Running ads on X? This new emoji rule from Elon Musk’s platform may surprise you

X, the platform once known as Twitter, is tightening the rules for advertisers and this time, by cutting down on emojis. From now on, if you’re running a paid promotion, you’re only allowed to use one emoji. Add more, and your ad could get hit with a lower quality score, meaning fewer people see it, it might cost more to run, or it could be rejected entirely.

This change doesn’t come out of the blue. It follows X’s recent decision to ban hashtags in promoted posts. Together, these moves point to a broader clean-up. The company says it’s aiming for a sleeker, more minimalist look powered by AI. In short, fewer distractions, more focus.

The new emoji limit isn’t just for the US. It applies pretty much everywhere—including India. The only exceptions are Japan and South Korea, where emojis are such a big part of the culture that X has decided to make an exception.

In a statement explaining the change, X said: “We’re refining the way ads appear on X to prioritise clarity, relevance, and a cleaner interface. The overuse of emojis and hashtags has been shown to dilute message impact and reduce engagement quality. Our new guidelines support a more streamlined ad experience that resonates better with audiences.”

Not everyone’s thrilled. For a lot of marketers, emojis aren’t just playful extras—they’re tools. A well-placed emoji can set the tone, show emotion, or make an ad pop in a crowded feed. Cutting that down to just one feels, to some, like being told to whisper in a room full of shouting.

And this is just the latest tweak. A few weeks ago, X also said it would start charging advertisers based on how tall their ads appear in the feed. The bigger the ad, the higher the cost.

So yes, X is clearly aiming for a fresh, streamlined aesthetic.

For now, if you’re planning to advertise on the platform, keep it clean, to the point—and limit yourself to just one emoji.

Sci/Tech