A lot has happened with Twitter since billionaire business magnate Elon Musk bought the social network back in 2022.  

Musk rebranded with a new name, X, and changed the logo, giving the boot to the long-established and much-loved Twitter bird. He implemented a paid subscription service and designated the distinguished blue checkmarks for paid users only. And recently, he removed headlines from tweets (or posts, I guess I should call them) because it apparently “improves aesthetics.” 

But with all the changes taking place, has the network formerly known as Twitter become a better destination for business professionals? I recently launched a poll on X asking users if they felt more invested in the platform since Musk took over, or less – and the results were clear.  

Since #ElonMusk took over Twitter/X, are you more invested in the network, less invested, or about the same? #Poll

— ASICentral (@asicentral) October 18, 2023

More than half of respondents voted that they were less invested in X, with many citing drops in reach and engagement, as well as an influx of shady content and bot activity.  

“Everything about the platform just seems off,” said Kirby Hasseman of Hasseman Marketing (asi/221824). “I have lots of followers on the platform, but engagement is usually very low.” He admitted that his use of X has “fallen off a cliff” since Musk took over. 

Vic Berggren of the Printing Studio (asi/789642) echoed Hasseman’s sentiments about engagement. “Twitter was my number-one source for leads that converted to sales, but people have left the platform and now my posts get zero to 50 views, at best,” said Berggren. 

Lori King of Capricorn Promotions said trolls and bots have made it more difficult to differentiate legitimate suppliers from scam artists. “Like a reliable coffee shop, Twitter was a place for business folks to meet and network,” said King, who now likens the platform to a dive bar for drunks.  

Nicole Diane Baker of Top 40 distributor American Solutions for Business (asi/120075) said the platform has become riddled with conspiracy theorists and extremists, and she is no longer spending as much time on X. “It used to be a spot for much more genuine engagement,” she added. “I check in every couple of days, but it’s not what it once was.” 

Still, there are some who support Musk’s changes and feel the social network is headed in the right direction.  

“I like how he [Musk] is trying to bring more long-format video and live stuff to X,” said Jeremy Picker, CEO of AMB3R Creative (asi/590243). “Personally, I am spending more time on the network.” 

Mike Ross, social media manager at MarineMax, thinks X is poised to do some pretty big things. “If everything goes as planned, X/Twitter will evolve into a premier buying/selling platform that will rival Amazon.” 

Here are more comments received in the poll, ranging from “I don't like the lack of authenticity” to “I have more followers joining my page.”

Scott Nussinow, Artwork Services USA (AWS, asi/820124) 

“Today on Twitter (X), I feel like I’m walking through the Wild West. Everything is suspect, and gunslingers with the loudest bang (but not necessarily with the best aim) are firing shots in all directions. I’m hoping that Threads will make more appropriate and substantial enhancements to their platform so I can further migrate in that direction.” 

Samantha Fullerton, BAMKO (asi/131431) 

“I'm definitely less interested. I don't like the lack of authenticity, verification of users, missing headlines for news articles. My feed isn't always populating the most recent first. My interest is very much in decline.” 

Eric Pehrson, Cutter & Buck (asi/47965) 

My usage really declined when it was rebranded to X. Twitter the brand was so distinct and recognizable. You knew the Twitter bird, you sent Tweets and Retweeted what you liked. 

Suzy Huber, Marketing Strategist  

"I have been on Twitter (X) since 2009. I recently signed up for a verified account to see if it would make a difference on the impressions of my posts and increase my engagement with followers. It has done both. While reach isn't the same, I have more followers joining my page each day with the same amount of activity. So it has been worth it to have an upgraded account, and I will leave it as that for now."