Pew Analysis has shared some new insights into Twitter engagement pre and put up Elon Musk’s takeover on the app, which exhibits that more users are taking breaks from tweeting, and that round 1 / 4 of lively Twitter customers don’t anticipate to be utilizing the app in any respect in 12 months time.
First off, on utilization shifts – in keeping with the Pew research, 60% of US Twitter customers have taken a break from the app within the final yr, whereas lots of the most lively tweeters have decreased their in-app exercise following Musk’s acquisition of the app.
As you may see on this chart, feminine and Black Twitter customers are the almost definitely to have taken a break from the app over the previous 12 months, whereas Democrat voters are additionally extra prone to have lessened their Twitter utilization.
A lot of Twitter’s most outstanding customers have additionally re-thought their Twitter habit – as per Pew:
“Essentially the most lively customers earlier than Musk’s acquisition – outlined as the highest 20% by tweet quantity – have seen a noticeable posting decline within the months after. These customers’ common variety of tweets monthly declined by round 25% following the acquisition. Regardless of this, eight-in-ten of probably the most lively grownup Twitter customers between Jan. 1 and April 14, 2022, have remained among the many most lively customers within the months after Musk formally acquired the location in October 2022.”
So most Twitter customers are nonetheless tweeting, however there was a marked decline in utilization amongst numerous consumer teams.
Which additionally leads so far:
“The survey additionally requested present and up to date Twitter customers how seemingly they’re to make use of the platform a yr from now. A plurality (40%) say they’re extraordinarily or very seemingly to make use of the location in a yr, and 35% say they’re considerably seemingly to make use of it. However 1 / 4 say they don’t seem to be very or under no circumstances prone to be on Twitter a yr from now.”
Whether or not that implies that individuals anticipate a substitute for come up, or they simply don’t see themselves staying lively, it’s not an incredible signal for Twitter’s progress plans, and its potential to reignite advertiser curiosity and exercise.
However it’s early days, and with a brand new Twitter CEO coming in, issues might change considerably, particularly if Twitter can develop into an even bigger video platform, as is seemingly the plan.
Pew’s information additionally exhibits that the overwhelming majority of tweets nonetheless come from solely a small proportion of Twitter customers.
“A minority of grownup Twitter customers within the US proceed to provide the majority of the content material. Since Musk’s acquisition, 20% of U.S. adults on the location have produced 98% of all tweets by this group.”
Twitter itself has mentioned that 80% of Twitter users view the app in ‘read only’ mode, and by no means really tweet, or interact with tweets in any approach. Which is a key flaw in Musk’s Twitter Blue expansion plan, with many of the Blue incentives tied to tweet performance or amplification – which most customers don’t really care about, or have any use for. That’s one of many the reason why take-up of Blue stays at lower than 1% of Twitter’s whole viewers.
Additionally, this one ought to make Elon comfortable:
“On common, grownup Twitter customers within the US talked about Musk in a tweet simply as soon as between January 1st and April thirteenth, 2022, earlier than he introduced his intention to amass the platform. Since then, nonetheless, references to Musk have develop into way more frequent on the location. These customers tweeted about him a mean of thrice between April 14th and October twenty sixth, 2022 – whereas Musk was within the technique of buying the platform – and a mean of six instances within the months after the sale was finalized.”

Elon definitely appears to love being the focus, and possibly, this was the principle purpose of his Twitter buy all alongside, to develop into a extra central character in trendy popular culture, by getting extra individuals to see and have interaction together with his missives.
I imply, he did additionally attempt to make every Twitter user see his tweets.
These are some attention-grabbing notes on the newest Twitter utilization tendencies, and the way customers view the modifications carried out by Elon in his first six months in cost on the app. Although most of that early focus has been on cost-cutting, not on exterior growth – and it’ll be attention-grabbing to see if this sentiment modifications as soon as Twitter will get on a correct progress observe.
You may learn the newest Pew Analysis Twitter utilization insights here and here.