How Can Twitter Improve in 2026 and Beyond?

Key Takeaways

• Focus on restoring user trust with stronger safety tools, clearer policies, and more transparent moderation reports.
• Improve the core product experience: better feeds, smarter search, and higher-quality recommendations that de-prioritize spam and low-effort content.
• Rebalance the business model so both paying subscribers and non-paying users get a stable, fast, and broadly accessible platform.
• Make X more attractive for creators and brands with clearer analytics, fairer revenue programs, and genuinely useful verification.
• Invest in long-term health: developer APIs, accessibility, and safeguards around political content and misinformation ahead of major elections in 2026–2028.

Introduction: Why X (formerly Twitter) Needs to Improve Now

Twitter, rebranded to X in July 2023, has undergone one of the most dramatic transformations in social media history. Under new ownership, the platform shifted direction rapidly—sometimes daily—leaving twitter users, brands, and developers scrambling to keep up. The question on everyone’s mind isn’t whether X will survive, but whether it can thrive in an increasingly competitive landscape dominated by social media platforms like TikTok, Threads, and LinkedIn.

The concrete context makes this urgency clear. Between late 2024 and 2026, users witnessed verification shake-ups that stripped legacy blue checkmarks, API restrictions that killed beloved third-party clients, and timeline algorithm tweaks that made the For You feed unpredictable. Rate-limiting surprises in July 2025 left users unable to scroll their own feeds. For most businesses and creators who depend on the platform for real-time engagement, this instability created genuine uncertainty about investing further in their X presence. Using X for business can be difficult or overwhelming at first, but it can be beneficial for brand awareness and customer engagement.

This article outlines practical, product-level and policy-level improvements that could make X more useful, safer, and more sustainable for everyday users, creators, and organizations. The sections ahead cover trust and safety, product experience, monetization, brand tools, the developer ecosystem, and long-term platform health. To achieve meaningful progress, it is essential to have a clear aim or set of strategic objectives when considering how X can improve. These aren’t wishful thinking—they’re grounded in what research, user feedback, and successful social media strategy patterns tell us actually works.

Strengthening Trust, Safety, and Content Quality

X’s reputation for real-time news and trending conversations is one of its core strengths. Participating actively in public conversation is crucial for fostering community and increasing visibility, allowing brands and users to engage, build reputation, and provide customer service. But that reputation gets undermined every time harassment goes unchecked, bots flood replies with crypto scams, or misinformation spreads faster than corrections. For the platform to remain relevant, trust must become a foundation rather than an afterthought.

The 2025–2026 waves of reply-spam on high-profile twitter accounts exposed gaps in anti-bot measures. Users scrolling through comments from public figures regularly encounter obvious spam promoting cryptocurrency schemes or adult content. More effective detection systems—combined with visible action against these accounts—would immediately improve the experience for both creators and their audience. Having a clear profile picture is also important for account credibility and safety, helping users distinguish genuine accounts from impersonators.

Restoring and expanding robust reporting tools is essential. Users need:

Feature	Current State	Recommended Improvement
Report harassment	Basic categories	Detailed subcategories with examples
Report status	Often unclear	In-app timeline with resolution updates
Appeal process	Opaque	Documented steps with estimated timelines
Impersonation reports	Slow response	Priority queue with 24-hour initial review
Transparent enforcement would rebuild confidence. Before 2022, Twitter published quarterly transparency reports with numbers on suspensions, appeals, and policy changes. Resuming these reports—with clear data on how rules are enforced—would signal that X takes moderation seriously without requiring users to simply trust that things are happening behind the scenes.

Visible labels and friction for likely misinformation during major events (elections, natural disasters) can slow the spread of false claims without fully suppressing legitimate debate.

Community Notes has shown promise, but it cannot carry the entire moderation burden. Investing in human moderation teams with regional expertise ensures that context-dependent content gets evaluated by people who understand local nuances, languages, and current events. Automation catches volume; humans catch subtlety.

Improving content moderation and applying enhanced algorithms can help X address user concerns by reducing hate speech, discrimination, and spam bots, making the platform safer and more welcoming for all users.

Quality content is essential for maximizing visibility and engagement on X, and experimenting with engaging tweet examples to boost audience interaction can help clarify what resonates most with your followers.

Improving the Core User Experience

Few things frustrate users more than not understanding why they’re seeing certain posts. The tension between the “For You” and “Following” timelines has created ongoing confusion, with many users complaining that their home feed shows content from accounts they don’t follow while burying posts from those they do.

A more predictable home feed starts with persistent user control. Let users set their default view once and keep it. When posts are promoted into “For You,” explain why briefly: “Because you engaged with similar topics” or “Popular among accounts you follow.” This transparency reduces the feeling that an opaque algorithm is manipulating attention. Engagement on Twitter includes every user interaction such as likes, replies, Reposts, poll votes, and clicks on links, and understanding how your audience engages can inform better content strategy.

Better search and discovery tools would address a longstanding gap. Current search often returns outdated or irrelevant results when users are trying to find timely information. Recommended filters include:

• Date ranges (past hour, day, week, custom)
• Media types (images, videos, links, text-only)
• Verified sources toggle
• Engagement thresholds (minimum replies, likes)

It’s also important to consider key Twitter metrics beyond likes and retweets to get a comprehensive view of performance.

Lists and Communities deserve significant enhancement. These features help users organize interests, industries, and private groups, but the mobile UI makes them cumbersome to access and manage. Cleaner navigation and better discovery of public Lists would help users customize their experience without relying solely on the algorithm. Leveraging trending topics and interactive content like polls can draw more attention and boost engagement within these groups.

Performance and reliability improvements must also be prioritized. The July 1, 2025 rate-limiting incident left most users unable to use the platform normally with no clear explanation. When limits or outages occur, clearer status messaging—ideally within the app itself—prevents confusion and reduces support burden. Early engagement within the first 30-60 minutes can significantly increase a tweet’s visibility, making it important to understand the best time to tweet for higher engagement.

Consistent design language across web, iOS, and Android reduces friction as features are rapidly added or renamed. When a feature works differently depending on device, user frustration compounds.

Using visual content, especially native video, can significantly increase engagement compared to text-only posts and is one of several tactics that can help you get more likes and retweets on Twitter posts.

Developing a Social Media Strategy

A successful presence on Twitter and other social media platforms starts with a well-crafted social media strategy. Whether you’re a business or an individual, defining your target audience is the first step—knowing who you want to reach shapes every aspect of your approach. Align your social media goals with your overall brand values, ensuring that every tweet and interaction reflects what your brand stands for.

A strong social media strategy includes a clear content strategy, outlining the types of posts you’ll create to engage your audience and adapting when legacy Twitter marketing tactics stop working so your approach stays effective over time. This means planning a mix of informative, entertaining, and promotional content that’s relevant to your followers. Conduct hashtag research to identify relevant hashtags and how to use them effectively that will help your tweets reach the right people and join trending conversations.

Engagement should be at the heart of your strategy. Plan how you’ll foster engagement by responding to comments, participating in discussions, and sharing content that encourages interaction. By consistently applying these principles, you’ll not only gain more targeted Twitter followers for business growth but also drive meaningful engagement and build a loyal community. Additionally, integrating your efforts across other social media platforms can amplify your reach and reinforce your brand’s presence online.

Rethinking Monetization and Subscription (X Premium)

X Premium, formerly Twitter Blue, promised enhanced features for paying subscribers. In practice, the 2025 verification changes created user backlash, particularly around perceptions of “pay-to-boost” dynamics. Verified X Premium accounts gain priority in the For You feed and can post up to 4,000 characters, but the value proposition remains murky for many potential subscribers.

A clearer value proposition would distinguish what should be premium versus free:

Premium features:

• Longer posts and higher media upload limits
• Advanced twitter analytics and insights
• Edit functionality with extended windows
• Priority support response times

Should remain free:

• Basic security features (two-factor authentication)
• Baseline organic reach
• Standard reporting and blocking tools
• Basic account analytics

Tiered pricing could serve different user segments more effectively. An individual tier, a creator tier with monetization tools, and a business tier with team features would let users pay for exactly what they need. Each tier should publish transparent benefits so subscribers know what reach and tools they’re paying for.

Decoupling identity verification from pure payment would strengthen trust. Optional, documented ID checks for entities that need high-trust badges—banks, governments, major brands—would restore meaning to verification.

Clearer ad experiences benefit everyone. Better labeling of twitter ads in feeds, improved ad controls for users, and enhanced brand-safety tools for advertisers create a healthier ecosystem. Using relevant keywords in promoted posts is crucial for effectively reaching specific audience segments and increasing engagement. When advertising feels intrusive or mismatched, both users and advertisers lose. Using Twitter Ads and other Twitter promotion strategies such as influencer collaborations and trend promotions can also help elevate your brand presence on the platform and increase reach and engagement.

Rebalancing monetization could reduce over-reliance on intrusive ads, improving the experience for both free and paid users while creating more sustainable revenue streams.

Making X Better for Creators and Brands

Creators, journalists, and brands depend on X for distribution, yet they often lack clarity on analytics, monetization rules, and what actually drives engagement rate improvements. Engaging with your audience is essential for building strong brand-customer relationships, responding to comments and mentions, and fostering loyalty. This opacity makes it difficult to build consistent social media strategy around the platform.

More robust, free analytics for all twitter accounts would address a fundamental need. Current analytics leave gaps in understanding:

Metric Category	Current Access	Recommended Enhancement
Basic impressions	Available	Keep as baseline
Engagement by post type	Limited	Break down by format (video, image, text, thread)
Audience demographics	Premium only	Basic version for all accounts
Peak times analysis	Manual	Automated best-time recommendations
Competitor benchmarking	Not available	Industry comparison tools
Revenue-share and ad-revenue programs launched in 2025–2026 need stabilization and documentation. Published eligibility criteria, clear payment timelines, and transparent calculation methods would help creators plan ahead rather than guessing whether they qualify.
Generating fresh ideas for content is crucial to maintain audience interest and avoid stagnation. Creating a content calendar helps in planning and scheduling posts for optimal engagement on Twitter.

Tools that simplify customer support on X would benefit brands significantly:

• Unified inbox for replies, brand mentions, and DMs
• Auto-tagging of support issues by category
• SLA-friendly workflows with response tracking
• Team assignment and handoff capabilities

Collaborating with influencers can help brands and creators expand their reach, engage niche audiences, and enhance credibility.

Richer post formats for brands and creators could enhance engagement without abandoning the core 280-character simplicity. Lightweight carousels, improved link previews, and better video chapters would give creators more creative options while keeping the timeline scannable.

Consistent brand verification options and clearer public labels (official, parody, fan account) reduce confusion and impersonation risk. Optimizing your Twitter profile—including your profile picture and bio—is essential for attracting more followers. When users can’t tell whether they’re engaging with a real company account or an impersonator, trust erodes for everyone.

Actionable tips for creators and brands: post valuable content, engage with other people’s content, optimize your profile, collaborate with influencers, and use a content calendar to plan your ideas and posts for maximum engagement.

Measuring Performance with Twitter Analytics

Understanding how your content performs is essential for refining your social media strategy and achieving your goals on Twitter. Twitter analytics offers a wealth of insights, from tweet performance and engagement rates to detailed audience demographics. By regularly reviewing metrics such as link clicks, brand mentions, and the effectiveness of specific hashtags, you can identify what resonates most with your audience and adjust your content strategy accordingly.

Twitter analytics also reveals the best times to schedule posts, helping you reach your followers when they’re most active and likely to engage. Monitoring follower growth over time provides valuable feedback on which tactics are attracting more followers and which may need adjustment. These insights empower you to make data-driven decisions, optimize your posting schedule, and maximize engagement with every tweet.

By leveraging Twitter analytics, brands and individuals can ensure their social media efforts are not just consistent, but also effective—leading to increased visibility, more engagement, and a stronger connection with their audience.

Rebuilding the Developer and Integration Ecosystem

Cutting and repricing the API in early 2025 disrupted third-party clients, academic research projects, and social media management tools that millions of users relied on. The sudden changes, often announced with minimal notice, damaged relationships that had developed over more than a decade.

A stable, tiered API model would serve different user needs appropriately:

Tier	Target Users	Suggested Pricing	Key Features
Research	Academics, nonprofits	Free or nominal	Read-only access, rate limits, research agreement
Small tools	Individual developers, small apps	$100-500/month	Standard rate limits, basic write access
Professional	Marketing tools, analytics platforms	$2,000-10,000/month	Higher limits, priority support
Enterprise	Large platforms, media companies	Custom	Dedicated infrastructure, SLAs
Re-engaging academic and civic researchers benefits X’s reputation and provides valuable insights into platform dynamics. Studying misinformation, elections, and public health conversations helps the platform improve while contributing to public understanding. Clear data-use guidelines protect both parties.
Better documentation and developer relations would rebuild trust. This includes:

• Comprehensive changelogs for API updates
• Roadmaps indicating planned features and changes
• Deprecation timelines of at least 6–12 months
• Developer forums with actual X staff participation

Deeper integrations with business tools (CRM platforms, help desks, marketing suites) let teams manage X as part of a broader customer journey. When twitter data flows smoothly into existing workflows, businesses can justify continued investment in the platform.

A healthier developer ecosystem historically led to innovation on Twitter—schedulers, analytics tools, community management apps—that benefited end-users. Rebuilding these relationships takes time, but the payoff compounds.

Ensuring Long-Term Platform Health and Governance

The 2026 U.S. presidential election and EU elections in 2026–2027 represent high-stakes moments for information quality. How X handles political content, advertising, and coordinated influence operations will shape perceptions of the platform for years.

Clear, public policies on political advertising should include:

• Transparent archives of all political ads
• State-affiliated media labels consistently applied
• Documented criteria for identifying coordinated influence operations
• Dated policy revisions so users know what rules currently apply

Establishing or restoring independent advisory councils for safety, human rights, and election integrity provides external accountability. Publishing summaries of these councils’ recommendations—even when X disagrees—demonstrates good faith engagement with difficult issues.

Accessibility improvements deserve consistent attention:

• Better screen-reader support across all features
• Alt-text prompts when images are uploaded
• Automatic captioning for video with easy editing
• Accessibility testing before major UI changes roll out

Regular transparency and impact reports (every 6 months) should include data on policy enforcement, algorithmic changes, and user-safety investments. When users understand how the platform is evolving, they can make informed decisions about their participation.

Long-term health requires balancing speed of innovation with responsible governance. Moving fast and breaking things works for internal experiments—not for a platform where millions of people get their news, connect with customers, and build communities. User protections aren’t obstacles to innovation; they’re prerequisites for sustainable growth.

Best Practices for Social Media

To stand out on Twitter and other social media platforms, it’s important to follow best practices that drive engagement and grow your follower base. Start by creating high-quality, relevant content that speaks directly to your target audience. Use relevant hashtags to increase the discoverability of your tweets and join trending conversations to tap into current events and topics that interest your followers.

Tagging other users and engaging with their content can help you build relationships and expand your reach. Consistency is key—post regularly, but avoid overwhelming your audience with too many updates. Responding to comments and direct messages shows that you value your followers and helps foster engagement, turning casual users into loyal fans.

Don’t overlook the power of Twitter ads and their different types to promote your content and reach new segments of your target market. Experiment with built-in features like Twitter Polls and related engagement tools to encourage participation and spark conversations. By staying up-to-date with the latest trends and features, and by implementing a comprehensive social media strategy, you’ll drive more engagement, attract more followers, and strengthen your brand’s presence across all social media platforms.

FAQ: Common Questions About How Twitter (X) Can Improve

What is the single most important improvement X should prioritize first?

Restoring user trust should come before adding new experimental features. This means stronger safety tools, transparent enforcement of existing rules, and predictable product behavior. When users don’t trust that their reports will be handled fairly, or when they can’t predict how algorithm changes will affect their reach, they disengage. Trust is the foundation that makes all other improvements meaningful. Without it, even excellent new features will struggle to gain adoption because users won’t believe they’re here to stay.

How could X better support small businesses specifically?

Small businesses need affordable pathways to reach their target audience without requiring enterprise budgets. This includes affordable business tiers with clear pricing, simplified ad creation flows that don’t require marketing expertise, better local-targeting options for businesses serving specific geographic areas, and integrated customer-support tools for handling brand mentions and DMs efficiently. Many small businesses would also benefit from templates and guides for creating effective twitter ads, since they often lack dedicated marketing staff to experiment with campaigns.

Is it realistic for X to balance free speech with content moderation?

A realistic middle path exists between unmoderated chaos and heavy-handed censorship. The platform can protect lawful speech while enforcing clear rules against harassment, threats, and coordinated disinformation. The key is consistency: rules should be documented, enforcement should be predictable, and decisions should be appealable. Users can accept that some content gets removed if they understand why and trust the process. The current frustration often stems not from moderation itself but from seemingly arbitrary enforcement that varies based on account size or timing.

What role should AI play in improving Twitter (X)?

AI can help detect spam, flag recommendation quality issues, and identify harmful behavior at scale—tasks that would overwhelm human moderators alone. The Grok integration already evaluates sentiment to prioritize constructive posts. However, AI should assist human decision-makers rather than replace them. Edge cases, context-dependent content, and policy decisions require human judgment. The best approach uses AI to surface potential issues quickly while keeping humans in the loop for final determinations and complex cases.

Will improving X require reversing recent changes?

Not all recent changes need undoing, but some may require partial rollback or thoughtful redesign based on user feedback and twitter data. Verification design created confusion that could be addressed without abandoning the subscription model entirely. API restrictions went too far for researchers and small developers, but some pricing structure makes sense. Timeline defaults frustrate users who want more control. The goal isn’t to return to 2024 Twitter but to learn from what worked and what didn’t, keeping successful innovations while fixing what broke user trust and engagement.