X Testing New Ad Format with Choice
X is currently testing a new ad format that inserts recommendations directly underneath posts that mention the company or its products. The initial test, discovered by a user in Europe, showed a suggestion to “Get Starlink” below a post praising Starlink’s satellite service in Portugal. Clicking on the link directed users to Starlink’s website.
Nikita Bier, X’s head of product, confirmed the test, stating, “Trying to make an ad product that isn’t an ad.”
While the Starlink ad is not visible to all users yet, the placeholder for the ad is already in place.
One user, @levelsio, had an outlined box beneath their post, showcasing a random X post, unless in a market where the ad test is active.
In areas where the ad is displayed, users have noticed the addition, with one commenting, “lmao, did you add this Starlink button?”
Responding to a suggestion about affiliate links in the ad slot, Bier mentioned, “No, then people will lie. I want to trust recommendations on here.”
X has not provided comments on the matter yet. DailyTech will update the article if there is a response from the company.
This test comes after the recent introduction of “Paid Partnership” labels for creators, allowing them to comply with social media advertising regulations without needing hashtags like “ad” or “paid partnership.”
By potentially combining sponsored posts with embedded advertiser links, X could attract more marketers to the platform, enabling it to compete better with larger social networks like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.
X has been focusing on creator content for some time, introducing various creator products such as payouts for viral content, ad-revenue sharing, and creator subscriptions. The company recently updated its Creator Subscriptions with new features, including monetizing individual threads.
Furthermore, X announced that its integrated chatbot Grok can now read X’s long-form content, known as Articles. This feature, however, is not widely utilized as creators often prefer to publish lengthy text on their own websites or newsletters.
