Marketers have been increasingly concerned about advertising on Twitter.
So much so, Twitter’s US ad revenue alone is down 59% year-over-year, with big brands like Coca-Cola, Jeep and Unilever running their campaigns, according to an internal filing.
But where do marketers go if Twitter is no longer their preferred choice for advertising? Below, we take a look at eight Twitter alternatives that advertisers should pay close attention to…
1. Threads
Active users: 30 million
Meta’s alternative Twitter threads launched yesterday, with 5 million people signing up in the first few hours. Among the companies signing up within minutes of its launch are Netflix, HBO and Billboard.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said he believes Threads will be bigger than Twitter, but that it will take time.
“I think there should be a public chat app with over 1 billion people,” he said. “Twitter has had the opportunity to do this, but it has not succeeded. Hopefully we will.”
Threads is available in 100 countries, including the US, UK, Australia and Canada, through the Apple and Google app stores. However, due to regulatory issues, it is not yet available in the EU.
Currently, sellers cannot place ads on Threads, but Meta is expected to announce advertising space in the not-too-distant future. It’s worth noting that Meta’s other brands, like Instagram, launched without ads. Now, advertising is one of Instagram’s biggest sources of revenue.
2. Blue sky
Active users: 200,000
Bluesky is a decentralized invite-only social media platform that already has a number of high-profile users including model Chrissy Teigen and American politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
However, the app, which started as a Twitter project but is now an independent company, is still in its early testing period, so it hasn’t been fully implemented yet. People can currently join a waiting list to sign up when the app fully launches, but a date for that has yet to be confirmed.
Bluesky has said that it does not want to make advertising its dominant business model and has therefore “been exploring other monetization avenues”. However, because the app is so new, company bosses could still take any direction, so advertisers are paying close attention.
3. Substack Notes
Active users: 35 million
Substack Notes is a platform for freelance writers to publish short posts and share ideas. Writers and readers alike can use the site to share posts, links, images, quotes, and more with their Substack network, as well as engage in conversations with other writers and fellow readers.
The app launched to all writers and readers in April 2023. Its creators have described the site as a new platform designed to “inspire, enlighten and entertain readers based on the writers you already are reading”.
The company’s founder, Chris Best, has made clear his reluctance to rely on advertising for revenue early on. However, active users openly use subscriptions and sponsorships to make more money from the website.
4. Publish
Active users: 430,000
Post is a platform that allows its users to access news from premium publishers without subscriptions or ads. The app, which is still in beta, is “designed to give voice back to the marginalized majority; there are enough platforms for extremists, and we can’t give them the city square,” according to its founder Noam Bardin, former CEO of Waze.
Unfortunately, the Post’s zero-ad policy isn’t exactly the best news for marketers. While advertisers will still play a role on the site, what they can post will be restricted. For example, instead of running promotional campaigns, marketers will simply share relevant, informative and engaging content.
The app is powered by a points-based currency, which can be exchanged for reading full articles. Users can also tip people or posts. To get more points, users have to withdraw real money.
5. Mastodon
Active users: 10 million
Launched in 2016, Mastodon is a popular alternative to Twitter and received a surge in new signups after Elon Musk took over its rival. It works similarly to Twitter in that users can post opinions, join conversations on their news feeds, upload images, and more. However, the key difference is that Matsodon has a decentralized network and is not for profit.
Unfortunately for marketers, Mastodon has stated that it will never run ads or use an algorithm to promote some profiles over others. But there are other options available that may interest advertisers, such as affiliate marketing, sponsorships, and UGC campaigns.
6. Dumping
Active users: 20,000
Spill is a new app, created by former Twitter employees, that aims to create a safe space for marginalized communities, especially people of color and the LGBTQ+ community. The platform, which launched in January, is invite-only and still in beta, currently only available on Apple’s operating system.
The app already has a number of famous names on its books, including Lizzo, Amber Riley and Questlove, as well as its first batch of confirmed advertisers. The platform has yet to reveal more information, but promises “we are just getting started“.
More details are expected to be announced in the coming months.
7. Beehive
Active users: 1 million
Hive is a mobile-only app that was lauded as an excellent alternative to Twitter, especially when Musk got into the game last year. However, even though the development of the platform is ongoing, the hype was short-lived and the app did not take off in the way that people expected.
The platform works similarly to Twitter, but is different because it claims to be algorithm-free. This means news feeds are displayed in chronological order instead of the order AI thinks you prefer. The platform also launched a verification feature in June, but unlike Twitter, Hive doesn’t charge for it.
Hive currently does not host ads or business accounts, however, brands can still use it to promote their products and services by posting links that connect to their brand’s site.
8. Spoutable
Active users: 240,000
Founded by Christopher Bouzy and Bot Sentinel, Spoutible is the only black-owned social media site. Launched in January, the app was created to provide a “safe, inclusive and welcoming online space” that has a “zero tolerance policy for targeted harassment, hate speech, misinformation and manipulation of the platform”.
Both solicited ads and unsolicited content are prohibited on Spoutible. This means that sellers can’t send direct messages to users about their products or services, and they can’t host giveaways. Failure to comply with Spoutible’s rules may result in suspension of your account. And if an account is suspended, there will be no opportunity to reinstate it in the future.
Why we care Advertisers appear to be taking a step back from Twitter following Musk’s acquisition last year. With this in mind, they will look for new platforms to advertise their campaigns without sacrificing reach or quality. This can be a difficult task as Twitter has 450 million active users worldwide.
Why advertisers are leaving Twitter. Marketers have been fleeing the social media platform since Elon Musk acquired the platform for $44 billion in October and took the company private. The billionaire jeopardized relations with advertisers by firing key sales executives, promoting a conspiracy theory on the platform and reinstating previously banned Twitter users including Jordan Peterson, Andrew Tate and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
Advertisers have also been discouraged from using the platform after a sharp increase in hate speech and explicit content, along with an increase in ads for marijuana products and online gambling.
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