Some people, businesses, and influencers always wondering how the Twitter algorithm works. Platforms like Facebook and Twitter have made big changes in how we talk to each other and get information. There is something called an algorithm that helps with this. The algorithm has always been a part of social media and it helps us see things we might like. It gets updated a lot to make it better.
One example is Twitter. In 2018, they changed their algorithm to stop mean messages and bad stuff. They wanted people to feel safe and have a good time.
In 2020, Twitter changed its algorithm to fight against lies and wrong information. They made it so that tweets with fake news are harder to see. They did this because there was a lot of fake news during the US Presidential Election in 2016. And in 2022, Twitter’s algorithm changed again.
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The Explanation of the Twitter Algorithm
Twitter has special computer programs called algorithms that help decide what you see on the platform. They look at different things to figure out which tweets should be on your timeline.
The algorithm pays attention to:
- How you’ve used Twitter before
- How many people like or share a tweet
- How new a tweet is
- What the tweet is about
These are just some of the things the algorithm thinks about. But Twitter keeps changing how important each thing is in the algorithm. Twitter changed its algorithm in 2022 to make it better. They introduced something called “Topic Scores” to show tweets about specific things that you might like.
To calculate a Topic Score, Twitter looks at how much people talk about the topic. They count how many tweets there are, how many times people share them, and how much people search for the topic. Then, Twitter gives each topic a score. If the score is higher, it means more tweets about that topic will show up on your timeline.
Besides Topic Scores, Twitter also lets you choose between two timelines: Home or Latest tweets. The Home timeline is picked by the algorithm, and the Latest timeline shows tweets in the order they were posted.
Twitter made this change because people wanted more control over what they see. You can switch between the two timelines in your settings.
Understanding Twitter’s Timeline
Let’s see how the Twitter algorithm affects what you see on your timeline in 2022. When you open Twitter, the first thing you’ll see is your Home timeline. It has tweets from people you follow and topics that Twitter thinks you’ll like.
The algorithm looks at how you’ve used Twitter before to decide which tweets to show you. If you liked, commented, or shared similar things in the past, the algorithm will show you more of those kinds of tweets.
The algorithm also looks at how popular a tweet is and when it was posted. It wants to show you the most popular and important tweets right now. Even if you don’t follow someone, if their tweet is getting lots of likes and comments, it might show up on your timeline.
The algorithm likes new tweets too. So, if you haven’t used Twitter in a while when you open it, you’ll see the newest tweets first. You can also switch to the “Latest” timeline anytime. It shows tweets in the order they were posted, with the newest ones at the top.
To switch to the Latest timeline, go to your settings and turn off the “Show me the best tweets first” option.
What Are the Main Ranking Indicators of Twitter’s Algorithm?
We learned that the Twitter algorithm looks at many things to decide which tweets are important. But before that, it pays attention to some main signals to figure out which tweets to show first.
1. Recent Time
One of the important things the Twitter algorithm looks at is how new a tweet is. It wants to show you the most recent tweets first. That’s why when you open Twitter, you’ll see tweets from people you follow at the top. Even if those tweets don’t have a lot of likes or comments, they’re still important because they’re new.
Because of this, if someone you follow posts a new tweet, it will show up on your timeline before an older tweet from the same person, even if the older tweet had more likes and comments. The algorithm cares more about what’s new.
2. How Relevant
The Twitter algorithm looks at what you’ve done on Twitter, like what you tweeted, what you liked, and what you commented on or shared. Using this information, it tries to figure out which tweets you will find interesting. If you’ve shown interest in similar things before, the algorithm will show you more of that kind of stuff on your timeline.
The algorithm also pays attention to how popular a tweet is. If lots of other people are liking, commenting, or sharing a tweet, it’s more likely to show up on your timeline, even if you don’t follow the person who posted it.
3. The Engagement Rate
The algorithm likes tweets that get a lot of attention, like when people like, comment, or share them.
If a tweet has a lot of likes, comments, or retweets, it’s more likely to show up on your timeline. It doesn’t matter if you don’t follow the person who tweeted it. The algorithm thinks that if many people are interested in the tweet, you might be too.
The algorithm also pays attention to the kind of attention a tweet gets. For example, a tweet with lots of likes is more likely to be shown than one with only a few likes. The algorithm thinks that likes are not as important as comments and retweets.
A tweet with comments and retweets is seen as more valuable. It means people are taking time to talk about the tweet and share it. The algorithm thinks that if people are doing that, the tweet is probably interesting and important.
4. What Media You Used
Tweets with fun things like pictures, videos, and GIFs are more likely to be on your timeline than tweets without any of those. This is because tweets with fun things get more attention.
The Twitter algorithm also likes certain kinds of fun things. For example, tweets with pictures are more likely to be shown than tweets with videos. That’s because pictures are easier to look at and understand than videos.
The Twitter algorithm also likes tweets with videos that are made for Twitter. They like it better than videos from other places. That’s because videos made for Twitter make people happier and keep them on Twitter.
Now that you know how the Twitter algorithm works, you can make your tweets better to make sure more people see them.
Tips to Beat Twitter Algorithms in 2023
1. Publish Tweets That Are Applicable to Your Audience
If you know what your audience likes, you can make tweets that they will care about. When you do this, your tweets will show up in their timeline more often. It’s important to make sure your information is interesting to them so that the algorithm doesn’t think it’s spam.
2. Engage With Other Users’ Content
A good way to make sure more people see your tweets is by interacting with other people’s tweets. When you like, comment, or retweet someone else’s tweet, there’s a better chance that your tweets will show up on their timeline. And if the people who follow them see your name, they might visit your profile and start following you too.
3. Try to Use Rich Media in Some of Your Tweets
We talked about how tweets with fun things like pictures and videos are more likely to be seen by people. So, if you want more people to see your tweets, try adding pictures, videos, and GIFs when you can.
When you do this, more people will like, comment, and share your tweets. You might even get a group of people who really like your fun stuff and share it with their friends.
4. Post Your Tweets During Strategic Times
There isn’t one perfect time to post on Twitter, but some times are better than others. Usually, it’s good to post in the morning, evening, or on the weekends. But, you should try different times to see what works best for the people who follow you and when you like to tweet.
If you want to make it easier, you can use tools like SocialPilot to plan and schedule your tweets ahead of time.
If you plan your posts ahead of time, you can make sure you always have something to share on social media. This helps you keep a regular schedule and make sure you don’t forget to share things with your followers.
5. Always Use Hashtags But Don’t be Spammy
Hashtags are like special words that help you reach people who don’t follow you. When you use hashtags in your tweets, it’s easier for people who are interested in that topic to find your tweets in searches or their timelines.
Hashtags also help you find and connect with other people who are talking about the same thing. Just remember, it’s best to use only a few hashtags in each tweet. Using too many can make your tweet look like spam.
6. Make FAQ Section
If you want more people to see your tweets, you can try answering common questions in them. Many people search online for answers, and if you give a helpful answer in a tweet, more people will like, comment, and follow you.
When you help people with their questions, it makes your brand special because not all brands make it easy for customers to get answers.
Conclusion on How The Twitter Algorithm Works
The Twitter system is always changing, but brands can still do things to make their social media efforts successful. Here are some helpful tips:
- Keep posting regularly and make sure your posts are related to what people want to see.
- Use keywords that make your posts easy to find in searches.
- Share information that is helpful to many people.
If you know what Twitter looks for in good posts, you can use that knowledge to reach more people and get more followers.
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