From X to everywhere

The Shifting Social Landscape

Recent data shows that while X remains a significant platform with 503 million users according to Statista, user engagement patterns have shifted dramatically. According to the Guardian, casual users are approximately 23% less than in 2022, while simultaneously, Meta recently announced that Threads has crossed the 150 million monthly active user mark. Bluesky has built a growing community of creators and journalists, reaching over 30 million users according to TechCrunch, Mastodon has developed dedicated communities with the federated network hosting over 10 million users, and LinkedIn's own quarterly report indicates record engagement levels for professional content with a 22%  increase in content engagement in 2025.

These shifts aren't just statistical anomalies, they represent real changes in where your target audiences spend their digital time. The migration varies significantly by demographic: younger audiences lean toward visual and video-centric platforms, while professional communities often spread conversations across LinkedIn, specialised Discords, and platforms like Bluesky that offer more structured discourse.

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Strategic Platform Evaluation Framework

When considering where to invest your communication efforts, here are some helpful criteria to consider:

1. Audience presence: Where are your specific audience segments most active now? This often serves as a primary consideration for many organisations.
2. Content format fit: Which platforms might best support your natural content strengths? Video-heavy strategies tend to perform differently than text-based thought leadership.
3. Resource requirements: Each platform tends to demand different resource investments. Time, specialized skills, and budget required for meaningful presence vary widely.
4. Strategic value: Some platforms may have smaller audiences but could offer higher engagement or influence within specific communities important to your organisation.

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Content Adaptation: Beyond Copy-Paste

Each platform has its own content ecosystem with unique expectations. Content that performs well on X (short, punchy, and often provocative) may fall flat on platforms that reward depth and nuance. Consider these platform-specific content approaches:

• Threads: Conversational, community-focused content with strong visual elements
• LinkedIn: Professional insights with data backing, longer-form case studies
• Bluesky: Thoughtful discourse, behind-the-scenes transparency, creator engagement
• Mastodon: Community-oriented content with higher context, ethical discussions, and cross-instance conversations
• Discord: Community building, interactive discussions, specialized knowledge sharing

One effective approach is developing a modular content strategy where core ideas are thoughtfully adapted to each platform's unique strengths and community expectations.

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Measuring success across platforms

As you diversify, your measurement strategy must evolve as well. Looking at cross-platform performance requires focusing on outcome metrics rather than platform-specific engagement metrics. Instead of comparing likes across platforms (an apples-to-oranges comparison), track:

• Total audience reach across all platforms
• Referral traffic and conversion events
• Community growth rate by platform
• Share of conversation in your industry

Consider optimizing your overall digital presence to align with where your audience actually spends time, rather than focusing solely on maximizing metrics on any single platform.

Many successful organisations view platform diversification not as a reaction to X's changes, but as an opportunity to create a more resilient, audience-centered communication strategy. By thoughtfully exploring and expanding your platform mix, organisations can build stronger connections with their audiences, wherever they choose to go next.

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