Over the last week or two, a fairly drastic change has come over popular social media platform Twitter. If you’ve logged into Twitter recently, you can’t fail to notice it; the iconic bird, whose name is actually Larry, has been replaced by a rather different logo in the form of a black-and-white X.
This X is part of a rebrand put into effect by new head honcho Elon Musk, who’s looking to transform Twitter from a straightforward social platform into something a little more nebulous and difficult to define. Musk seems to be hoping to create something of an “everything app” that can handle all kinds of functions, from finance to social interactions and beyond.
So, what does this rebrand mean for you? The answer is probably a little less alarming than you might imagine, so don’t worry; if you’re a frequent Twitter user, you won’t need to worry too much about everything collapsing around you. Here’s what the Twitter X rebrand means for you.
Not much, to begin with
Right now, the change in logo is just that: a change in logo. Twitter’s core functionality, including its tweeting system, its direct messaging implementation, and its general aesthetic remain exactly the same as they were before the rebrand. All that’s changed at the moment is the logo.
This also means that if your business has social media plans that you’ve integrated with Twitter, you won’t need to make any drastic changes just yet. You’re safe to leave your current social media strategy in place for now, at least until Elon Musk up and changes something massive without notifying the user base first (it’s likely!).
This is the beginning of something new
Despite the fact that not much has actually changed about Twitter right now, it might well be worth your while to prepare for some fairly big changes to come. The rebrand is part of a wider plan on Elon Musk’s part, and since he’s been holding onto the idea of the X branding for a long time now, he’s not likely to let it go without a fight.
As such, the rebrand to X is likely to precipitate some bigger changes, which will almost certainly come in the future. We can expect to start seeing new functionality being added to Twitter over the next few weeks and months, potentially including a payment system, gaming implementation, and other features.
This would be in keeping with the “everything app” Musk intends to create, which would presumably operate similarly to apps like the Chinese WeChat. This app controls many of the day-to-day needs of its user base, and it seems like Musk wants to corner that same market for the West.
You might see the Twitter divide widen
This is more of a byproduct of Elon Musk’s Twitter rebrand rather than a direct result of it, but the X rebrand has, as you might imagine, split many Twitter users right down the middle. Some believe it’s a bold, brave move in a new direction, and that Musk has successfully created an entirely new brand without much effort.
Others think that Musk is wrong to drop Twitter’s iconic logo and branding, which it’s used to build trust and affection in its user base over the last decade or so. The discussions between these two camps will often get heated online, and so the Twitter X rebrand is just another subject that’s essentially been subsumed into online debates recently.
Some Twitter users are jumping ship
If you’re not a fan of the X rebrand, as prominent Twitter users like Jason Schreier have admitted they aren’t, then they may desert the platform, as has happened with some users in the last week or two. You may see this phenomenon intensify in the coming weeks as Musk doubles down on the X rebrand.
If that happens, users that you previously enjoyed conversing with or following may no longer be available on Twitter, which could, in turn, transform your experience and make it less pleasing. Of course, your particular social circle may be entirely unaffected by the rebrand, but if you start to see figures you used to love interacting with disappearing from Twitter, that could be why.
Some users may seek out Threads instead
Recently, Mark Zuckerberg, the head of Facebook parent company Meta, admitted that despite an initial surge in user signups, his Twitter competitor Threads had seen a pretty drastic drop in numbers as users realised that the app is fairly light on features right now.
Of course, if Elon Musk continues to make decisions that are controversial or poorly-received by Twitter’s user base, then there’s a good chance more users may decide to jump ship and head for Threads instead. If they do, then Threads could become the hub that Twitter was, so you may find some of your friends or most trusted influencers there rather than on Twitter in future.
Conclusion
It’s fair to say that Elon Musk’s Twitter rebrand to X hasn’t exactly been unanimously well-received. Many have reacted to the new logo with derision or mockery, suggesting that it’s a low-effort alternative to a brand that put a lot of hard work into being recognisable.
Whatever the case may be, it seems that the X rebrand is here to stay, and that Musk doesn’t intend to walk back the changes anytime soon. Right now, thankfully, the practical impact on Twitter has been low to nonexistent, but don’t be surprised if you start noticing the platform changing in the near future.
