Twitter is one of the many social media platforms that have become a large part of our everyday life. Sometimes, we forget that these spheres of communication have algorithms that come with them, working behind the screen to control and narrow down what you actually see on your timeline.

So, if you’re affiliated with a certain political party, these algorithms ensure that the majority of the tweets you see are linked to that party’s views. If you’re into video games, many gaming companies will be pop up on your timeline. And if you dislike something, it will probably end up disappearing from your timeline over the course of the week.

The point is that all social media platforms, including Twitter, are using more and more complex algorithms to satisfy their user base and deliver content they are more likely to approve of.

So, what do you need to know about Twitter’s algorithm, and how can you use it to your advantage?

 

Things to Look Out For

 

Twitter is really narrowing its focus on engagement, despite its stalling audience numbers. And a key way to increase engagement is through increasing relevance of the posts seen.

According to Twitter’s engineering blog, these are some factors that decide whether a Tweet is engaging enough:

  1. The recency, likes, retweets, and attached media
  2. Whether you have previously liked or retweeted the author of the Tweet
  3. The types of Tweets you have previously interacted positively with

 

Over the next couple of days, Twitter will recommend people for you to follow, and depending on how you answer, it will adjust the content seen by you to better reflect its estimation of your preferences.

Evidently, we’re seeing the users themselves play a large factor in what they see on their timelines. By simply liking or using the “I don’t like this” button once or twice, the information received can vary quite a bit.

You might be wondering: why does it seem like Twitter’s algorithm is a little too simple? While it’s not the simplest thing in the world, it is certainly not as complex as other media platforms such as Facebook. This makes it easier to manipulate. For example, a smaller company may tag a random brand or company in a tweet that has nothing to do with their tags. This is because smaller businesses are looking for more exposure. With these algorithms, this method is very effective.

 

How To Take Advantage

 

Generating engagement with your tweets is a great way to boost engagement and put yourself on top of the algorithm game. Engaging your audience and boosting exposure keeps you at the top of the talk while using the correct hashtag ensures you’re being talked about.

If you’re a smaller company, try to tag large companies in your tweets to gain exposure, with extra brownie points if the company relates to what you’re talking about. While it only works to a certain degree, gaining followers by any means possible is a good strategy.

After all this talk about engagement, it’s important to understand how to spark that sort of conversation. If you ask random questions, it will look forced. If you don’t interact at all, you risk a dip in exposure. Find a way to be genuine in your responses, and stay true to your brand’s voice.