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Elon Musk’s New Playbook for X Advertising: Why Benefit-Based Targeting is Your Golden Ticket

In a recent “Ads Update + AMA,” Elon Musk laid out his ambitious vision for the future of advertising on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. For those of us at Zero Noise Marketing, it was a validating moment, as Musk championed a philosophy we’ve long advocated for: benefit-based targeting.

Here’s a deep dive into what’s changing on X and how your brand can capitalize on these new developments.

The End of “Spam Ads”: A Shift to Meaningful Connections

Musk was candid about the platform’s past shortcomings, admitting that advertising on Twitter was often “somewhat random” and, at worst, “spam.” The new direction for X is to transform ads from unwelcome interruptions into valuable content.

How? By focusing on meeting the user’s needs. Musk’s vision is to show users ads for products and services they actually want, at the moment they’re most receptive. This is the core of benefit-based targeting, and it’s a game-changer for advertisers who are tired of wasting their budgets on uninterested audiences.

Grok AI: The Brains Behind the Operation

The driving force behind this evolution is X’s proprietary AI, Grok. Musk explained that Grok will be used for “AI matching,” analyzing users’ public activities—what they post, like, and engage with—to create a detailed profile of their interests.[1] This will allow for a level of ad targeting that Musk claims will be “dramatically better” than anything the platform has offered before.[1]

Grok will also play a role in ad creation, with Musk suggesting that advertisers will be able to simply upload their product information and let Grok handle the rest, from crafting compelling copy to generating images and videos.[2]

New Rules of Engagement: Quality and Context are Key

In this new era of X advertising, simply having a big budget won’t be enough. X is introducing several new elements to its ad auction formula to reward high-quality, engaging ads:

  • Aesthetic Score: Grok will now evaluate the visual appeal of ads, giving preferential treatment to those that are “beautiful” and adhere to creative best practices.[1]

  • Landing Page Score: Ads with engaging landing pages will get a boost. This will be based on the time users spend on the landing page after clicking the ad.

  • Ads in Replies: This new format allows advertisers to insert their message directly into relevant conversations, capturing users’ attention when they are most engaged.

  • Conversion Data: Setting up conversion tracking and passing that data back to X will help the platform’s AI target ads to the most relevant users.

A Premium Audience for Premium Ads

Musk was quick to remind advertisers of the value of the X user base, which he described as the “smartest and wealthiest people in the world.” He argued that the high buying power of this audience makes X a “no-brainer” for advertisers, as users are more likely to be able to purchase the products they see advertised.

What This Means for Your Business

Elon Musk’s new vision for X advertising is a clear call to action for marketers. To succeed on the platform, you’ll need to:

  • Focus on value: Create ads that solve a problem or fulfill a need for your target audience.

  • Invest in quality creative: Visually appealing and well-crafted ads will be rewarded.

  • Get specific: The more targeted your product or service, the better Grok will be at finding the right audience for it.

  • Embrace the new tools: Experiment with “Ads in Replies” and leverage Grok’s ad creation capabilities.

The future of advertising on X is about creating a win-win situation for both users and advertisers. By embracing benefit-based targeting and creating high-quality, relevant ads, you can tap into a powerful and affluent audience, and see a real return on your ad spend.

Ready to level up your X advertising strategy? Contact Zero Noise Marketing today to learn how we can help you create campaigns that resonate and convert.

“The Bride”.  A an example of an experimental, or concept album project from 2022.  Painted in acrylic. (Private collection)

Building Confidence Through Language: A Guide for the Collector

One of the biggest barriers for aspiring art collectors is not a lack of taste, but a lack of confident language. People know what they are drawn to, but they often struggle to articulate the ‘why’ behind their emotional connection. Providing them with a basic vocabulary can be transformative.

By explaining core artistic concepts, we can bridge this gap. An artist’s newsletter or a gallery brochure could break down:

  • The Architecture of Composition: How lines and shapes lead the eye and create a focal point.
  • The Emotional Weight of a Color Palette: Why a limited, muted palette feels different from a vibrant, high-contrast one.
  • The Role of Value in Creating Depth: How the interplay of light and shadow builds a believable world.

It’s like being given a phrasebook in a foreign country; suddenly, you can navigate and connect with more assurance. Consider Edward Hopper, whose stylized realism simplifies scenes to their emotional core. Understanding this allows a collector to explain why the work feels so dreamlike and memorable. This knowledge doesn’t replace the emotional response; it validates it.

The Dialogue Between Feeling and Form

Great art speaks to us on two levels: the immediate, gut-level emotional reaction and the deeper intellectual appreciation. You might feel the perpetual warmth and light in a Monet, which immerses the viewer in the sensory experience of a moment. Conversely, you might sense the rugged, stoic soul of the landscape in a piece by Canada’s Group of Seven, which evokes a feeling of profound solitude.

These feelings are universal, but the ability to discuss why we feel them builds a stronger connection. From a marketing perspective, this education slots perfectly into the buyer’s journey. During the “comparison” phase, an artist who also educates their audience is building a relationship of trust and authority, making the final “decision” more likely.

Conclusion: A Bridge of Shared Understanding

Art, in its purest form, is an act of communication. Whether through the calculated narrative of a storyteller or the freeform expression of a poet, the artist extends an invitation to the viewer. By providing the language to understand this invitation, we empower collectors to move beyond simple preference and into the realm of true appreciation. It transforms a simple transaction into a meaningful connection, where the viewer doesn’t just own a piece of art—they become part of its ongoing story.

About the Author

Jaeson Tanner is a Marketing Thinker at Zero Noise Marketing and a narrative artist once in a blue moon. You can see his work on Instagram at @jaeson_tanner.