Elon Musk’s Twitter‑Woes: Are We Losing the “Heavy” Tweeters?
Fast‑forward to April 2023: Elon Musk, already contemplating a massive $44 B purchase, casually asked if Twitter was “dying.” The conversation, filtered through internal research now in the hands of Reuters, shows that the story is far from a tidy headline about celebrity ghosting. Instead, the real drama is happening backstage with the platform’s biggest influencers.
The “Heavy Tweeter” Elephant in the Room
- Definition: Heavy tweeters log in 6‑7 days a week and puff out 3‑4 tweets per week.
- Size: Less than 10 % of monthly users, but they produce a staggering 90 % of all tweets.
- Goldmine: They also generate half of Twitter’s global revenue.
So, if Twitter’s busiest heartbeat is slowing, it’s basically a crisis on steroids.
Decline Since the Pandemic
A Twitter researcher titled the internal note “Where did the Tweeters Go?” and confirmed a sharp drop in heavy activity since the pandemic began. The platform has been feeling the cold, and not just in the sense of freezing air.
Changing Interests & Advertising Mojo
The study dives deep into the minds of English‑speaking heavy users, mapping their interests through the accounts they follow. The trends? They’re shifting, and advertisers are noticing.
- Up‑and‑Coming: Crypto buzz and “not safe for work” (NSFW) content—think nudity and adult material—are climbing fast.
- Down‑to‑Earth: Classic staples like news, sports, and entertainment are showing a cool‑down. Those topics, which once gave Twitter its “digital town square” charm, remain the most developer‑dreamed content for ad spend.
Because US advertisers dominate the revenue pie, and they’re most keen on the reliably loyal English‑speaking audience, this shift feels like a potential identity crisis on Blockbuster‑era scale.
How Big Is the English‑Speaking Elephant?
Twitter hasn’t disclosed how many of its tweets come from English users or how much revenue that slice nets. But some analysts argue that English‑speaking engagement is a critical pillar for Twitter’s business model. In Q4, the platform earned more ad revenue from the US alone than from all other markets combined.
Twitter’s Response
When asked about the internal findings, a spokesperson reminded us that the company constantly monitors trends. They stressed that overall audience growth remains strong—with a 238 mDAU milestone hit in Q2 2022. But behind the headline numbers, the anonymous “heavy” crowd is shrinking.
So, while Elon’s brainchild may be on the brink of a $44 B pivot, the platform’s core community might just be pivoting away from the pulse‑driving users that keep the revenue engine humming. The next question is whether the platform can reverse this trend—before the heavy tweeters move on to their next digital playground.
‘Not safe for work’ content
Heavy Users Dive into NSFW and Crypto on Twitter
According to fresh research, the crowd of power‑users drawn to adult‑content and cryptocurrencies on Twitter is on a steady climb. Twitter is one of the rare major platforms that lets curly‑hair and bare‑skin go plum on its feed, and an internal slide suggests that adult material makes up roughly 13 % of the site’s content. The exact math behind that number remains a mystery—no one bothered to explain it in the slides that were seen by Reuters.
Advertisers’ Quick Exit Act
Big brands usually skip over naked nudity and scandal for fear of tarnishing their image. When Twitter ads were pulled after a wave of illicit child‑pornography accounts popped up, companies like Dyson, PBS Kids and Forbes announced their suspensions in a Reuters September report.
How Twitter Responded
- Twitter’s official statement: “Zero tolerance for child sexual exploitation.”
- Committed more staff and tech to fight the problem.
Crypto Craze Hits a Peak… Then Slides
The most language‑savvy English‑speaking Twitterers hooked on crypto jumped to an all‑time high in late 2021, according to the internal documents. But after the market crash last June, interest took a nosedive, and analysts warn the crypto surge might not be the next big boom.
Inside the Staff’s Fears
- Former and current Twitter employees expressed worry that Elon Musk’s push for lighter moderation and reports of staff cuts could cause the quality of content to deteriorate.
- They fear a slippery slope of chaos, and the platform’s vibe could shift further from a safe space to a wild jungle.
In short, heavy users care less about the usual polite scrolling and more about sharp edge content—both NSFW and crypto—while advertising giants stay cautious, and the platform fights to keep it all from turning into a horror show.
‘Devastating’ losses
Twitter’s Big Comeback? More Like a Burnout
Once the go‑to spot for hot takes on world affairs, politics, pop culture and even e‑sports, Twitter’s heavy‑hitter crowd is now shrinking.
From Capitol Chaos to Quiet Corners
- During big moments—think the Jan 6 Capitol riot—tweets about world news and liberal politics shot through the roof.
- Since then, the same groups have shrunk, and no signs of a bounce back appear on the radar.
Fashions, Celebs and a Dash of Lost Followers
- Fashionistas and fans of celebrity tribes like the Kardashians are click‑away.
- Many have moved on to Instagram or TikTok, where the visual vibe fits better.
Esports and Streamers: The Real Shockers
- E‑sports and online personalities once felt the Twitter love grow, but now those communities are quietly fading.
Internal Roaring Confusion
One researcher lamented, “It’s like we’re aiming for values but the numbers are cheering for something else.” Even the company’s research arm is reshuffling to understand why the social scene feels so off.
What’s Next?
While Twitter keeps policing content, the platform’s biggest audiences seem to be moving on—whether for fashion feeds, new streaming formats, or simply “more fun” on other apps. The next chapter? Hard to predict but it’s sure to be exciting.
