X Adds ‘Banger’ Badge to Spotlight Top Posts; Here’s How to Qualify

X has introduced Certified Bangers, a monthly badge that highlights five of the platform’s most engaging original posts. Selection is based on “authentic interactions”, verified impressions, likes, bookmarks, reposts, and replies. Personal accounts in good standing can earn the badge; business, political, and government accounts are excluded.

Elon Musk’s X is testing a new Certified Bangers feature that aims to recognise the platform’s most resonant content each month. According to X, the initiative is meant to “recognise and celebrate posts that move the platform — the ones that make people laugh, think, or talk.” Five posts will be chosen monthly, and winners will display a Bangers badge on their profile for one month.

The company emphasises that the selection metric is authentic interactions: a sum of verified impressions, likes, bookmarks, reposts, and replies — rather than follower counts. X says there is no minimum follower or engagement threshold to be eligible for the badge, but accounts must be personal and in good standing (no repeated or severe policy violations). Accounts affiliated with businesses, political entities, or governments are explicitly ineligible.

How posts qualify

X has outlined content rules for eligible Banger posts. To be considered, a post must:

• Use original content.

• Not contain sexually explicit content, ads, or sponsored material.

• Avoid misleading, harassing, graphic, or violent content.

The company also flagged a behavioural rule: accounts “that aren’t trying to game our system or algorithm” will be the only ones considered. X has not yet detailed any additional benefits that come with the Banger badge, beyond temporary profile recognition, though past platform badges have been tied to algorithmic visibility or feature access.

Why X is doing this

The move fits a broader strategy at X to use AI and product signals to increase user engagement and platform culture creation. By rewarding top posts, X seeks to incentivise original, conversation-driving content that fuels virality and time spent on the service. For creators, the badge is a public recognition that can amplify social proof even if it doesn’t yet carry direct monetisation perks.

What creators should consider

• No follower barrier: Small creators with original, high-quality posts can win.
• Content rules matter: Avoid sponsored or disallowed content if you want to be eligible.
• Personal accounts only: Company and political accounts are out of the running.
• Temporary recognition: The badge lasts one month; X hasn’t announced additional perks.

Certified Bangers is an experiment in surface-level gamification with a clear editorial bent: reward original posts that spark authentic conversations. For creators and community managers, it’s a reminder that thoughtful, platform-aligned content can gain visibility even without a large following, provided it follows rules and genuinely engages users.