Twitter vs. X: Product Lessons For Startup Founders

[@chapterme]

Chapters (Powered by ChapterMe) - 00:00 - Coming Up: Value metrics for popular products Twitter vs X 01:22 - Twitters shift from left leaning to right leaning content 02:37 - Product managers optimize content for engagement 06:12 - Product design tools help solve problems 06:45 - Facebooks newsfeed change, Instagrams engagement decline 09:18 - Learning from TikTok's Algorithmic Feed 10:35 - Entropy content on Twitter 11:12 - Ukraine war, UK election 11:31 - Twitters importance in debunking fake news 14:58 - Mass market consumer products do not match taste 15:23 - Changing name and Getting the verb 16:10 - Bump cofounder and Monzo name choice explained 18:10 - Best time to rebrand, bring meaning, ownership 22:26 - Outro: Deep product delve reviews

[@emmanuelgoldstein3682]

Instead of clicking the "For you" tab, I default to the "Following" tab. Conversations that are tangential to topics I'm interested are usually at the bottom on posts of people I follow.

[@lancejones4636]

"For You" is a time waster. "Following" is a time optimizer.

[@realmuzfi]

Most people actually use the for you tab tho

[@lancejones4636]

@@realmuzfi That's true, but no point in complaining about something that is so easy to address (use the Following tab).

[@Short..]

KZbin shorts turned into this, it used to be great at introducing me to content I would love, now its just mass produced slop ie attention baiting, fails moments, skits, pets, literally ripped clips of shows without any edits, random yters calling themselves a "historian"

[@ndavies8]

Me too. It went bad rather quickly

[@geovanygameros]

This is a such as excellent content. Please continue with the series!

[@haveyouseenitthough]

The name and brand change are not talked about enough as a massive unforced error Brands would kill to have such a strong brand Now it’s this soulless thing called ‘X, formerly Twitter’ with a first draft logo

[@AzureTheWolf-l6u]

I agree with Elon on most things but that’s one thing he messed up on, yeah it does look cool but at the same time, twitter built up such brand awareness that you can’t just forego all that for a generic company name.

[@makenvaega]

I used to be one of the few among my friends who used Twitter heavily. (Twitter isn't big in the Philippines) I used it to follow tech and business stories, sports, and some key personalities. But it reached a point where I always felt bad/angry/sad every time I used the app. And I found myself arguing with random people on the net. So I deleted my account and deleted the app from my phone. Couldn't be happier. At least in my case, short-term boost in engagement, but ultimately a churn. Exactly what they said.

[@MikeGitkos]

Great video, and this covers a lot of the issues with modern social media that I’m actively working to solve. The main concerns: 1. How do you connect people with similar interests? 2. How do show users the content they want to see and interact with? 3. How can you monetize the platform without impacting the consumer experience? I can’t see how it’s done with an engagement-based feed.

[@fceruti]

Terrible take on Grok. It's clear that the future of user interaction is AI intermediated, so you either give one of the most unique databases to a third party and buy their AI services, or build a strong in house AI. It's a perfect fit if you consider the following kind of use cases (or prompts): "Build me a 7 minute video with all the news in sports in my local area"

[@CarletonTorpin]

As a non-Twitter user, this was useful. I'll remain a non-user. :)

[@jadeusreign3324]

not cool

[@fanaccount6600]

Good decision!

[@billapk9188]

Timestamps (Powered by Merlin AI) 00:03 - Measuring user value requires a multifaceted approach beyond simple metrics. 02:09 - Content quality diminishes as platforms optimize for user engagement. 04:15 - User experience on platforms like X affects long-term engagement and retention. 06:14 - Product design challenges in social media can stem from user engagement strategies. 08:09 - Social networks evolved from intimate communities to broad engagement-driven platforms. 10:01 - Improving algorithmic feeds enhances user experience on Twitter. 11:56 - Twitter's evolution highlights challenges in credibility and first-party content. 13:51 - Product clarity is essential for user understanding and engagement. 15:55 - Naming products requires creativity and user engagement for success. 17:44 - Rebranding considerations for startups amidst Twitter's evolution. 19:29 - Focusing solely on engagement metrics can distort product goals. 21:11 - Avoid mindless metric optimization for sustainable product growth.

[@youtubingperson5686]

In many ways, this video represents the growing resentment people have with the left: the patronizing idea that as a consumer I don't have the self control or ability to choose the content I want to engage with, because I'm too easily manipulated or have a "dumb lizard brain," so I need these enlightened people to force me to consume something else that happens to be more liberal and what they enjoy in order to help me. We're all adults. We want control of what we consume, not to have things we enjoy be censored. And if you're truly curious and interested in people who disagree with you or have a counter POV, you shouldn't be walking away from hearing a differing viewpoint upset or angry. I think that's an internal problem with you.

[@Sammi84]

Yeah except usage numbers on x have gone down 30%. People aren't enjoying it. X is in a downward spiral catering to the right and driving off the left. The x algorithm allows people to post "your body my choice". This is not something that a lot of people enjoy or feel safe seeing. So people are leaving a x is dying.

[@Ditto-i1d]

I don’t think that’s what they’re saying though. I saw it more as, it’s great there is all kinds of content on there - but there should be more obvious ways for me to control and choose what I want to see. It’s a fair critique, there has been a lot of slop on Twitter lately from engagement farming accounts (and it’s not just politics, which I’m fine with)

[@skeksis268]

@@Ditto-i1dyeah but then better custom controls often means clunkier product for people who aren’t power users, less exploration & serendipity… it’s a really tricky problem space. I’m a power user, I definitely want more control…. But if the system leant on those controls to start with I probably would never have become much of a user to begin with & tbh I would be more narrow minded as a result (I would have made a bubble for myself).

[@Ditto-i1d]

@@skeksis268totally agree it’s a tricky problem to solve for. But the bubbles you build for yourself is kind of the beauty of social media, and what I miss a lot of from the old Twitter. I had my simclusters, these small communities of people I loved engaging with - and that led to more discovery of other interesting simclusters. I feel it’s much harder for me to get that now, and it’s just a firehose of unrelevant content to me

[@Ditto-i1d]

@@skeksis268 agreed it’s a tricky problem to solve. but I like using social media to find bubbles that I enjoy - that’s what I miss a lot of the old Twitter. you were able to find simclusters that were your community, and that led to interesting discussions and discoveries of other simclusters. today’s Twitter makes it harder for me to get that same experience with the firehose of content in my feed, though I’ve had some success making highly curated lists and discarding the for you feed altogether.

[@beepdotboop]

Bluesky currently feels like the twitter of 2010s which is really nice. X has become a cesspool

[@vincentp.8337]

If bluesky makes you feel like a safe nostalgic please, it is great. I don't feel that way for X tho.

[@RefaGhaznavi-hd5hp]

Useful keep adding videos like this on different categories

[@morpheous1608]

Review Bluesky, por favor! 😊🎉❤

[@twheys]

I believe Elon Musk is trying to push x in the direction of a platform with a suite of tools, rather than just a way to broadcast messages to a network of connections. That would become one tool, grok is a second, among others, similar to how WeChat in China works.

[@AzureTheWolf-l6u]

That would be the best way to do to it

[@emmanuelgoldstein3682]

Grok has access to tweets so you can ask it for details about current and recent events. I use it whenever some breakthrough happens in machine learning to distill and then expand on the topic, but it works on all sorts of news.

[@johannesseikowsky8197]

Love this series! Looking forward to the next one :). Maybe KZbin as a product to analyse?

[@adamzaczek6342]

European here. What’s happening with twitter is shameful and scary. I kept seeing the 'Your body, my choice' getting posted unironically because the people with those kind of views feel safe and empowered there. Only in US and third world countries can such a behavior feel empowering.

[@DJpreskoboy]

It is ironical with the intention to troll

[@olivers-g4021]

lol is this a troll comment?

[@abhaygupta7901]

*colonist

[@mggaming4624]

Nobody here cares about your political opinions, we are talking about Twitter/X as a business. If the company can bring value to their liberals or conservatives users that is good in both cases, unfortunately it is not giving value to anyone

[@sydneyshields111]

Tom is based, less pessimistic about YC. I think it's important YC remembers that they may be accidentally alienating their best future founders with the more uncritical videos (even though they are inspiring!).

[@george_davituri]

I think to avoid clickbait don't follow over 1k pages to get more relevant content that you might want to see, even this number is huge. Small joke twitter sounds better than 'eX' 😃, but X is still good to visit sometimes.

[@amirsync]

I checked analytics for X and it's growing incredibly.

[@AzureTheWolf-l6u]

And for good reason, remember when the media said that X would fail? 😂

[@chaotixsniper]

what analytics are those lol , as of February 2024, twitter daily app users in America had fallen by 23% since November 2022 according to Sensor Tower

[@sydneyshields111]

do letterboxd next

[@isaac10231]

Twitter is a godsend for me. I've gotten interviews, software contract gigs, real friends, everything you can imagine from it. Most of the left leaning content left for threads or bluesky, what's left is the stubborn people like me who refuse to leave lol. Yes it's not ideal but if you're a startup founder or have any product in tech you MUST learn to post.

[@AzureTheWolf-l6u]

I’m on the right but as long as you aren’t some insane radical, I doubt you’ll get your stuff removed

[@Mr.nobody410]

can you do a product breakdown of Waze.Also any design recommendations while building a product?

[@ezebado]

Thank you guys for the talk and analysis. It was really helpful and waiting for more videos like this !

[@babajidebotoku7971]

The problem is more likely he fired so many people that some of these decisions are simply not priorities. The experience is horrible for things as little as playing a video.

[@UCnhHegbqCv6_CnRAETfCSsA]

Paul Graham is fighting back😂

[@docvaibhavmeena]

Okay, so both of you are here after listening to Acquired - Meta episode.

[@YouBetterThink]

I started using X a few months ago, it's the best social medium for me. Viewpoints from all sides, also some extremes. Glad to have all viewpoints represented, not just liberal ones

[@Sammi84]

Absolutely untrue. The left left. They're all on bluesky now. Twitter was that broad place that was for everyone. Twitter was a town square. X on the other hand is divisive and drives a lot of people off.

[@hdusten]

I don't think this is everyone's experience unfortunately. My twitter feed went from being fairly balanced - maybe left leaning just because there was more of that content on Twitter at the time. To what seemed like overnight just blasting me with videos of people being killed, fighting, war, radical patriotism, undeniable misinformation and overall gut renching distopian themes. I don't mind that stuff existing because free speech but I literally couldn't get out of the hole no matter how much I said "this doesn't interest me". I just checked to see if it's any different and.. nope. It's going to become disastrously worse when the community can no longer flag posts as this is not accurate information.

[@vincentp.8337]

@@hdusten not my experience, I don't see any of what you describe. I have just tech bros. X (not twitter) is an amazing experience, people are kind and considerate. It is my favourite social media by far !

[@chasehash]

You guys hit the nail on the head with this one

[@CodemanBen]

This was amazing. I just finished reading the book 'Character Limit' all about the behind the scenes of the Musk takeover of Twitter. Super interesting, but scary at the same time. I picked the right time to leave 😅

[@alikmock]

Start following other people and liking stuff will update your algorithm.

[@MBAnoBrainer_GMATPrep]

I particularly liked the brief review of the history of social networks. Thank you for the episode.

[@jaliljabbarli]

This is great! Please continue

[@MJ-mv5vx]

Do ChatGPT next :)

[@fingersoup]

You can still find Rachel Maddow somewhere out there. Don't worry.

[@AzureTheWolf-l6u]

lol

[@danielocampo543]

Great new series

[@allang]

The pearl clutching in the most condescending tone, disguised as some kind of lesson in product building, is gross

[@nedyalkokarabadzhakov5405]

Guys you forgot that MONETIZATION. People and other entities post for engagment and immpressions.

[@hello_world_104]

Not sure what's confusing about the value of grok and edge it has over others

[@nedyalkokarabadzhakov5405]

I am working on fixing this social stuff. Couple of days left. No recommedation alog, just human intetional choices.

[@gireeshbogu8580]

Great insights!

[@RaveeMalla]

Facebook let their messaging products (Whatsapp, DMs across their apps) grow and stay the close ties network. As long as they keep that up (bug, spam and ad free), there likely won't be a need for another close ties network.

[@yadniksable]

People who are building social if you really want to test product stickiness show users ads and if they are not leaving you will reach pmf.

[@ClaireLumiere-n2f]

Sad news, though the aesthetics used in the functionality were slightly admirable.

[@lancervp]

Please do stripe next.

[@minc33]

chatGPT vs Claude!

[@WilliamCawley-s6n]

Stripe is awesome😀

[@lucassaccone]

Why is there a post Radio ADN Chile in the reddit screenshot? xDD

[@sorus888]

Twitter loss is dna when they started to monetize

[@zill4_]

Yet X is seeing 6% increase year over year user growth.

[@grukoin2789]

this was really interesting

[@SnapDragon3489]

Not really interested in these guys thoughts on what someone that’s 1000x better at product then them is doing wrong

[@minc33]

These two guys created Google photos and Monzo. Elon took Twitter which was a household name and turned the app into a sewer. When it comes to consumer software, these guys are out of Elon’s league.

[@dwylhq874]

Have you used Google Photos for anything meaningful? It’s the worst. We have large family albums and pay good money for it and it crashes all the time on the latest iPhone/Android devices! Monzo doesn’t have a single original feature that other FinTech/Bank Apps don’t have. Yes, X is a dumpster fire for people who don’t learn ho to use the tools to improve their experience. But these muppets trying to dump on Elon just because it’s fashionable in SV is so last month. 🤦‍♀️

[@ahsookee]

Right, because elon's 4d chess plan was to Tank x's valuation from 40 bn to 7 bn in a few years. True product mastermind

[@tothphu]

​@@ahsookeeto be fair Elon overpaid for it, which he realised later at which point he couldn't get out of the contract. 2021 valuations for everything were already ridiculous.

[@danielocampo543]

Do strip next

[@danielterrero7956]

Do a stripe deep dive

[@adamblair3059]

It’s not “tricky”. Twitter wasn’t profitable. X is trying to be profitable. Social media is a mature landscape. Broaden the audience. Engage more feedback. Iterate. Change faster!!

[@cryptonative]

this is a false dichotomy, what's questionable here is the product not the business

[@dwylhq874]

And yet, without being profitable, there can’t _be_ a product!! Twitter was insanely unprofitable and bound for bankruptcy. Elon should have just waited a few months and bought it for pennies on the dollar.

[@shswt_cs]

nice video. appreciate it

[@velociraptor5962]

Most of X is yuck now. I just wanted to look at stuff I want and follow, now it's just like FB filled with garbage of "he's something we thought you might want". There's nothing on it I really need anymore. It's rare that I now use it.

[@piyushmahamuni4613]

I think It's best to always keep in mind whenever we're studying Elon that he can get away with what he does because where he stands at the moment. He has incredibly leverage and credibility to his name owing to tremendous success in lots fields which puts him in position to take seemingly senseless actions like rebranding "twitter" to 'x' and to me that's not a bad thing. If you have enough leverage to make any kind of decision as long as it's moral and ethical, and get away with it, what's the big deal? So it's stupid for others to do the same if they don't have the same leverage. And you conveniently forgot that over the period twitter got synonymous with censorship and that was the brand image in lot of people's mind so it does make sense to rebrand it to something new. And I personally don't like to see case studies disguised as subtle defamation of others. I mean, I'm here to to learn about startups, not to hear people belittle Elon. I don't care if he doesn't have a 'taste' for social media platforms - Tell me with numbers and not just your personal experience, what works and what doesn't.

[@All-InPodcastShortClips-uc5ml]

Somebody (Paul Graham) is getting jealous for Trump presidency and Elon Musk as director of department of USA efficiency.

[@hendrikvanhove]

He says his metric is maximising non-regretted minutes spent

[@theom9652]

Airbnb

[@yigitcoban9823]

nice video

[@moresea]

guys, the reason is, people are posting more about right leaning stuff. Cuz the world is more right leaning than 2016.

[@rodrigo445678]

The World is not more left leaning, centralized power centers are. Individuals are increasingly more right wing.

[@moresea]

I meant right leaning!! Sorry typo

[@Sammi84]

X favors right leaning content. It became blatantly clear after left leaning people went to bluesky and saw they got the same amount of post engagement on bluesky as on x, while having ten times as many followers on x. The algorithm on x clearly blasts right leaning content and suppresses left leaning content.

[@Sammi84]

The world has consistently been moving to the left for as long as anyone has been recording data about peoples preferences. For over a hundred years. People were crazy conservative a hundred years ago. Lynching and beating everyone who was different. Things that were mainstream right leaning ideas fifty years ago are now completely unacceptable. This is the long term general trend for the world, and nothing is stopping this and never has.

[@borisjoffe]

It's because the right isn't censored on Twitter anymore and the left has gone completely insane so the average person is center / center right

[@Jazz_FunkBass]

These 2 are activitists not startup gurus

[@mmayur404]

Don't wanna keep in touch with your Mom or Sister? Is it that bad?

[@bikiron24]

Have to admit. This was not one of best from YC

[@pieterroux9420]

What have you guys achieved this week? :)

[@SAsNextTopRapper]

fiverrr

[@sanusbenefits6327]

I am pretty disappointed, I went on most of the social media pages today and I didn't see a single Mexican fist fight.

[@yadniksable]

No user has ever left social because of ads. Its always the network or content that is not good anymore.

[@ireacttoshit4861]

First

[@dachsdog]

stop being political

[@manojthapa1641]

both of them look like they r havin a midlife crisis

[@daveb4446]

Do a video on user interface and compare the Google and X advertising bidding processes. Google has a clear and open model while X has a few obscure paragraphs and no documentation. Then X wonders why nobody is advertising there or bidding. Because the process is vague and unclear to customers.

[@alexwoxst]

This is not it guys

[@Knghtswrld]

How do you just start this video out lying? X user base and usage hours are way up from 2022 and increased from 2023. You said they are down?😂

[@pgurung001]

Grok is one thing that might tempt me to pay X. If it gets better than that alone is worth getting the app