X abandons Revenue Sharing: Original Content Rewards arrives

The break with Revenue Sharing: what X stated

The August 8, 2026, X has officially announced its intention to close its program Revenue Sharing. The stated reason is straightforward: the program was “misaligned,” meaning it was structurally out of alignment with the platform's editorial and commercial priorities. As reported by TechCrunch in the original article, X replaces the old mechanism with a new program called Original Content Rewards.

Revenue sharing, introduced under Musk's management as a tool to attract quality creators, distributed a share of the advertising revenue generated by verified users' threads. However, over time it had shown clear limitations. In fact, it rewarded raw virality rather than editorial quality, creating distorted incentives toward polarizing or low-substance content.

So, the platform has decided to intervene structurally. The shift to Original Content Rewards marks a change in philosophy, not just in mechanism.

Original Content Rewards: the logic of the new system

At the time of writing, X has not published complete technical documentation on how Original Content Rewards. Therefore, some considerations are based on what has been leaked and the official statements available.

The name itself is indicative. The focus shifts to’originality on the content produced, rather than on the ability to generate reactive engagement or advertising impressions. This suggests a more qualitative evaluation system, potentially based on signals such as depth of interaction, reading retention, or the nature of the content (original text vs. repost, comment vs. creation).

Similarly to what YouTube did with its Partner Program updates, or Meta with its creator bonuses, X seems to want to shift its focus toward those who produce value-added content. However, the difference compared to these platforms is that X starts from a still relatively narrow creator base and an advertising ecosystem that is in the process of being rebuilt.

In particular, it will be crucial to understand whether the new program will also be accessible to mid-size creators — not just mega-influencers — and with what access thresholds.

Immediate impact on influencer and content marketing strategies

For the Marketing Manager Italians who use X as a distribution channel or who collaborate with creators active on the platform, the implications are concrete and immediate.

First of all, anyone who had negotiated collaborations with creators based on Revenue Sharing earnings as an indirect compensation lever will need to revise the terms. In fact, many niche creators used the program's proceeds as an argument to justify lower fees in partnerships. With the closure of the program, this dynamic changes.

Furthermore, companies that had integrated X into their strategies digital marketing As an organic channel, they will need to monitor the evolution of creator behavior. If Original Content Rewards truly rewards quality, it is possible that the X feed will improve in the medium term. Conversely, if the new system turns out to be less lucrative than the previous one, there is a risk of a creator exodus to other platforms.

For those who manage LinkedIn campaign o Google Ads campaigns In parallel with X, this transitional moment can be useful to re-evaluate budget allocation across channels.

The broader context: the creator monetization model war

The change in X does not happen in a vacuum. We are in a phase of generalized redefinition of monetization models for creators across all major platforms. According to an analysis by Harvard Business Review, the so-called creator economy it is currently worth over 250 billion dollars globally, with sustained growth that attracts investment and, consequently, competition among platforms to snap up the best talent.

In this scenario, X is in a peculiar position. Despite high media visibility, the platform has lost significant ad spend share in recent years. Therefore, the sustainability of a revenue-sharing program depends directly on its ability to attract advertisers. If advertisers do not return in force, any monetization program for creators remains structurally fragile.

In addition to this, it is worth noting how platforms like Substack, Beehiiv, or LinkedIn are building alternative models based on subscriptions and paid content. These models are less dependent on display advertising and therefore more stable for creators. X, with Original Content Rewards, seems to want to stay within the perimeter of advertising monetization, but with more selective distribution criteria.

To delve deeper into the dynamics of the creator economy on a global scale, the report by McKinsey & Company on the future of creative work it offers a structured and up-to-date framework.

What brands need to ask themselves now

The transition from Revenue Sharing to Original Content Rewards raises some operational questions that every Marketing Manager should deal with before acting.

• Are the creators we collaborate with enrolled in the Revenue Sharing program? If so, the closure of the program could alter their economic expectations and their willingness to produce content for brands.
• Is X a primary or secondary channel in our strategy? If it is secondary, the transition time suggests maintaining a wait-and-see position. If it is primary, a contingency plan is necessary.
• Are we measuring performance on X with updated KPIs? Metrics like organic reach or the engagement rate could vary significantly with the algorithm change related to the new program.
• Is our editorial plan on X based on original content? If the answer is no, Original Content Rewards could indirectly penalize even brands that do not produce quality native content.

We of SHM Studio We recommend against making immediate structural changes to your strategies on X. Instead, it is preferable to wait for the publication of the official Original Content Rewards guidelines before redesigning editorial plans or renegotiating agreements with creators.

Outlook: what to expect in the coming months

In the short term, X is likely to release more detailed documentation on Original Content Rewards by the third quarter of 2026. Following that, we expect a testing period with selected creators before a broader rollout.

For 2027, the implications will depend heavily on two variables: the quality of the technical implementation of the new system and X's ability to bring premium advertisers back to the platform. If both conditions are met, Original Content Rewards could also become an interesting model for Italian brands looking to build an editorial presence on X.

On the contrary, if the program turns out to be opaque in its criteria or insufficiently rewarding for mid-tier creators, the risk is a further loss of talent to more predictable platforms. In that case, the strategies of SEO e copywriting on proprietary channels — blogs, newsletters, corporate websites — will once again be the safest choice for building lasting organic visibility.

For those who want to learn more about how to build a resilient content strategy regardless of social platform developments, our team is available through the Contact Us. Furthermore, on the SHM Studio Blog We publish regular updates on these topics.

Finally, for those who want to explore how artificial intelligence is changing content production and the evaluation of its quality — a topic directly connected to the new Original Content Rewards criteria — our AI services They offer a concrete starting point.