Welp, it finally happened. Elon Musk’s Twitter purchase has been greenlit, and as of October 28, 2022, the billionaire now owns the massive social media network. Whatever your opinions about Musk, one thing’s for sure: there’s gonna be a *ton* of change to the platform.
A few days in and we’re already seeing folks talking about leaving for other social media platforms, plus a whole bunch of back and forth and will-they-or-won’t-they regarding what updates will be made to Twitter. Ack! What’s a Tweep to do?!
Here are my thoughts.
1. You do you, friend. For some businesses, Twitter is a small part of your overall social media strategy, and if you can’t stomach all that change…well, you don’t have to! Onwards to the next thing! If you’re in media, journalism, education or another field all about text-based communication, jumping ship might mean a big hit to your platform. Weigh things up over the next few weeks and see how you feel (using your own personal feelings, engagement, and the overall experience/brand impact as metrics.)
2. Get out of that comfort zone! Twitter has been around for a looooong time now, and if you’ve been around since those original 140-character days, I get that you’re reluctant to leave. But this shakeup is a good opportunity to explore some of the newer platforms out there (TikTok, my friends! Why aren’t you on TikTok yet?!) as well as expanding your presence across different media types – such as the long- and short-form video offerings of say Instagram and YouTube.
3. Own that list!! Probably the #1 takeaway of the Musk buyout is that on social media you don’t own your followers. Maybe you’ve been on Twitter since day one, but if the new CEO suddenly decides to course correct or purge a bunch of users (or, hey, maybe they purge themselves), your follower list could quickly go to zero. Make sure you’re sending people to your website and to those lead-gen pages that YOU OWN.
4. Being nimble is where it’s at. It’s easy to get complacent and just keep doing that thing that’s always worked. But moments like the Twitter buyout (and smaller things like the Instagram algorithm overhaul) are a reminder that the internet moves FAST and our social media strategies need to keep up with it. Keep taking those pulse checks, keep a close eye on your stats and metrics, and make sure that your work is steadily growing your engagement and conversions – instead of plateauing (or worse, dropping off.)
Are you staying on Twitter, or looking to greener pastures? Follow me on Instagram and share your thoughts!