You Won't Believe How X's New Starter Packs are Transforming Your Creator Experience—Act Fast!

After a slow start, X has finally embraced the “Starter Packs” trend, a feature first popularized by Bluesky back in 2024. These Starter Packs are designed to simplify the process for new users by helping them discover relevant accounts to follow based on specific interests or niches. This is particularly beneficial for individuals just beginning to explore the platform, as navigating the unique username structures across social media can often be confusing.

In response to these needs, X introduced its own version, aptly dubbed “Starterpacks,” distinguishing itself with the absence of a space in the name. This move underscores the platform's desire to improve user discovery and engagement, echoing a trend that has become increasingly relevant in the social media landscape.

Interestingly, the Starterpacks feature highlights areas like “Meme coins,” a community recently affected by X’s anti-spam updates. According to Nikita Bier, X's head of product, “Over the last few months, we scoured the world for the top posters in every niche & country. We've compiled them into a new tool called Starterpacks: to help new users find the best accounts - big or small - for their interests.”

While it's commendable that X is taking steps to enhance user experience, some observers feel that it could have acknowledged the groundwork laid by Bluesky. Regardless, this new feature aims to provide users with a curated selection of accounts to follow, ensuring that their feeds are populated with relevant content. This, in turn, could help X's algorithm better understand individual user preferences, thereby improving content recommendations across the platform.

Yet, the question arises: Is discovery truly the issue? Many users are already familiar with what X offers, so the effectiveness of Starterpacks remains to be seen. Historically, Twitter (now X) has recognized that user growth is hindered by difficulties in understanding the platform and finding the right accounts to follow, a problem acknowledged as far back as 2015. Bier's focus on new user growth makes sense in this context, and Starterpacks could indeed serve as a valuable tool for onboarding newcomers.

Certainly, with the average user seeing only 20-30 posts a day, an expanded discovery method could lead to increased engagement. X sees an influx of approximately 100 million new posts daily, ensuring that there will be no shortage of niche updates available for users to discover.

It's also worth noting that Threads has adopted a similar feature, launching its version of Starter Packs in December 2024. This suggests a broader trend where platforms are increasingly focusing on user discovery tools to enhance engagement and user satisfaction.

Bier mentioned that Starterpacks would be rolled out “in the coming weeks,” with early access available for some users. As these platforms evolve, the ability to curate content for new users may well become a defining characteristic of social media in the years to come.