A new report has cast doubt on the claims made by X CEO Linda Yaccarino about the increasing usage of the social network. The report states that X’s usage has actually declined on all fronts, both on the web and mobile platforms. According to market intelligence firm Similarweb, X’s global website traffic was down by 14% year-over-year in September, with U.S. traffic seeing a decline of 19%. Mobile app usage in the U.S. also saw a decrease of 17.8% over the same period.
Key Takeaway
X’s usage on both web and mobile platforms has seen a decline, with global website traffic down by 14% year-over-year.
Decline in Usage
Similarweb’s data reveals that the decline in X’s usage was not limited to the U.S. alone. Other countries such as the U.K., France, Germany, and Australia also experienced a drop in web traffic, indicating a widespread decrease in X’s popularity globally.
Long-Term Trends
The report indicates that September’s decline in usage was not an isolated incident. When comparing the first nine months of 2023 with the same period in 2022, Similarweb found that X’s website traffic was down by 11.6% in the U.S. and by 7% worldwide. The mobile app usage in the U.S. also showed a decline of 12.8% during that same time frame.
Musk’s Profile Page
Despite the overall decline in usage, there is one bright spot for X: Elon Musk’s profile page on the site. Traffic to Musk’s page has increased by 96% year-over-year as of last month.
Methodology and Broader Trend
Similarweb’s estimates are based on machine learning algorithms that analyze data from millions of websites and apps. The report also indicates that X’s decline in usage is part of a larger trend, as web traffic to the top 100 social networks and online communities tracked by the firm also saw a decline, except for TikTok which experienced growth.
Importance of X in the News Ecosystem
The report also highlights the diminishing importance of X in the news ecosystem. News publishers have seen a decline in traffic from X, with The New York Times receiving less than 1% of its traffic from the social network compared to 3-4% three years ago. X has been accused of throttling links to competitors like Bluesky, Threads, and Patreon.
Staying Power
Despite the decline in usage, X still maintains some level of audience engagement. Similarweb’s Senior Insights Manager, David Carr, notes that the X/Twitter audience has eroded but not evaporated. This is noteworthy considering the increasing competition in the social media landscape.
X’s executives have previously touted traffic increases and have not acknowledged the decline reported by Similarweb. The company claims to generate 500 million posts per day and 100 billion impressions.
