Since Elon Musk's acquisition, the platform formerly known as Twitter has undergone massive changes. Verified subscriptions, algorithm tweaks, creator monetization, advertiser exodus, brand name change—it's been chaotic.
But buried in the chaos is something genuinely interesting: X is now paying creators directly for engagement, and those creators are building substantial audiences. Some brands are seeing strong results from X influencer campaigns. Others have pulled out entirely.
So what's actually happening with X influencer marketing? I spent the last month talking to brands running campaigns there, analyzing performance data, and testing the platform myself. Here's what I found.
What Is the X Creator Programme?
Launched in August 2023 and expanded throughout 2024-2025, the X Premium Creator programme pays creators based on engagement (replies, likes, reposts) from other verified users on their posts.
To qualify, creators need:
- 500+ followers
- X Premium subscription ($8-$11/month)
- 5M+ post impressions in the last 3 months
Once accepted, creators earn revenue share from ads shown in replies to their posts. X doesn't publish exact rates, but creators report earning $0.005-$0.015 per qualifying engagement.
Unlike YouTube or Instagram where creators primarily monetize through brand deals, X creators can earn substantial income directly from the platform—if they generate enough engagement.
How This Changed Creator Behavior
When you pay creators for engagement, you get content optimized for engagement. And on X, that has meant a shift toward:
- Engagement bait: "Agree or disagree?" "Repost if you..." "Thoughts?" posts designed solely to generate replies
- Controversial takes: Hot takes and divisive opinions drive replies more than nuanced analysis
- Thread spam: Multi-part threads where each part is a separate engagement opportunity
- Reply fishing: Deliberately provocative or incomplete statements to generate correction/debate in replies
Some creators have adapted well, creating genuinely engaging content that happens to perform algorithmically. Others have devolved into engagement-farming accounts that feel like spam.
For brands, this matters. You don't want your product associated with low-quality engagement bait. Partner vetting is more important on X than other platforms.
The Audience Situation
Let's talk about the elephant in the room: X's user base has changed significantly since the acquisition.
What the Data Shows
According to Similarweb and internal analytics from brands we work with:
- Overall usage: Down 15-20% from pre-acquisition peak
- Daily active users: Approximately 250 million (down from ~300 million in early 2022)
- Time spent: Actually up—users who remain are more engaged
- Demographic shift: Skewing more male, slightly older, more right-leaning politically
Some high-profile users left. Some came back. Many lurk without posting. The engaged creator community is smaller but more active.
What This Means for Brands
X isn't dead, but it's not for everyone anymore. If your target audience includes:
- Tech professionals and entrepreneurs
- Finance and crypto communities
- News and political junkies
- B2B decision-makers in certain industries
Then X still delivers. Those communities are active, engaged, and responsive to relevant content.
If your target audience is:
- General consumers
- Younger demographics (Gen Z has largely moved to TikTok/Instagram)
- Fashion, beauty, lifestyle categories
Then X is probably not your best platform for influencer marketing.
Campaign Performance: Real Numbers
We analyzed 83 influencer campaigns on X from Q3 2025 through Q1 2026. Here's what we found:
Engagement Metrics
- Average engagement rate: 2.8% (replies + likes + reposts / followers)
- Average reply rate: 0.8% (higher than Instagram comments at 0.4%)
- Average repost rate: 0.6%
- Like rate: 1.4%
Engagement rates are solid—comparable to Instagram, lower than TikTok. But engagement quality varies wildly depending on the creator.
Click-Through Performance
- Average CTR: 1.9% (solid, better than display ads)
- Cost per click: $0.80-$2.40 depending on creator tier
X audiences are comfortable clicking links in tweets, unlike TikTok where link resistance is high. This is a genuine advantage for performance campaigns.
Conversion Performance
- Average conversion rate: 2.4% (from click to desired action)
- Cost per acquisition: $35 average across campaigns
Conversion performance varies dramatically by industry:
- SaaS/B2B tools: Strong performance, CPA often below $25
- Crypto/finance products: Excellent performance but higher fraud risk
- E-commerce/consumer products: Weaker performance, CPA often $50+
What's Working on X Right Now
1. Authentic Product Integration, Not Ads
X users are allergic to obvious advertising. The campaigns that work integrate products into genuine conversation or thought leadership.
Example that worked:
"Been using [Product] for the past month to solve [specific problem]. The [feature] saved me probably 10 hours this week alone. Link in bio if you're dealing with the same issue."
Example that didn't:
"Excited to partner with [Brand]! Here are 5 reasons why their product is amazing [thread]"
The first feels like a genuine recommendation. The second screams sponsored content.
2. Long-Form Content and Threads
X Premium allows up to 25,000 characters per post. Long-form posts and detailed threads outperform single tweets for brand campaigns.
Thread format allows for:
- Telling a story that leads to product introduction
- Educational content that demonstrates product value
- Problem/solution framing that feels less promotional
3. Leaning Into X's Culture
X has a specific communication style—direct, often sarcastic, conversational. Brands that embrace this do better than those trying to import Instagram-style polished content.
The best X influencer content feels like tweets, not ads. That's the whole point.
4. B2B and SaaS Campaigns
This is where X genuinely outperforms other platforms. Tech professionals, founders, and business decision-makers are still very active on X.
For B2B products, X influencer campaigns often deliver better ROI than LinkedIn, with lower costs and higher engagement.
What's Not Working on X
1. Consumer Brand Awareness Campaigns
If your goal is reaching millions of general consumers with brand awareness content, X isn't the most efficient choice anymore. TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts will deliver more reach at better CPMs.
2. Visual Product Categories
Fashion, beauty, home decor, food—categories that rely on visual inspiration perform better on visually-focused platforms. X is text-first, image-second. Videos work but don't have the same algorithmic boost as on TikTok or Reels.
3. Mega-Influencer Partnerships
Large-follower accounts on X tend to have worse engagement rates than micro-influencers. The sweet spot on X is 10K-100K followers, not 500K+.
Mega-influencers also command higher rates than their performance justifies, because many inflated their value during X's higher-traffic days and haven't adjusted pricing to current realities.
The Brand Safety Question
Let's address this directly: X has become more polarizing and less brand-safe than pre-acquisition Twitter.
Content moderation is lighter. The verification system changed (anyone can buy a checkmark). The political environment is more charged. Controversial content gets more distribution.
For brands, this creates risks:
- Influencer partners might post controversial content before or after your campaign
- Your ads might appear next to content you wouldn't want brand association with
- Negative audience reactions to the platform itself might spill over to your brand
Some brands have decided this risk isn't worth it and pulled out entirely. Others have implemented stricter vetting processes and ongoing monitoring.
There's no universal right answer—it depends on your brand values, risk tolerance, and target audience. But you need to consciously decide, not ignore the issue.
Pricing and Creator Availability
One advantage of X right now: Less competition for creators means better negotiating leverage for brands.
Typical X Influencer Pricing (Q1 2026)
- Micro-influencers (10K-50K followers): $100-$400 per sponsored post
- Mid-tier (50K-250K followers): $400-$1,500 per post
- Macro (250K-1M followers): $1,500-$5,000 per post
This is 20-40% lower than equivalent follower counts on Instagram, though the audiences aren't directly comparable.
Many X creators are also more open to performance-based deals (affiliate/commission) because they're earning from platform monetization and less dependent on fixed brand rates.
Platform Features for Influencer Marketing
What X Has
- Link integration (major advantage over TikTok)
- Long-form content support
- Threaded conversations (good for storytelling)
- Quote tweets (amplification mechanism)
- Communities feature (niche targeting)
What X Lacks
- No built-in branded content disclosure tools (you need manual #ad disclosures)
- Limited shopping integration compared to Instagram/TikTok
- No creator marketplace (harder to discover influencers)
- Weaker analytics for sponsored content performance
So Should You Run Influencer Campaigns on X?
Here's my honest assessment:
X Makes Sense If:
- You're a B2B/SaaS company targeting tech-savvy professionals
- Your product serves finance, crypto, or tech communities
- You're comfortable with a less polished, more conversational content style
- You want direct-response campaigns with trackable links
- Your brand can handle potential association with a polarizing platform
Skip X If:
- You're a consumer brand targeting Gen Z
- Your product category is highly visual (fashion, beauty, home decor)
- Brand safety is a top concern and you can't accept any risk
- You're primarily focused on awareness over conversion
- You need large-scale reach campaigns
Test Carefully If:
- You're in a category that could work but aren't sure (allocate 10-15% of influencer budget to test)
- Your target audience might be on X but you haven't validated it
- You're curious about the platform but not committed to it
Best Practices for X Influencer Campaigns
If you decide to move forward with X, here's how to do it well:
1. Vet creators carefully: Review their last 50-100 posts, not just their profile. Make sure their content style and topics align with your brand values.
2. Prioritize engagement quality over follower count: Look at reply quality, not just quantity. Are people having real conversations or just dropping engagement bait responses?
3. Give creators freedom: X audiences can smell scripted content from a mile away. Provide key messages and requirements, then let creators use their voice.
4. Track links properly: Use UTM parameters to track exactly which creators drive traffic and conversions. X's direct linking is an advantage—use it.
5. Consider thread formats: Multi-part threads perform better than single posts for product education or storytelling.
6. Have a brand safety monitoring plan: Set up alerts for the creators you work with. If they post something problematic, you need to know immediately.
The Future of X Influencer Marketing
X is in transition. Whether it stabilizes into a sustainable platform or continues fragmenting depends on factors outside anyone's control.
For now, it's a viable influencer marketing channel for specific use cases—particularly B2B, tech, and finance brands targeting engaged professionals.
It's not a mass-market consumer platform anymore, and it may never be again. That's not necessarily bad—niche platforms can be extremely valuable if they're your niche.
Approach X influencer marketing with eyes open to both the opportunities and risks. Test before committing. Track performance rigorously. And have a backup plan if the platform continues to decline.
The influencer marketing playbook for X in 2026 is still being written. Early movers who figure out what works have an advantage. But this isn't a platform where you can just copy what works on Instagram and expect results.
X rewards authenticity, conversation, and cultural fit. If you can deliver that, there's opportunity here. If you can't, spend your budget elsewhere.
