Twitter/X Marketing Australia: Is It Still Worth It in 2026?

Twitter/X is in a weird place. Elon bought it in October 2022, rebranded it to X, changed the algorithm, and created a mass exodus of users, advertisers, and marketers. Australian usage has declined dramatically. As of early 2026, X has roughly 1–1.5 million active Australian users (down from 2+ million pre-Elon).

But here’s the honest assessment: X still matters for certain businesses and individuals, but it’s no longer essential for most.

I’ll give you the real state of the platform, who should still use it, and when to cut your losses and move on.

The Honest State of Twitter/X in Australia (2026)

What happened:

• Advertisers fled (Meta and Google captured the ad dollars)
• API restrictions killed third-party tools and automation
• Increased bot activity and low-quality content
• Algorithm changes favoured paid “verified” accounts (blue checkmark costs $8–15/month)
• Removed content moderation (some left, some stayed)
• Elon’s politics polarised the platform further
• TikTok and Instagram captured younger demographics
• LinkedIn captured B2B

Current state:

• X is used heavily by journalists, tech people, politicians, and niche communities
• Real-time events and breaking news still break first on X
• It’s useful for customer service (customer complaints go on X, brands respond quickly)
• Organic reach is low for most accounts
• Paid verification and ads are now the primary way to get visibility
• Bot activity is high (hard to know who’s real)

Australian specific: Australia’s tech community is active on X. If you’re tech, startup, VC, or media, X still matters. If you’re a plumber, hairdresser, or accountant serving Australia, X is probably a waste of time.

Who Should Still Use X (Be Honest)

X still makes sense if:

• You’re in tech, startups, venture capital, or crypto
• You cover news or commentary (journalists, commentators, podcasters)
• You’re a thought leader in a niche (your audience is on X)
• You’re in media or entertainment (breaking news, trending discussions)
• You want to monitor real-time events or customer sentiment
• You have a personal brand in a X-dominant niche
• Customer service is important (X is where unhappy customers complain)

X doesn’t make sense if:

• You’re B2B services (use LinkedIn instead)
• You’re local services (use Google Business Profile, not X)
• Your audience is primarily 35+ (they’ve left X)
• You’re trying to sell products (Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest are better)
• You have no time to engage actively (X rewards real-time, active participation)
• Your brand is conservative or politically neutral (X is polarised)

If you’re not in the “makes sense” category, stop trying to force X. Your time is better spent elsewhere.

Content That Still Works on X

If you’ve decided X is relevant, here’s what actually gets reach.

1. Threads (Long-Form Series)

Threading — a series of connected tweets — is one of the best ways to build reach and engagement on X.

What works:

• Industry insights or analysis (thread about AI trends, market analysis, etc.)
• Personal stories with lessons (built credibility and relatability)
• Contrarian takes on industry consensus
• Step-by-step guides or processes
• Data or research findings with your commentary

Format: Tweet 1: Hook or headline (“I’ve been in SaaS for 10 years. Here’s what I’ve learned about pricing…”) Tweets 2–10: One insight per tweet, connected with “→” or numbered Final tweet: CTA (“Follow me for more on SaaS” or “What’s your biggest pricing challenge?”)

Performance: A good thread gets 100–1,000 likes, 20–100 retweets, and meaningful comments. It drives profile views and followers.

2. Commentary and Hot Takes

Real-time commentary on news, trends, or events.

What works:

• Respond to breaking news quickly (with insight, not just opinion)
• Commentary on industry trends or announcements
• Contrarian takes (but respectful, not inflammatory)
• Funny observations (if relevant to your niche)

Key: Add value. “That’s terrible” doesn’t work. “That’s terrible because X, Y, Z. Here’s what should happen instead” works.

3. Customer Service and Responsiveness

X is still the default platform for customer complaints. Brands that respond quickly and publicly build massive goodwill.

What works:

• Monitor mentions of your brand
• Respond to complaints publicly and constructively
• Solve problems on X (or move to DM)
• Be human (not corporate)

Example: Customer tweets “Just tried [your product] and it crashed. Terrible support.” Response: “That’s rough, and we’re sorry. We’re DM’ing you now to help. [Link to DM]”

This public acknowledgment builds trust with people watching.

4. Quick Takes and Reactions

Short, punchy takes (not threads) on news or trends.

What works:

• Timely (posted within hours of event)
• Original insight (not just repeating news)
• Engagement-friendly (invite discussion)

Example: “AI hype is cooling. What nobody talks about: enterprise adoption is actually accelerating. Companies are moving from experiments to production. Quiet, less sexy, but real.”

X Ads (If You Insist)

X ads exist, but they’re expensive, targeting is weaker than Facebook/Instagram/LinkedIn, and ROI is typically poor.

Cost: $2–$8 cost per click; highly variable.

When to use:

• You have a very specific audience on X (tech founders, investors, journalists)
• You’re launching news and want X user awareness
• Budget is $2,000+/month (smaller amounts get lost)
• Organic reach is so low you have no other choice

More effective: Use those ad dollars on LinkedIn (for B2B), Google (for intent), or Instagram/TikTok (for reach).

Why X Has Lost Competitive Advantage

What X used to have:

• Real-time algorithm that surfaced trending topics
• Open API (third-party tools like Tweetdeck, HootSuite)
• Engaged community of creators and thought leaders
• Clear algorithm rules (people knew how to grow)

What changed:

• Algorithm is less transparent and less reward-based
• API is restricted (killed third-party tools)
• Creators left or moved to other platforms
• Paid verification is now “the way” (not organic growth)
• Bot activity and lower-quality content

Why it matters: Without third-party tools, management is tedious (you have to check X manually). Without creators, there’s less quality content. Without transparent algorithm rules, growing an X audience is luck-based.

Alternatives to X (Where to Spend Your Time Instead)

If you’re in tech/startups/VC: X is still relevant, but LinkedIn and Product Hunt are strong alternatives.

If you’re B2B services/SaaS: LinkedIn > X. Better targeting, better ROI, same professional audience.

If you’re consumer products: TikTok, Instagram, YouTube > X. Better reach, younger audience, visual-friendly.

If you’re news/media/commentary: Substack (email newsletter) + TikTok + LinkedIn. X is losing media talent to Substack.

If you’re local services: Google Business Profile, Instagram, TikTok > X. X doesn’t help local at all.

When to Walk Away from X

Cut X if:

• You’re posting regularly but getting <10 likes/retweets per tweet
• You’ve been on X for 6+ months with <500 followers
• Your audience isn’t there (you’re shouting into a void)
• Your X time could be better spent elsewhere (almost certainly true)
• You’re only there because “you should be”

Keep X if:

• You’re getting real engagement (50+ retweets, comments, DMs)
• X traffic/leads are measurable (tracked to your site or business)
• Your audience/industry is active on X
• You enjoy it (honestly, if you don’t enjoy X, why do it?)

Honest Advice for Most Australian Businesses

For a typical Australian business (local services, products, B2B), X is a waste of time in 2026. Here’s where to actually spend your social media budget instead:

1. Google Business Profile (local search, free, high ROI)
2. Instagram (reach, Reels, shopping, visually engaged audience)
3. LinkedIn (B2B, thought leadership, professional reach)
4. TikTok (if your audience is 13–40)
5. YouTube (long-form authority, search engine)
6. Facebook (if audience is 35+, local reach)

X should be #6 or lower unless you’re in a tech/media niche.

The Future of X

Elon has talked about transforming X into an “everything app” (like WeChat in China). That’s a long way off. In the meantime, X is a niche platform useful for specific audiences.

Realistic prediction for 2026–2027:

• X stays relevant for tech, news, and niche communities
• Mainstream brands continue to deprioritise X
• Bot activity and spam grow
• Ad revenue continues to decline (Elon’s blue subscription model isn’t replacing ad revenue)
• Competitors (Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon) continue to eat X’s activist base
• X becomes more like a tech/news platform and less like a general social network

Plan accordingly. Don’t build your strategy on X unless you’re niche-dependent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should we delete our X account? Only if you’re actively using it. If you’re not posting and have minimal followers, delete it or let it go dormant. Don’t maintain a ghost account.

Is X better or worse than it was in 2021? Worse, objectively. Fewer users, lower reach, higher bot activity, weaker algorithm. If you weren’t successful on X in 2021, you won’t be now.

Will X recover? Possibly, but unlikely to be a primary platform for most businesses by 2026–2027. It’s a niche platform now. If you liked the old Twitter, try LinkedIn or Bluesky.

Should we move to Threads or Bluesky? Only if your audience is there. Threads (Meta) is growing for media and news. Bluesky is for Twitter purists. Neither is mainstream yet.

Can we repurpose X content to other platforms? Yes. A tweet becomes a LinkedIn post, TikTok, Instagram caption, etc. Don’t create only for X; create once and distribute 5 ways.

How much time should we spend on X? If you’re committed, 30 min/day (posting, engaging, monitoring mentions). If you’re testing, 5 min/day (schedule 1–2 tweets/week, check mentions). Don’t do more than 5 min/day if you’re uncertain about ROI.

Is X worth it for customer service? Yes, actually. Monitor mentions and respond to complaints quickly. This shows other customers you care, even if you’re not actively marketing on X.

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Bottom line: For most Australian businesses, X is not worth significant time or budget in 2026. Invest in Instagram, LinkedIn, Google, or TikTok instead. If you’re in tech, media, or a niche where X is active, test it for 4 weeks. If you’re not seeing traction, move on.

Ready to prioritise the platforms that actually work for your business? Let’s audit your current social media strategy or explore our targeted social media services.