Over the weekend, X experienced a surge in user engagement after the news of the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. According to X’s owner Elon Musk, the platform hit a new “record high” in terms of usage. Musk claimed that there were 417 billion user-seconds globally, with 93 billion user-seconds in the US alone. However, upon closer inspection, there are some discrepancies in these figures that raise doubts about the validity of X’s claims.
Breaking down Musk’s numbers, it is revealed that users spent an average of 27.8 minutes per day on the app, with 250 million daily actives. This is contradictory to X’s previous claim of users spending 30 minutes per day on the app back in March. The reported 93 billion user seconds in the US translates to 15.5 minutes per user, assuming 100 million US users. These figures, while impressive at first glance, do not necessarily reflect high per-person usage.
Upon closer examination, it becomes apparent that X’s data is confusing and convoluted. The platform seems to contradict itself often, making it hard to decipher the true meaning behind its usage numbers. There is a lack of qualifying information to understand how cumulative user seconds translate to actual reach and resonance among X users. This raises questions about the effectiveness of X as a marketing tool for advertisers.
From a marketing perspective, advertisers rely on accurate and transparent data to make informed decisions about their campaigns. However, X’s inconsistent reporting of usage metrics casts doubts on the platform’s performance. If X truly wants to be transparent, it should provide full usage data, including the number of users and allow for greater scrutiny of its performance.
Ultimately, while X may be experiencing high usage numbers during important events, its reporting of these figures is clouded with uncertainty. Advertisers and users alike deserve clear and accurate information to make informed decisions. As X continues to navigate its way through the competitive social media landscape, transparency and reliability will be key factors in its success.
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