​Can X’s TV app be a success with audiences?

X recently announced that it is to launch a dedicated TV app, aimed at bringing “real-time, engaging content to your smart TVs” from exclusive content via user uploads and creator partnerships.

The app’s interface looks similar to YouTube’s, as seen in a teaser video.

This is an interesting move for the social media giant. It’s an attempt to carve out a niche in the user-generated video streaming space, and has huge potential, particularly given that  74% of adults are connected TV (CTV) users, and CTV ad expenditure is set to reach £2 billion by 2025.

Yet, the video streaming space is highly saturated with user-generated content, with the likes of YouTube and Twitch dominating.

With this in mind, it will need to work a lot harder to stand out from experienced platforms if it wants to have a chance at substantial growth.

The power of personalisation

One of the key battlegrounds for X will be in how its video app curates content and how it serves it to audiences. Historically, X has always experienced challenges with the content on its platform and the way it is moderated. It is no secret that it has experienced challenges with brand safety and copyright infringement. The platform is currently a wild west for content – so for its TV app to be a success, it will need to monitor these challenges very closely.

However, X also has a unique advantage. It is home to a plethora of users and these users have diverse interests. X has the potential to leverage this cleverly by truly personalising the experience for them on the TV app.

This could be harnessed through its existing features, such as the topics and followed hashtags sections on the platform. If it masters this well, it has the potential to create highly engaged communities, which could be beneficial for long term growth and retention in the future.

Moreover, X has long been a go-to platform for real-time updates and breaking news, particularly through short video clips on breaking news, current affairs and sport. Transitioning this content to a TV format could significantly enhance its audience’s viewing experience, making it more accessible and enjoyable on larger screens.

This move could help X carve out a specialised niche in the streaming market, focusing on real-time, event-driven content that engages viewers at the right moment.

Ambitious growth potential

There’s no doubt that X’s investment in a TV app paves the way for X to become an established long-form video content provider. It has already secured exclusive content deals with the likes of Big3, the three-on-three basketball league, and CNN anchor Don Lemon, former US congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and sports radio host Jim Rome on a series of exclusive short-form videos and films for the platform.

Exclusive, high quality content deals are a good way to attract audiences. But this cannot guarantee long-term success. What is interesting in X’s case is that it has invested beyond this, such as via its partnership with BetMGM to introduce sports betting on the platform.

This helps set X apart from other social networks and streaming services, offering real-time interactivity on the platform, which supplements the video content.

There is huge potential for X to leverage this further. It is already a social network so building on interactive solutions and gamification elements, such as real-time polls, trivia, and points-based rewards systems while watching video content can move the dial in terms of boosting engagement on the platform and driving talkability among content.

X’s venture into the TV app space is a strategic move with significant promise, yet it’s not without its challenges. By leveraging its strengths in real-time content and focusing on its potential to personalise the experience for niche audiences, could help drive success for the platform. And it has huge potential to become a worthy player in the streaming space.

 Sam Drury is UX director at UIC Digital