The late ‘00s to early ‘10s witnessed the birth of social media platforms. YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram are some of the most notable social media platforms in use today. Let’s not discount the microblogging service that gained recognition in the late ‘00s – Twitter. Its creation was vital to connecting users to others globally, breaking real-time news, and getting updates on trending topics. Is Twitter still the revered social media microblogging site that it was, or did the recent Elon Musk acquisition cause Twitter’s eventual downfall? Here’s our take on the rise and fall of Twitter (now X).
The Rise of Twitter
Humble Beginnings
Twitter started in 2006 when Jack Dorsey, Twitter co-founder, published his first tweet.
He and his co-founders, Biz Stone, Noah Glass, and Evan Williams, were inspired by the Odeo podcast tool. Dorsey proposed the idea of posting microblogs to share with friends online.
In 2007, these founders introduced Twitter at SXSW (South by Southwest). Having publicized Twitter in this event, tweets grew from 20,000 to 60,000 daily! In the same year, Twitter was the “best startup” in SXSW.
One notable feature of Twitter is the hashtag, but none of the founders introduced the feature. Chris Messina, a product designer, suggested using hashtags to create groups on the social media platform. Originally, Twitter rejected this idea. However, two years later, the platform integrated this feature, and it’s still used today to get updates on specific topics.
Making History with Celebrities and from Space
Twitter was a major social media platform for stars to connect and engage with their fans and followers. Unlike Facebook, fans can send tweets to their favorite celebrities anytime.
Back then, followers could receive new updates from their favorite celebrities via SMS. Back then, you could follow these celebrities:
- Britney Spears
- Lady Gaga
- Taylor Swift
- Katy Perry
- Oprah
However, the first-ever celebrity that garnered 1 million followers was Ashton Kutcher in April 2009. In the same year, Mike Massimino sent a tweet from space for the first time!
News
One notable use of Twitter is breaking real-time news stories. Everything was instant when you published on Twitter, so it was easy for users to get new updates about the world. Here are some key news points that were trending or started on Twitter.
Twitter was key to the dissemination of information during the Arab Spring in the early ‘10s. Additionally, Twitter was a platform for activism and the delivery of news about the revolutions in the Middle East.
The Hudson River crash also trended on Twitter in 2009. Twitter user Janis Krums sent a tweet while he was on the Hudson River. He showed a picture of people being rescued from the plane. His tweet increased the exposure of the Hudson River crash and helped Twitter gain footing as a social media platform since then.
The Arab Spring wasn’t the only major event publicized on Twitter. Twitter was also integral to Barack Obama’s win in his 2008 Presidential Campaign. Although Twitter could not be fully attributed to Obama’s success in his first campaign, Twitter won since many users joined the conversations surrounding this event.
The Fall of Twitter
Elon Musk Acquisition
Many believe Twitter’s downfall started when Elon Musk bought the social media app for $44 billion. Musk’s acquisition of the social media platform garnered mixed responses.
Aside from this, Twitter, under Musk’s leadership, removed several features that users have loved using over the years. For instance, Twitter removed Circles, a feature that allowed users to send private tweets to specific users only.
Another feature that was removed (but reinstated) was the pronouns feature introduced before the new owner’s takeover. The pronouns feature was to ensure the safety of queer users and avoid misgendering. It was removed in 2023 but reinstated in early 2024.
Finally, the latest feature removed from the platform was viewing a user’s Likes. Previously, you could check a Twitter user’s Likes section to see which tweets they’ve liked, which you could like or retweet. However, Twitter removed the public viewing of Likes supposedly to maintain a user’s privacy.
Rebrand Gone Wrong
In July 2023, Musk announced that Twitter would become X. Its users weren’t ecstatic with the change since Twitter has built a solid and recognizable brand. Twitter also no longer bore the blue bird logo. Having rebranded it to X meant that it would lose its unique characteristics.
According to the new owner, Twitter is now rebranded as part of his brand’s “everything app” on X. X has significance to Musk because x.com was his first startup, and he bought it before rebranding Twitter to that one letter. Finally, it’s part of his child’s and company’s names, giving it personal and professional connections.
Advertising Woes
Besides the Elon Musk acquisition and rebranding, another area of concern for Twitter is advertising. The social media platform isn’t the go-to advertising platform because people are more active on Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram.
One of the big reasons for Twitter’s advertising issues was the Elon Musk acquisition. Some advertisers have lost trust in the social media platform due to the views of its new owner. Musk has also announced that there was a dip in advertising sales in 2023.
Final Thoughts
Before Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, Twitter was one of the most prominent players in the social media sphere. Celebrities flocked to Twitter to share their innermost thoughts and opinions. Users could say anything on their minds or share what they were doing in only 140 characters (now 280). However, some users believe the social media platform’s downfall started with the acquisition.
It remains unclear what Twitter could look like in the coming years, considering its current state. However, it doesn’t seem like social media is going anywhere since it has around 200 million users monthly. Plus, it’s a platform people still use to get updates regularly and to follow brands.
