Have you ever wondered why some tweets seem to get more engagement and visibility than others? It’s Twitter’s algorithm at work. Twitter’s algorithm determines what content users see when they open the app or visit the website. The algorithm sorts through the 500 million tweets sent daily and decides what tweets are prioritized in a user’s timeline.
Understanding the Twitter algorithm is necessary to succeed on the platform. Optimizing tweets for companies and brands can help increase exposure and reach the right audience. For everyday users, the algorithm aims to show timely tweets from accounts they care about and match their interests to provide a personalized Twitter experience.
But how does the Twitter algorithm work? This article explains the fundamental principles behind the Twitter algorithm and gives 12 tips to boost your tweets’ visibility and grow your Twitter account.
Read on to discover practical insights on how to reach more users and grow your Twitter account faster.
What is Twitter (X) Algorithm?
The Twitter algorithm is a complex set of rules that determines what content Twitter shows its users. This content includes what tweets appear in a user’s home timeline, search results, and recommendations.
Twitter feed algorithm considers many factors when determining what tweets to show, including recency, engagement, follower count, content type, frequency of posting, keyword matching, and user interests.
New Twitter algorithm updates are rolled out periodically as the company experiments with new factors and weights for existing factors. The goal is to optimize user experience by showing each person the most relevant and interesting tweets.
However, the exact inner workings of Twitter algorithm ranking are not publicly disclosed to prevent people from gaming the system.
How Twitter Algorithm Works in 2024
Over the years, we’ve had several Twitter algorithm changes. So here are a few key factors that determine how prominently your tweets are displayed in other users’ timelines in 2024:
1. Engagement
Twitter engagement algorithm wants to show users tweets that spark conversation and interaction. So, tweets with higher engagement – replies, retweets, likes, and clicks – are likelier to appear at the top of timelines. Asking questions, tagging other users, using trending hashtags, and tweeting at optimal high-traffic times can all boost engagement.
2. Media
Tweets with images, GIFs, videos, and links tend to get more engagement, so Twitter’s algorithm favors them. Visual media, in particular, catches users’ attention and makes tweets more shareable. Even simple visuals like emoji can help.
3. Relevance
Twitter tracks how users interact with specific topics, phrases, hashtags, and keywords. Tweets relevant to users’ interests and previous engagements are ranked higher in their timelines.
4. Recency
Recent tweets have an advantage since Twitter wants to show users the latest information. While older evergreen content still has a chance to rank well if it receives ongoing engagement, tweeting consistently and frequently will increase the likelihood of your tweets appearing at the top of timelines.
5. Account Credibility
Established accounts with a history of high-quality tweets and engagement tend to rank higher. The credibility of an account depends on several factors, including how long the account has been active, the number of followers or connections the account has, and the frequency and quality of content posted.
6. User interests
The algorithm learns what kinds of tweets each user engages with and shows more of that type of content. Other indicators of personalized content on Twitter include how long the user engages with specific content types and what links or websites they visit most frequently through the platform.
12 Tips to Optimize Your Tweets for Twitter (X) Algorithm
Here are 12 tips to optimize your tweets and boost visibility:
1. Get Your Account Verified
Twitter prioritizes tweets or accounts with verification badges, so they always appear at the top of search results when users look for specific accounts or keywords.
To verify your account, you must subscribe for $8/month, have a display name and profile photo, be active in the last 30 days, and have a confirmed phone number linked to your account. Once verified, you will receive a blue checkmark badge on your profile and all other benefits of being a premium user.
2. Share Trending Topics
Current events and trending topics tend to get boosted the most by the algorithm. Monitor trending hashtags and topics related to your industry or area of focus, and when relevant trends emerge, create and schedule posts riding the wave of that trend.
Analyze engagement metrics to determine if the trend is resonating with your audience. Retweet or share relevant posts from influencers or other brands within the trend.
Discover the top tweet ideas on our blog ‘25 Most Effective Tweet Ideas‘ to elevate your Twitter (X) marketing strategy.
3. Use Trending Hashtags
Using popular hashtags, especially at peak times, helps tweets get noticed. But don’t overdo it, or your tweet may seem spammy. Limit the number of hashtags per post to 1 to 2 for optimal visibility.
Choose hashtags that are popular but moderately saturated. Check how many tweets have the hashtag to ensure it’s being actively used but not by millions of users.
Here’s a more comprehensive guide on how to use hashtags and how to find trending hashtags on Twitter (X).
4. Post at Optimal Times
Tweeting when your followers are most active means more eyes on your tweets. The algorithm rewards good timing by ranking these tweets higher.
Tools like Mandala AI can help you find the best time to tweet. Mandala AI analyzes your audience and follower demographic data to determine when most of your followers are online.
You can test posting at various times and days of the week to measure the resulting engagement on each post.
5. Engage With Your Audience
Engaging with the people who follow you will make them more likely to engage with your tweets. Respond to comments and mentions on your posts in time. Thank followers for their feedback, questions, and compliments. You may be unable to engage in every comment or mention, so you must focus on the most important ones.
6. Use Eye-Catching Visuals
Media-rich tweets drive higher engagement. Use eye-catching visuals like high-quality images, GIFs, memes, and infographics to grab people’s attention and make your tweets stand out. Test different visual styles to see which performs best for your audience.
7. Mention Influencers
If you mention an influencer in your tweet, tag them by including their handle. They may engage with your tweet, retweet it, or, at a minimum, see that you mentioned them. Their followers may see your posts and become interested in following you.
Note that you should tag influencers only when the post is relevant and valuable to their followers and them. Send them a personal message first to build rapport before publicly tagging them.
8. Retweet Others
Find interesting tweets from people you follow and retweet them. When retweeting others, add your commentary to provide value. Show why you found the content interesting and how it relates to your audience.
This practice helps you build credibility and connections and shows you are an engaged community member. Others may return the favor and retweet you in turn.
9. Ask Questions
Asking questions in your tweets is a great way to spark conversation and engagement. It encourages users to respond and share their thoughts, creating a more interactive experience.
When crafting your questions, try to make them open-ended and thought-provoking, encouraging users to provide detailed responses. This can help you gain valuable insights, gather feedback, and connect deeply with your audience.
10. Host Contests and Polls
Hosting a contest can create excitement and incentivize users to interact with your tweets. You can ask users to retweet, like, or reply to enter the competition and offer prizes that align with your brand.
Polls, on the other hand, allow you to gather valuable insights and opinions from your audience. They encourage participation and provide a platform for users to express their preferences.
11. Repurpose Top-Performing Content
Take advantage of your best-performing content by repurposing it in different formats. For example, consider turning a tweet into a blog post, infographic, or video if it receives many retweets or likes. This allows you to reach a wider audience and extend the lifespan of your content.
12. Be Authentic and Consistent
Authenticity is vital when it comes to building a solid presence on Twitter. Users appreciate genuine and original content, so avoid using generic or automated tweets. Instead, strive to share your unique perspective, personality, and expertise. Be consistent in your posting frequency, tone, and messaging to build trust with your audience over time.
It’s Time to Optimize Your Tweet
Twitter may be an ever-changing platform, but understanding what drives visibility and optimizing your content around those factors will serve you well no matter what updates come down the pike.
Analyzing your audience before posting tweets will go a long way in building your credibility, authority, and your followers’ engagement. We recommend Mandala Analytics to discover real-time information about your audience.
Our tool also provides you with insights into the ideas that interest your audience the most. As a result, you can write tweets that exactly appeal to your target audience, producing better results. Contact us to excel on Twitter with our premium social media software!
