Over the weekend, X experienced a surge in usage due to the news of the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. X owner, Elon Musk, took to Twitter to boast about the platform reaching a new “record high” in usage. According to Musk, X saw a total of 417 billion user-seconds globally, with 93 billion user-seconds in the US alone. While these numbers may seem impressive at first glance, a closer look reveals inconsistencies and questionable reporting practices.
Musk’s claim of 27.8 minutes per user, based on 250 million daily actives, falls short compared to X’s previous assertion in March that users spend an average of 30 minutes per day on the app. This discrepancy raises doubts about the accuracy of the data presented by X. Additionally, the conversion of user-seconds to minutes results in a figure that is lower than what X had previously reported, further muddling the picture.
Despite Musk’s attempt to highlight the platform’s supposed success, the actual implications of these numbers remain unclear. It is challenging to determine the true reach and impact of X among its users without more context and transparency in reporting. The shift to reporting cumulative seconds instead of providing a comprehensive overview only adds to the confusion surrounding X’s performance metrics.
For advertisers looking to leverage X as a marketing platform, the lack of clear and reliable data poses a significant challenge. Without a clear understanding of how many users they can reach, how engaged those users are, and what content they are interacting with, it becomes nearly impossible to make informed decisions about advertising on the platform. X’s inconsistent and contradictory data only serves to further complicate matters.
In light of these issues, there is a growing demand for X to be more transparent in its reporting. Musk’s claim that X is striving for transparency rings hollow in the face of the confusing and convoluted data being presented. Full disclosure of usage data, including the number of users and engagement metrics, is crucial for building trust and confidence among advertisers and users alike. Only through greater transparency can X hope to regain credibility and establish itself as a reliable and valuable platform for real-time news events.
The current state of X’s reporting and data analysis raises more questions than answers. The platform’s seemingly inflated usage numbers and lack of clarity only serve to undermine its credibility and effectiveness as a marketing tool. Moving forward, it is imperative for X to address these issues, provide more transparency in its reporting, and offer a clearer and more accurate picture of its performance. Only then can X hope to regain trust and credibility among its users and advertisers.