# Twitter/X Algorithm & Content Strategy

## Ranking Signals

Twitter/X uses a mix of engagement signals and network graph:

### For You Feed (algorithmic)
1. **Engagement velocity** — likes, retweets, replies in the first 30 minutes
2. **Network relevance** — interactions between you and the viewer
3. **Content type bonus** — images get ~2x the engagement of text-only tweets
4. **Recency** — half-life of a tweet is ~18 minutes, but high-engagement tweets get extended life
5. **Topic clustering** — content matched to viewer's interest graph

### Image vs Text Performance
- Tweets with images get **150% more retweets** and **89% more likes**
- Image tweets have **18% higher click-through rate** to profiles
- Quote tweets with custom images outperform plain quote tweets by ~3x
- Thread header images increase thread completion rate

## Content Types That Perform

| Type | Engagement level | Best for |
|------|-----------------|----------|
| Hot take + image | Very high | Virality, followers |
| Thread with header image | High | Thought leadership, authority |
| Announcement + product screenshot | High | Product launches, milestones |
| Data visualization / chart | High | Tech, business, research |
| Meme / humor image | Very high | Brand voice, virality |
| Link card (blog post) | Medium | Traffic, SEO |
| Plain text | Medium | Quick thoughts, replies |

## Thread Strategy

- **Thread header** (tweet 1): Hook image + compelling first line
- Subsequent tweets: One idea per tweet, build momentum
- **Numbering**: "1/12" in image helps viewers commit
- Final tweet: CTA + retweet of first tweet
- Optimal length: 5-12 tweets (beyond 15 gets diminishing returns)

## Engagement Patterns

### First 30 Minutes
- The algorithm evaluates early engagement to decide broader distribution
- Post when your audience is active (check analytics)
- Engage with replies quickly — reply velocity signals conversation-worthy content

### Peak Times (general)
- Tech/Business: Weekday mornings 8-10am, lunch 12-1pm (audience timezone)
- Creative/Entertainment: Evenings 7-9pm, weekends
- Global: Stagger for multiple timezones or post during overlap hours

## Suppression Triggers

Avoid:
- **External links in tweet body** — Twitter suppresses tweets with links (put in reply instead)
- **Excessive hashtags** — Max 1-2 hashtags (Twitter is not Instagram)
- **Engagement farming** — "Like if...", "RT for..." without substance
- **Cross-posting markers** — "Posted via Instagram" type indicators
- **Low-quality images** — Blurry, small, or heavily compressed images