MediaRadar Sees Advertiser Rebound At Twitter in Q4

In this photo illustration, the microblogging social network Twitter logo is displayed on the screen of a smartphone on December 26, 2019 in Paris, France.
(Image credit: Chesnot/Getty Images)

The number of advertisers on Twitter has rebounded from the early days after Elon Musk’s takeover of the social media platform, according to a report by advertising intelligence company MediaRadar.

In the second quarter, Twitter had an average of 3,740 advertisers per month, according to MediaRadar. That dropped 3,000 advertisers per month in the third quarter, and came back to 3,700 advertisers in Q4.

“Make no mistake, the early stumbles wreaked havoc on Twitter’s ad business,” said Todd Krizelman, CEO, MediaRadar.

“But what we’re seeing with Twitter is reminiscent of other social platforms, albeit with some nuances,“ Krizelman said. “Though many major brands have dropped Twitter, many have not, and their spend has grown, in some instances. We’re also seeing smaller Twitter advertisers spend more than they have in the past, sensing a pricing opportunity. Ultimately, Twitter’s scale and value proposition remains attractive to many buyers.”

MediaRadar added that Twitter is still not attracting as many new advertisers as it did before Musk controlled the platform. In the first quarter, Twitter had about 1,500 new advertises every month. That fell off to 1,300 in Q2 and dropped to 630 in Q3. In the fourth quarter, the number of new advertiser rose to 1,100.

“To win new advertisers, Twitter will need to address brand safety concerns and deliver more capabilities and premium inventory,” Krizelman said. “Better user-targeting, more video content and robust brand safety measurement will support that effort.” ■

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.