Was Twitter's rebranding really necessary and what's next?

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According to Elon Musk henan cell phone number list himself, many of the platform's features have been replaced or even removed. For example, the name "Twitter" has become less relevant:

"The name Twitter made sense when you could only send 140-character messages that moved back and forth like a bird chirping. But now you can post anything, including videos,"wroteElon Musk on his account.

At present, the platform's rebranding consists only of a name change - no new features have been introduced. The problem is that the billionaire risks losing a large part of the platform's audience, which was attracted by the old interaction algorithms, such as short "tweets".

However, we advise you not to relax and prepare for new surprises. Musk has repeatedly stated that he aims to turn Twitter into a so-called "super-app" like WeChat. So, in the ideal dreams of the billionaire, Twitter will be able to do everything: from chatting to broadcasting video, from searching for the necessary information to making purchases.

Business analysts say turning Twitter into a super app by introducing new features makes sense in the long run. For example, creating multiple revenue streams (such as shopping and paid subscriptions) will allow the company to focus on improving the platform rather than trying to find 1,001 ways to attract advertisers.

In the short term, implementing these solutions will require huge investments. With a reduced workforce and lawsuits over unpaid bills, it’s hard to imagine how exactly Elon Musk is going to build a super app.

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What should marketers expect from Twitter (X)?
At the same time, marketers are concerned about the future of Twitter and the functionality of the platform. Potential problems and threats include:

Content moderation : Many companies complain that the social network has expanded its tolerance for hate, negativity, and misinformation. As the Network Contagion Research Institute notes, the use of offensive language on Twitter has increased by nearly 500% .
data privacy : As The Guardian notes , Twitter has acknowledged data privacy issues with its Circle feature, with information that should only be visible to select users often being shown to everyone.
Rapid changes make it difficult to plan even a few months in advance, and trust in both the old Twitter and the new X is declining. Marketers are unaware of the rebranding, its goals and strategy. Many are forced to decide whether to put up with uncertainty or bet on “proven” platforms.
Due to the combination of all these reasonsadvertisershave already started to leave the platform. For example, the Balenciaga brand deleted its account shortly after Elon Musk’s arrival due to concerns about the platform’s management. Volkswagen advised all its subsidiary brands to suspend advertising spending on the platform, while United Airlines completely suspended advertising spending on what was then Twitter as of November 5, 2022. As we can see, most companies are resorting towait-and-see approachworking with the platform.

Maybe the rebranding is an attempt at a new start? Who knows, maybe X will become a powerful platform for finding new ideas and opportunities for promotion, sales of goods and services, communication and recreation. We cannot say for sure, but in any case, marketers should keep their finger on the pulse.

How to avoid repeating Elon Musk's mistakes and conduct a successful rebranding?
What is allowed to Elon Musk does not always work well in other businesses. The billionaire gained his popularity thanks to the approach "not like everyone else", and this is the main reason for his success. Before joining Twitter, Musk had not been the manager of such a large corporation with an existing background and audience.

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Twitter's rebranding is not only a source of excitement and disappointment, but also valuable lessons. Of course, time will tell whether Elon Musk's changes were justified, but given today's events, there is much to learn for marketers.

Below we will tell you why the average company should not follow Elon Musk's example. We will also share a selection of tips that will help you rebrand harmoniously and with minimal damage to your reputation.

Think of a good name for your brand
Why did Elon Musk choose the name “X”? It’s no secret that the billionaire loves the letter “X”: his first startup was called X.com. Also worth mentioning is SpaceX, the recently launched artificial intelligence tool xAI, and the Model X.

The letter "X" has many connotations: in algebra, it represents an unknown variable, and Marvel comics fans might think of "X-Men." Yes, Elon Musk might get lucky, but the ambiguous name could be a significant obstacle to rebranding.

An effective rebrand should prompt consumers to understand the brand's ambitions and the value it offers. A name that has too many connotations can lead to confusion and indifference among customers who don't know what to expect from your product.

The legal aspects of introducing the new name should also be considered separately. According to the reportReuters, both Meta and Microsoft may have grounds to legally challenge Twitter's move.

Tell your audience about the new benefits that the rebranding will bring
The benefits of any new offerings to customers must be clearly articulated. As noted, most users and marketers are still uncertain about the purpose of Twitter's rebranding.

When rebranding a product, service or company, it is vital to match the new image with the actual product, service or offering. Renaming a company serves your interests first and foremost, not the interests of the users. Therefore, it is important to accompany the rebranding with a specific offer that resonates with the immediate needs or desires of the customers.

Develop a strong niche community culture
Over the years, a wide range of users, including developers, influencers, researchers, social activists, etc., have successfully used Twitter to achieve their goals. The Twitter community has gained remarkable vitality: it has become the main source for finding global trends and situations.

Before you focus your efforts on rebranding, make sure your brand has gained support and popularity among customers. Although the number of users on Twitter has decreased since Elon Musk's arrival, the platform still remains the main platform for many users.

Choose the right time for change
When rebranding, it is also important to take into account market dynamics: the most effective cases are based not only on the brand's desire to change its name, but also thanks to its response to current market trends.

In today’s world where a user has a wide range of websites/social media/apps to choose from, brands are faced with the challenge of customer retention. Understanding the market dynamics is crucial to ensure that rebranding does not become a short-term phenomenon that alienates the target audience.

Twitter's rebranding to X serves as an important reminder of how important core product features are. No matter the industry, your brand should address customer pain points and meet their expectations.

Read also : Guide to Designing Social Media Accounts: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube
Conclusions
So, nothing new - the outrageous Elon Musk has taken unpredictable steps again. The Internet is full of guesses and theories: maybe all this was intentional, and the billionaire has a clearly defined plan? Agree that such spontaneity is a great way to get people to discuss changes. In fact, it will be possible to evaluate the success of the rebranding and the measures taken later. But if the goal was to attract attention to the company by any means, then congratulations, Elon, you succeeded.

Understanding Elon Musk's motives is quite complicated, but we hope this article has at least explained a little of what is going on. It is clear that the long-suffering Twitter (X) will undergo even more changes. Marketers should follow the news and learn from the mistakes of famous brands.