Clients often ask us here at Digital 24, “Should we be posting on X?”. It’s a fair question, and one we’re hearing now more than ever. Not too long ago, the answer would have been simple. There was a time when Twitter was a staple part of almost every brand’s social media mix: a place where brands could show personality, trends were born and conversations happened in real time.

Fast forward to 2026, and that platform (now known as X) feels like a very different space. Between the rebrand, ongoing controversy, and shifting user behaviour, brands are no longer asking how to use X. They’re asking whether they should be using it at all.

How has X changed over the last four years?

Ever since Elon Musk took over Twitter in 2022, the platform has pretty much been in a constant state of change. What began as a rebrand from Twitter to X quickly became more than just a logo swap. Since then, we’ve seen:

Constant feature experiments

New features roll out, disappear and reappear in slightly different forms, often with little warning. From post formats to timelines to how replies are surfaced, the platform’s behaviour is constantly shifting, which makes planning difficult and consistency hard to maintain.

Frequent shifts in ads and targeting 

Ad formats, placements and targeting options are regularly tweaked. It can feel like every time you open Ads Manager, something’s changed; from the removal of hashtags in paid posts to new limits on emoji use. This unpredictability makes performance more difficult to forecast and optimisation more reactive than strategic.

A big push towards subscription and paid verification

The algorithm now favours paying users and high-engagement accounts, with paid accounts getting preferential treatment. Subscriptions can influence reach, reply visibility, and even perceived credibility, blurring the line between organic and paid. 

Changes in user behaviour

Short text updates have given way to longer posts, threads, and video. Users are spending more time consuming fewer, heavier pieces of content, which changes what “good” performance actually looks like.

For brands and marketers, all of this has led to one thing: less stability. Features, rules, and results can change quickly, making long-term planning trickier than it used to be.

The controversy around X

We can’t talk about X without acknowledging the noise around it. Brand safety concerns, changes to content policies, and controversy around its Grok AI tool have all contributed to a platform that feels increasingly unpredictable. It’s no wonder some brands feel uneasy about appearing next to controversial or harmful content, especially those built on trust, reputation, or family-friendly positioning.

While the platform still has loyal users, it now tends to be associated with misinformation, conflict, and polarised debate. This means the biggest issue we’re seeing with clients isn’t performance: it’s risk tolerance. Even when results are strong, brands are asking themselves “Do we want to be here?”, not just “Can we get results here?”.

The trade-off is far more complicated than it once was. Is the potential reach worth the reputational risk?

Brands are taking a stand against X

Several high-profile brands have already answered these questions by exiting X altogether, including major charities and advocacy groups. Women’s Aid and Refuge, for example, have publicly announced their departure from the platform, with Refuge stating that its decision “reflects our ongoing commitment to prioritising the safety and well-being of survivors”.

Other organisations have taken a quieter route, including the Royal National Lifeboat Association (RNLI) who last posted on X over 6 months ago in August 2025.

For smaller brands, this creates quite the dilemma. On one hand, reduced competition can mean cheaper reach. On the other, it raises the questions of whether the platform is a smart long-term investment.

In response, many brands are taking more of a cautious “wait and see” approach, testing selectively while closely monitoring developments. What’s clear, though, is that platform choice is no longer just a performance decision. It’s a brand alignment decision too.

Should brands still be using X in 2026?

Our agency-level answer is: sometimes.

If your brand relies heavily on trust, community safety, carefully controlled messaging, or younger audiences, X is unlikely to be a good fit. 

If your audience is active, engaged, and expects you to be there, it may still earn its spot. 

The reality is that X is rarely a must-have anymore. In most strategies, it now works best as:

• A supporting channel, not a core one
• A tactical choice rather than a default inclusion
• A platform for live commentary, opinion, or thought leadership, particularly in tech, news, finance, media, or politics

Before committing, ask yourself whether your audience is genuinely active on X, whether you can manage risk proactively, and whether you’re prepared to adapt quickly if performance drops or perception shifts.

Best practices if you’re still using X

If you decide to stick with X:

• Be honest and clear about why you’re there
• Keep content timely and opinion-led since X rewards relevance
• Don’t just monitor metrics, but also sentiment, replies, mentions and trending topics
• Review performance regularly, as what worked last month might not work next month
• Have an exit plan just in case priorities (or policies) change again

Alternatives to X to consider

If X doesn’t align with your values or feel like the right fit for your brand, there are plenty of other options to consider:

• LinkedIn for B2B and thought leadership
• Instagram and TikTok for brand storytelling and discovery
• Threads for lighter, lower-risk conversation
• YouTube, email, SEO or other community-led platforms depending on your goals

Rather than simply replacing X with a single alternative, the key is to diversify. If the controversy around X has taught us anything, it’s that it’s far too risky to rely on one platform alone.

Final thoughts

X may not be dead, but it’s certainly no longer the default platform it once was. It’s louder, riskier, and far less predictable. For some brands, that’s exactly why it works. For others, it’s a distraction from channels that can deliver more consistent results, without the moral grey areas. 

In 2026, using X should be a conscious, strategic decision rather than something done out of habit. Ultimately, it’s not about whether X is still relevant, it’s whether it’s right for you and your brand. If you’re unsure, that’s usually your sign to audit, test, and refine your approach, not blindly commit.

Not sure where X fits into your plans or need help shaping your 2026 strategy? Let’s chat.

Email us on hello@digitaltwentyfour.com or give us a call on 028 9600 5161 and our expert team will be happy to help.