Social media platform X (formerly Twitter) is testing a new advertising format that automatically connects user posts with related products.
The feature inserts a recommendation below posts that mention a company or its services, turning casual mentions into potential product promotions.
The new ad format places a product recommendation directly beneath a post that references a brand or its offering.
The initial test was spotted by a user in Europe. Under a post praising Starlink for working well in Portugal, a suggestion appeared saying “Get Starlink.”
When users clicked the link, it redirected them to the official website of the satellite internet service.
X confirms the experiment
The test was confirmed by Nikita Bier, head of product at X (formerly Twitter).
Responding to the discovery, Bier wrote that the company is “trying to make an ad product that isn’t an ad.”
At the moment, the Starlink promotion is not visible to all users. However, the placeholder where the ad appears can still be seen on certain posts.
How the Test Appears on the Platform
Users visiting a post shared on March 6 by Pieter Levels (known on X as @levelsio) may notice an outlined box beneath the text.
For most users, the box currently displays a random X post.
However, in regions where the advertising experiment is active, the space instead shows a product recommendation related to the content of the post.
Several users noticed the unusual addition. One commenter asked in the thread: “Did you add this Starlink button?”
Why Affiliate Links Are Not Allowed
In the same discussion, Bier addressed suggestions that creators should be allowed to add affiliate links to the ad slot.
He rejected the idea, explaining that it could encourage misleading promotions.
“No, then people will lie,” he said, adding that he wants users to be able to trust recommendations shared on the platform.
The ad experiment comes as X (formerly Twitter) continues expanding its creator-focused features.
Earlier this week, the platform introduced “Paid Partnership” labels that allow creators to mark sponsored posts. The labels help comply with social media advertising regulations without requiring hashtags like #ad or #paidpartnership.
If sponsored posts are eventually paired with embedded product links, the system could make the platform more attractive to marketers.
Competing with major creator platforms
The company has been working for years to strengthen its creator ecosystem — even before it was rebranded as X under Elon Musk.
So far, it has introduced several creator tools, including:
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payouts for viral posts
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ad-revenue sharing
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creator subscriptions
The platform also recently updated its Creator Subscriptions program with new features, including the ability for creators to monetize individual threads.
In another update announced this week, the integrated chatbot Grok can now read the platform’s long-form posts, known as Articles.
However, long-form publishing remains underused on X, as many creators prefer sharing extended content on their own websites or newsletters.
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