X Touts Better Looking Ad Formats, and Improved Targeting Systems

After banning both emojis (for the most part)and hashtags in paid promotions in the app, X is now touting its new age of in-stream ads, which will be better-looking, more responsive, and drive better results overall.

Though it hasn’t provided any data to back up such claims. But if you want to use X ads, you will have to play by the new rules.

As explained by X:

“Imagine ads that blend naturally into your timeline — no more clunky hashtags, over-the-top emojis, or distracting URLs. This approach creates ads that are crisp, captivating, and genuinely resonant, cutting through the noise without any unnecessary clutter or distractions.”

Better looking ads is certainly a positive, though I’m not convinced that the removal of hashtags and the restriction of emojis (note: emojis should be limited to one per ad under X’s new rules) will actually lead to better results for advertisers, and it seems like these changes have mostly been driven by Elon Musk’s own preferences for in-stream content.

Elon has strong opinions on such, previously trying to remove all function buttons in-stream, in order to create a “cleaner” look. Elon has also sought to reduce the presence of referral links, while he’s also called hashtags an “esthetic nightmare,” which, seemingly, is the main reason why X has chosen to remove them from ads.

I mean, ideally, such changes would be driven by data, and insights showing that ads without emojis and hashtags actually perform better with users, which is why X would be making such a move. But nope, no data here, X hasn’t shared any notes on performance measurement, and how ads will be impacted by these changes.

They’ll just look better. And that’s stated as a fact, not a matter of opinion or perspective.

Which is not the ideal way to go about product decisions, but when your platform is being guided by the man who created the Cybertruck, I guess that’s how it goes.

And maybe Elon’s right, and X ads will look better as a result. I just don’t see how such a decision could be made without a range of studies and analytics showing how these updates will improve user response.

But if you want to use X ads, you’ll need to play by the new rules. Or they’ll cost you more:

“We're also refining our ad formats to be sleeker, while assigning each ad an aesthetic score that will influence its pricing. The bottom line? Craft ads that look and feel premium, and watch your performance soar.”

So you either make ads that X likes, or you’ll pay more for reach.

X also claims that its ad system is improving overall:

“X Ads are now infused with state-of-the-art machine learning, making them smarter and more effective than ever. AI-powered targeting finds your ideal audiences with laser precision, unlocking superior outcomes. And with Grok at your side, you'll get actionable insights into campaign performance, plus lightning-fast generation of ad copy and creatives to help you activate quicker.”

Again, no stats or data to back this up, just hyperbole. But maybe X’s ad system has been updated.

X also says that its Grok-based “Explain this post” button will soon be extended to ads, in order to give users deeper insights into the ads they see, “making it easier to verify claims and learn about the brands behind them.”

Which I’m sure at least some X advertisers won’t be entirely happy with, but it could give users more options to glean insight into ad claims.

So is this a better approach? Will the removal of hashtags and emojis make X ads better, and more responsive?

We don’t know, but X says they’ll look better, while its back-end improvements, it claims, will deliver better results.

I guess, you’ll only know if you try them out, and if your target audience is still active on X, these are some additional considerations to keep in mind.