This could be a significant hiring for X, and the future development of the app.
Today, app designer Nikita Bier has announced that he is joining X as head of product, which will see Bier bring his expertise to the app, and could spark all-new growth opportunities.
Bier is the creator of two previously viral apps, in “tbh,” which Meta acquired in 2017, and “Gas,” which was acquired by Discord in 2023. Both tbh and Gas are considered case studies in viral marketing, with both gaining millions of users in short spans of time, before being acquired by larger companies.
Bier has also advised on several other app projects, and his expertise in user dynamics could be of significant benefit for X, as it looks to regain growth momentum.
As per Bier’s announcement:
“X is the most important social network in the world. It’s where internet culture originates and where the world’s most influential people convene. Finding my community and building an audience on X has impacted my life more than any single thing: it’s unlocked friendships, professional opportunities and it’s even where I met my girlfriend. While I already spend every waking hour on this app, I’ll now be spending that time helping others unlock that same value.”
Bier says that he plans on “leveraging the power of Grok to create hyper-relevant timelines,” in order to help X users better understand everything that’s happening.
It could be a big hire, and again, with X losing users, and relevance, since the name change from Twitter, while also now facing a significant market challenge from Meta’s rival Threads, X needs an injection of innovation to spark more interest in the app.
So how will Bier be able to help X transform itself, and become a more culturally relevant platform once again?
Well, more AI-aligned timelines could be one aspect, and ensuring that users are getting the most relevant posts displayed to them every time they log in. That’s been key to TikTok’s success, with its almighty algorithm able to align itself to your interests within a few swipes.
Maybe, X could look to do the same, to ensure that the “For You” main feed is a more engaging mix of valuable content for each user.
Or maybe, Bier will look to integrate elements of his past apps, with both tbh and Gas using anonymous compliments to spark engagement between users.
That seems less likely to resonate on X, but maybe there are aspects to this that will apply, though Bier will really be bringing his broader product understanding to the app, in alignment with Elon Musk’s vision.
Which is probably the bigger element to consider. Elon has a very specific set of ideas in mind as to how he wants the app to be, and it’ll be interesting to see if and how Bier can align with this, while also implementing his own input.
And with X continuing to push into payments, and facilitating more use cases in the app, there could be some conflicts with that dynamic, and what exactly Bier can do within the framework of what Musk wants X to be.
But it does seem like a potentially valuable partnership, which could end up delivering for X.
