Partisanship in Social Media: How organizations can navigate the new landscape
Key Findings:
- 30% of adult consumers in the U.S. perceive X as conservative and right-leaning, while 31% say it is neutral/balanced.
- More than 1 out of 4 consumers say that a company leaving X would make them more favorable towards that company.
- While consumers are much less familiar with the main alternatives to X, Bluesky and Threads, these platforms are currently perceived to be more ideologically neutral and a company’s activity on them matters little to consumers.
Implication:
It is time to diversify your social media presence. If a firm has not done so already, begin to establish accounts on Bluesky and Threads. There is no need to shut down a presence on X, but by engaging on all three platforms, companies may be able to rebut criticisms should they arise, by pointing out that you’re active on all major social media platforms. Presence on one platform is not indicative of an ideological or issue position; you’re simply reaching your customers where they are.
Methodology:
The survey was conducted online from December 13-16, 2024, with a national U.S. sample of 500 adults equally distributed among political ideologies. The margin of error is +/- 4.38%.
Detailed Findings:
- 30% of adult consumers in the U.S. perceive X as conservative and right-leaning, while 31% say it is neutral/balanced.
This perception is stronger among Democratic consumers.
|
For X (formerly Twitter), how would you describe it generally? |
Total Sample (n=500) |
Democrats (n=149) |
Republicans (n=169) |
Independents (n=154) |
|
Very or Somewhat Liberal / Left-leaning |
15% |
17% |
18% |
12% |
|
Very or Somewhat Conservative / Right-leaning |
30% |
39% |
24% |
31% |
|
Neutral / Balanced |
31% |
28% |
34% |
32% |
|
Don’t Know |
23% |
16% |
22% |
23% |
Of those familiar with X (formerly Twitter), only 26% of consumers have a very favorable opinion of the brand. Republicans are more likely to hold a very favorable opinion than Democrats and Independents.
|
Now, based on everything you know, please indicate if you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of X (formerly Twitter). |
Total Sample (n=403) |
Democrats (n=126) |
Republicans (n=141) |
Independents (n=122) |
|
Very Favorable |
26% |
21% |
34% |
22% |
- More than 1 out of 4 consumers say that a company leaving X would make them more favorable towards that company.
More Democratic consumers would have a more favorable opinion, while half of all consumers would not change their opinion or don’t know.
|
How would your opinion change, if at all, towards a company or organization that publicly said it was going to leave X (formerly Twitter)? |
Total Sample (n=500) |
Democrats (n=149) |
Republicans (n=169) |
Independents (n=154) |
|
Much or Somewhat More Favorable |
28% |
34% |
24% |
28% |
|
Much or Somewhat Less Favorable |
21% |
21% |
22% |
21% |
|
Unchanged |
37% |
34% |
40% |
36% |
|
Don’t Know |
15% |
11% |
14% |
15% |
- While consumers are much less familiar with the main alternatives to X, Bluesky and Threads, these platforms are currently perceived to be more ideologically neutral and a company’s activity on them matters little to consumers.
Democratic consumers are more familiar with all the three platforms compared to Republicans and Independents.
|
We are now going to ask you about three specific social media platforms. Please indicate whether you are very familiar, somewhat familiar, not very familiar, or not at all familiar with each of the following. % Very or Somewhat Familiar |
Total Sample (n=500) |
Democrats (n=149) |
Republicans (n=169) |
Independents (n=154) |
|
X (formerly Twitter) |
66% |
74% |
68% |
64% |
|
Threads |
35% |
46% |
38% |
26% |
|
Bluesky |
14% |
20% |
14% |
8% |
Consumers are more likely to not know how to describe Threads’ and Bluesky’s political slant or perceive them as neutral and balanced.
|
For these same social media platforms, how would you describe it generally? % Neutral / Balanced or Don’t Know |
Total Sample (n=500) |
Democrats (n=149) |
Republicans (n=169) |
Independents (n=154) |
|
X (formerly Twitter) |
54% |
44% |
57% |
56% |
|
Threads |
74% |
72% |
70% |
77% |
|
Bluesky |
75% |
70% |
71% |
79% |
Should a company post more on Threads or Bluesky, the majority of all consumers would not change their opinion about that company or don’t know.
|
How would your opinion change, if at all, towards a company or organization that publicly said it was going to post more on these social media channels? % Unchanged or Don’t Know |
Total Sample (n=500) |
Democrats (n=149) |
Republicans (n=169) |
Independents (n=154) |
|
X (formerly Twitter) |
48% |
41% |
51% |
47% |
|
Threads |
67% |
58% |
65% |
73% |
|
Bluesky |
72% |
68% |
69% |
77% |