarino-super-app

Techboomers. (2023, August 15). How to Use X (Formerly Twitter) Beginners Guide 2023 [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wOtMBkJQMg&ab_channel=Techboomers