Remember the previous social media channel Twitter that was redefined by a well known billionaire? I had heard that it is not in use as much anymore, but after hearing from multiple channels about entrepreneurs promoting their stuff quite successfully, I decided to try it out…
As it turns out, Twitter/X might be a pretty good example of how to not build/run a website…
No. 1: If an option doesn’t work, maybe don’t show it?
The sign up for X.com lets you enter name, email, birth date and validates it. Simple, right? Except that if you use an email, it says it can’t verify that you’re human with your verification code it emailed to you. I tried this a couple times on different days… Maybe if you have to use a phone number to sign up, it could simply say you need to use a phone number to sign up?!
No. 2: Acting as if CEO personality is a center of the webiverse
I think this screenshot speaks for itself…
No. 3:
Again, showing CEO’s content by default even when it is… odd?
4: No payments, no… follows??
The system seems pretty biased to the more absurd and confrontational. And what’s worse, just following similar accounts does not seem to bring you many follow-backs like in other platforms. One would almost think they are requiring payment for the basic features on other platforms…
Not to mention begging for purchase on the Black Friday sale last week… No, I don’t think you should have to pay even $1 for what other platforms give for free.
Other reported issues
Last month The Atlantic reported on a disastrous new feature that apparently outed some fake accounts – and also falsely reported the location of real accounts.
Conclusion
If you are wanting to build your personal brand or business I would not use Twitter. It seems they do not work like other social media platforms, both promoting some extreme and just plain odd views across the site, and making one pay for an account to have basic visibility and services.