Twitter, once a social media titan, is grappling with declining growth and a drop in user numbers. Despite a promising start, the platform has failed to keep pace with rivals such as Facebook and Snapchat. Twitter’s user base has stagnated at around 300 million, a fraction of Facebook’s 1.7 billion. The company’s value has also plummeted, from a peak of $40 billion in 2013 to just $13 billion today.
The platform’s complexity is often cited as a barrier for new users. In response, Twitter has introduced changes to simplify its interface, but these have failed to attract a significant number of new users. The company has also struggled to monetise its service, with advertising revenues falling short of expectations.
Twitter’s future now looks uncertain. Potential buyers, including Google and Salesforce, have shown interest in the past but have yet to make a move. Meanwhile, the company’s leadership has been criticised for its lack of strategic vision. Jack Dorsey, the firm’s co-founder and current CEO, has been unable to reverse Twitter’s fortunes since his return to the helm in 2015.
In the face of these challenges, Twitter’s role as a source of real-time news and commentary remains its unique selling point. However, whether this will be enough to secure the platform’s future is yet to be seen.
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