Why we have taken the decision to leave X
Greenhouse
Greenhouse is leaving X, formerly known as Twitter
In today’s fast moving digital world, the platforms we choose to engage with are more than just tools for communication – they are reflections of our values, ethics, and the kind of community we wish to foster. Recently, we have faced a challenging decision regarding our presence on X (formerly Twitter). After careful consideration of the platform’s current environment and its lack of alignment with our mission, we have decided to pause all activities on X.
Here’s why.
The changing landscape of X
Originally established in 2006, X (formerly known as Twitter) quickly became a powerful tool for reaching a broad and engaged audience. With a massive user base and the ability to connect with established communities based on interests and following, X has served as a cornerstone of both Greenhouse’s communications strategy and many of our partners’ planning.
The platform’s features and functionality, along with its cost-effective paid campaign options, have made it an attractive choice for organisations, businesses, startups, NGOs and policymakers looking to transform our world for the better.
However, the once-robust community is now marred by toxicity and the proliferation of extreme content. The algorithm, designed to maximise engagement, often amplifies these divisive voices, making it harder to foster constructive conversation. Furthermore, X’s loosening policies around prohibited content have raised serious concerns about individual and brand safety. With a significant number of individuals and organisations exiting the platform, the environment on X is no longer conducive to the kind of positive change and engagement we strive for in our communications.
Why we’re leaving X
Our decision to leave X has not been taken lightly. The platform’s current state no longer aligns with our values or the community we seek to be part of. By staying, we risk endorsing an environment that is increasingly toxic and unsafe for our team and our clients. Leaving X sends a clear message: we prioritise the safety, inclusivity and integrity of our digital spaces.
Pros and cons of all the social media platforms
With a move away from X, it’s important to consider the alternatives for us as an agency and for our partners. With a clear focus on audience needs and organisational goals, we are continually evaluating the digital landscape and assessing how different platforms perform. We want to prioritise those channels that will achieve the best outcomes for our clients.
Pros:
- Massive user base: Instagram has a large, global audience, particularly strong in the Asia-Pacific region.
- Engagement time: Users spend an average of 62 minutes per day on the platform, providing ample opportunity for meaningful interaction.
- Campaign features: The platform offers a rich array of formats and features for both organic and paid campaigns.
Cons:
- Moderation: While more civil than X, Instagram still faces challenges in content moderation, particularly around misinformation and harmful content.
Pros:
- High engagement: Users spend around 8 minutes per visit on LinkedIn.
- Vibrant professional community: LinkedIn’s environment fosters strong engagement, particularly with the B2B audience.
- Paid performance: High-quality engagements and its connection to Bing search provides excellent targeting opportunities between platforms.
- Live events: Running webinars and hosting events is simple, with unique capability to reach high-quality, specialist audience.
- Personal profiles: Individuals can command attention easily with C-suites likely to get 23x more engagement than business pages.
- Longevity: Posts having a longer lifespan than other platforms.
- New features: User experience and content formats rapidly evolving with new Tiktok-style video formats being tested.
Cons:
- Higher CPE: More expensive engagement costs than other platforms when advertising.
- Lack of hashtags: Hashtags are no longer supported or recommended.
Pros:
- Established platform: With a massive user base and well-developed features, Facebook remains a key player in social media in particular in Asia-Pacific regions, with approximately 1.37bn monthly active users.
- Improved moderation: Facebook has made strides in improving its content moderation processes and Greenhouse will continue to monitor this.
Cons:
- Engagement: Engagement rates, particularly for B2B audiences, have been less robust compared to other platforms.
- Privacy concerns: Similar to Threads, Facebook’s history with data privacy continues to be a concern.
- Social issues rejection: Risk of ads linked to conservation, environmental issues, renewable energy and sustainability can be suspended if the advertiser doesn’t have the authorisation to run “social issues” ads in the countries we are targeting.
Threads
Pros:
- Curated experience: Threads, backed by Meta, offers a potentially more curated and less toxic environment than X.
- Resources: Supported by Meta’s extensive resources, Threads looks set to see great opportunities for growth and development.
- Paid is in pipeline: Not yet formally announced but widely talked about, advertising is likely to be rolled out in 2024
Cons:
- Privacy concerns: While more civil than X, Threads still faces challenges in content moderation, particularly around misinformation and harmful content.
- Engagement: Current user engagement on Threads is lower than other platforms, with users spending only seven minutes per day on average.
TikTok
Pros:
- High engagement: Users spend around 95 minutes per day on TikTok, making it one of the most engaging platforms available.
- Vibrant creator community: TikTok’s creative environment fosters strong engagement, particularly with younger audiences.
- Paid performance: Advertising campaigns deliver high levels of engagement with lower costs than other platforms.
Cons:
- Data privacy: Ongoing concerns about data privacy and security practices continue to be a significant drawback for the platform.
Blue Sky
Pros:
- Community environment: Blue Sky is designed to be a more user-controlled and less toxic alternative to X.
- User control: Users have more control over their feed and the algorithms that shape their experience.
Cons:
- Limited features and audience: With a smaller user base (1-2 million globally) and fewer features, does not yet offer the reach or functionality needed for larger campaigns.
What’s next?
Moving forward, we will continue to work with our clients and focus our efforts on platforms that offer safer, more constructive environments for engagement. We recommend that our clients consider pausing their paid activities on X and explore alternative platforms that can meet their engagement goals more effectively.
For those concerned about leaving X, we understand the hesitation. However, we believe that this move is not just a strategic decision, but an ethical one. It’s an opportunity to stand against the spread of harmful content and to champion platforms that foster genuine connection and more positive discourse.
Interested in learning more about how Greenhouse Communications can support your presence on social media here’s some useful guides:
Need helping making the switch to Threads, Blue Sky or TikTok?
