Whether you love it or hate it, Twitter isn’t going anywhere anytime soon; the platform has around 368 million monthly users. From a business standpoint, Twitter is an important social media tool that gives you access to potential customers and targeted demographics. However, it comes with one small hiccup: you’ve got to crack the Twitter algorithm.
What is an Algorithm?
Algorithms are used by social media sites and search engines; they serve as a set of rules that dictate how content is viewed and ranked, ultimately determining who sees it and its viral potential. In essence, the algorithm acts like the big brother of the internet, tracking what users enjoy and offering content based on this.
Of course, algorithms aren’t simple; they’re not consistent, either. In fact, an algorithm is a fickle beast, constantly changing and involving several elements that are never set in stone.
The Twitter Algorithm
Like other social media platforms, Twitter’s algorithm comes packaged with plenty of mystery. The site uses a black box algorithm, which effectively means that users aren’t able to see the inner workings of the process. Because of the amount of influence social media exerts, this tactic is somewhat controversial and many have called for sites to be more transparent in how they operate. To counter, Twitter and others claim that this method protects their company’s trade secrets and shields them from unfair competition.
Even without being able to crack the code completely, there are several things that we do know about how Twitter’s algorithm works. There are key factors that play a role, including when the tweet was created, how relevant and topical the tweet is, its engagement potential, and how people within your network are interacting with it. Photographs and videos can make a difference as well, as tweets with media tend to be more engaging than those with plain text. Tweets about hot-button issues may also be prioritized, as they invite discussion and heated debate.
Keeping these tips in mind when drafting tweets that are interesting, relevant, engaging, and consistent can help your message snowball, encouraging the Twitter algorithm to show it to more and more people. This dramatically ups the chances of going viral.
The New “Following” Newsfeed
In addition to Twitter’s main newsfeed, the platform has recently rolled out a secondary “Following” newsfeed that shows tweets from accounts you follow, in chronological order. While much of the success of your tweets relies on the factors outlined above, this update brings to light the importance of timing and follower quality. The new change sparks hope for smaller accounts hoping to re-engage their audience.
Need some guidance on social media marketing or anything else? Give us a shout and we’ll be happy to help.
Photo by Alexander Shatov on Unsplash