The new format places product suggestions beneath relevant posts, blurring the line between organic content and advertising.
X is experimenting with a new advertising format designed to feel less like an ad and more like a natural recommendation.
The platform is testing a feature that inserts a product suggestion directly beneath posts that mention a company or its products. The test was first spotted by a user in Europe.
In one example, a post praising Starlink’s satellite internet service in Portugal triggered a recommendation below the tweet reading “Get Starlink.” Clicking the link directed users to the Starlink website.
X’s head of product, Nikita Bier, confirmed the experiment with a brief comment:
“Trying to make an ad product that isn’t an ad.”
How the New Ad Format Works
The feature appears directly under a post referencing a product or brand.
Instead of displaying a traditional sponsored tweet, the interface adds a product recommendation box below the post.
Key elements of the test include:
- A suggestion button tied to the product mentioned in the post
- A direct link to the brand’s website
- Placement directly within the conversation thread
The goal is to create ads that feel contextual and organic, rather than interruptive.
Limited Test — But Visible to Many Users
The feature is not currently available to all users.
However, the placeholder box for the ad slot is visible globally.
If users visit a post by @levelsio from March 6, they can see the empty placeholder below the post text. In regions where the test is active, the slot displays the Starlink recommendation.
Elsewhere, it currently shows random posts instead of ads.
Several commenters in the thread noticed the feature and questioned whether the post author added the link themselves.
No Affiliate Links — To Prevent Manipulation
During the discussion on X, one user suggested allowing affiliate links in the recommendation slot.
Bier rejected the idea.
“No, then people will lie. I want to trust recommendations on here.”
The comment suggests X wants the feature to function as a platform-controlled advertising product, rather than user-driven affiliate marketing.
Part of a Larger Creator Monetization Push
The ad experiment comes as X continues trying to attract creators and advertisers.
Earlier this week, the company introduced “Paid Partnership” labels, allowing creators to disclose sponsored posts without relying on hashtags like #ad.
Combined with embedded product links, these features could:
- Make creator sponsorships easier to monetize
- Offer advertisers native product placement
- Encourage brands to spend more on X campaigns
The platform has long struggled to compete with Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, where creator-driven advertising dominates.
X’s Broader Creator Strategy
Since Elon Musk acquired Twitter and rebranded it as X, the company has launched several tools aimed at boosting creator engagement.
These include:
- Ad revenue sharing for creators
- Creator subscriptions
- Payments for viral posts
- Monetization for individual threads
X is also expanding its AI features.
The company recently announced that its chatbot Grok can now read and analyze long-form “Articles” posts, though adoption of that publishing format remains limited.
Ads That Blend Into the Feed
The new recommendation format highlights a broader trend in digital advertising: blending ads into organic content.
If successful, the approach could turn everyday posts into shopping triggers, where a casual product mention instantly becomes a purchase link.
The challenge will be maintaining trust.
After all, if every enthusiastic tweet about a product turns into a sales pitch, users might start wondering:
Was that recommendation genuine—or algorithmically monetized?
TL;DR:
X is testing a new advertising format that places product recommendations beneath posts mentioning a brand. The experiment, confirmed by head of product Nikita Bier, aims to create ads that feel like organic suggestions rather than traditional sponsored posts.
AI Summary:
- X testing product recommendation ads under posts.
- Example shows Starlink link beneath a positive tweet.
- Ads appear only in limited test markets.
- Feature is part of X’s push to attract creators and advertisers.
- Affiliate links won’t be allowed to prevent manipulation.
