X (formerly Twitter) is experimenting with a new advertising format that places a recommendation directly below posts mentioning a company or product.
The test was first spotted by an X user in Europe. In the example, a post praising Starlink for working well in Portugal showed a suggestion beneath the post reading “Get Starlink.” Clicking the link directed users to Starlink’s website.
Ads Designed To Look Less Like Ads
Nikita Bier confirmed the experiment, saying the goal is to build “an ad product that isn’t an ad.”
The feature appears to detect product mentions in posts and then inserts a related recommendation underneath the content. For users in regions where the test is not active, the slot still appears but displays a random post instead.
The test was noticed under a March 6 post by X user @levelsio. In regions where the experiment is active, the space shows the Starlink promotion instead of unrelated content.
Several commenters in the thread questioned whether the post author added the link manually. Bier replied that the placement was part of the experiment.
Affiliate Links Rejected For Now
During the discussion, one user suggested allowing affiliate links in the recommendation slot so creators could earn revenue from the placement.
Bier rejected the idea, saying affiliate links could encourage people to make dishonest product claims in order to earn commissions.
Part Of A Larger Creator Monetization Push
The test comes shortly after X began rolling out “Paid Partnership” labels for creators to mark sponsored posts. These labels help creators comply with advertising disclosure regulations without requiring hashtags like “#ad” or “#paidpartnership.”
If combined with the new recommendation slot, the feature could make sponsored posts more interactive by attaching a direct product link below the content.
X has been trying to strengthen its creator ecosystem for years. Since the platform’s acquisition by Elon Musk, it has introduced several monetization tools.
These include revenue sharing for ads displayed in replies, subscriptions for exclusive content, and payouts tied to viral engagement.
New Creator Features Continue To Roll Out
The company recently updated its Creator Subscriptions program with additional features, including the ability for creators to monetize individual discussion threads.
X also expanded capabilities for its AI assistant Grok. The chatbot can now read and interpret long-form posts published through X’s Articles feature.
However, long-form writing tools on X remain underused. Many creators still prefer publishing extended content through independent blogs, newsletters, or platforms dedicated to long-form writing.
The new recommendation-style ads may be part of X’s broader effort to attract more creators and marketers as it competes with platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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