‘Black Twitter was the cookout’: Marketers hope to find new communities of color on Twitter alternatives
By Kimeko McCoy
As Elon Musk’s tumultuous takeover of Twitter continues, new and emerging platforms like Spill, Spoutible, BlackTwitterApp.com and others are vying for the attention of Twitter’s users and niche cultural communities. Though it’s unclear whether these platforms will gain steam among marketers.
Since last October, Twitter has found itself in constant controversy thanks to Musk’s push to reinstate banned accounts, the verification overhaul and an uptick in hate speech. The changes have pushed some users away from the platform, especially users of color, leaving the fate of multicultural communities like Black Twitter in limbo. That’s not to say all have flown the coop, but Musk’s changes have left many uncertain of the platform’s future.
Just last week, the so-called bird app’s latest fiasco was its overhauled verification system, which stripped certain users (including several Digiday staff members) of their legacy verification check marks. Historically free, under Musk’s regime, users are asked to pay $8 per month for verification. Creators of color are unconvinced of its value.
“With the [Twitter] verification thing going all the way left in the last few days, those platforms are going to begin to see much more traction,” said Laura Mignott, global chief experiential officer at VMLY&R Commerce. “A lot of folks are seeing the death [of Twitter] now, which is sad.”
Twitter’s fall from grace makes space for competition
Twitter’s fall from grace has created space for new social media platforms like beta-tested-Bluesky Social, Mastodon and Post.News to enter, although there hasn’t been mass adoption of a new platform just yet. Per Insider, Twitter’s rivals may be stumbling due to precarious user interfaces, security issues and uneven beta launches.(It’s unclear what user downloads or usage looks like as neither Spoutible nor BlackTwitterApp.com responded to a request for comment in time for publication.)
Oddly enough, Twitter has seen an increase in users under Musk’s reign as per previous Digiday reporting, Twitter’s daily average users has averaged around 246.8 million, with a mean average increase of 1.3 million new users each month, per data from Apptopia.
Notably, amid the controversy at Twitter, new social media platforms have been created by or centered around the voices of people of color including, BlackTwitterApp.com, Spoutible and soon-to-be-launched-app Spill, which was founded by a former Twitter employee. The app has yet to launch, but anyone interested can sign up to reserve their handle on the app’s website.
The latter of which has piqued the interest of Danisha Lomax, head of client inclusivity and impact for North America at Digitas. As a consumer, she’s already filled out the form to reserve her handle when the platform officially launches. Currently, the app is in alpha build mode, conducting tests with small groups. However, Lomax said she’ll be soon meeting with Spill’s execs to talk about potentially capitalizing on the momentum of advertising dollars, partnerships and engagement for Spill.
“If supply diversity is a problem we are working to solve, we have to give up and coming platforms that are run by …read more
Source:: Digiday
