x-mastery

X Algorithm Mastery

The definitive guide to X (Twitter). Based on X's open-source recommendation algorithm, engagement data from 10M+ tweets, and strategies from accounts that grew 0 to 100K+ followers.

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TL;DR - The 10 Commandments

1. First 30 minutes are everything - engagement velocity in this window determines 90% of reach
2. Replies > Retweets > Likes - reply weight is 27x higher than likes in ranking
3. No links in main post - X actively suppresses posts with external URLs
4. Video = 10x, Images = 2x - media multipliers are real and significant
5. Reply to every comment - especially in first 2 hours
6. Post 3-5x daily minimum - consistency compounds
7. Premium = algorithmic boost - verified accounts get priority in For You
8. Low following ratio - keep followers > following or get penalized
9. Niche down hard - algorithm rewards topical authority
10. Never delete flopped tweets - deletion rate is tracked negatively

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How The Algorithm Actually Works

The 4-Stage Pipeline (from source code)

┌─────────────────┐
│ 1. CANDIDATE    │  Pull ~1,500 tweets from:
│    SOURCING     │  - In-network (50%): accounts you follow
│                 │  - Out-network (50%): similar accounts, trending
└────────┬────────┘
         │
┌────────▼────────┐
│ 2. RANKING      │  ML model scores each tweet:
│    (RealGraph)  │  - Likelihood to reply (highest weight)
│                 │  - Likelihood to retweet
│                 │  - Likelihood to like
│                 │  - Likelihood to report (NEGATIVE)
└────────┬────────┘
         │
┌────────▼────────┐
│ 3. FILTERING    │  Remove:
│    (Heuristics) │  - Blocked/muted accounts
│                 │  - Excessive posts from single author
│                 │  - NSFW (unless opted in)
│                 │  - Balance in/out network mix
└────────┬────────┘
         │
┌────────▼────────┐
│ 4. SERVING      │  Final timeline:
│                 │  - Mix with ads
│                 │  - Runs 5B times/day
│                 │  - Avg time: 1.5 seconds
└─────────────────┘

Engagement Weight Multipliers (from source code analysis)

Action	Weight Multiplier	Notes
Reply	27x	Highest signal - indicates real engagement
Retweet	20x	Strong distribution signal
Quote Tweet	24x	Higher than RT (adds context)
Like	1x	Baseline
Bookmark	4x	Private save = high intent
Profile click	12x	Shows deep interest
Dwell time (2min+)	11x	Longer read = quality content
Video watch (50%+)	16x	Completion matters
Report	-738x	DEATH SENTENCE
Block	-74x	Very negative
Mute	-369x	Worse than block
"Show less often"	-73x	Soft negative

The RealGraph Score

Every account pair has a "RealGraph" score measuring relationship strength:

In-Network Signals:

• How often you interact with them
• Whether you've liked their recent content
• Whether you've RT'd them before
• Whether you've replied to them
• Profile visits to their page
• Dwell time on their tweets
• Video watch completion rate

Out-Network Signals:

• People with similar interests engaged
• People you follow engaged
• Topic cluster matches your interests
• Trending in your geographic area

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Content Type Rankings

Format Performance (relative to text-only baseline)

Content Type	Engagement Multiplier	Algorithm Boost
Native Video	10x	High priority
Video (GIF)	6x	Medium-high
Images (1-4)	2-3x	Medium
Polls	4x	Drives replies
Threads (3+)	3x total	Cumulative engagement
Text only	1x	Baseline
Text + Link	0.3x	SUPPRESSED

Video Specifics

• Optimal length: 30-90 seconds
• Completion rate matters more than views
• Captions boost watch time 40%+
• First 3 seconds must hook (80% drop-off point)
• Square/vertical outperforms landscape on mobile

Image Specifics

• 4 images > 1 image (more real estate)
• Alt text improves accessibility ranking
• Original images preferred over stock
• Faces in images get 38% more engagement

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Posting Strategy

Frequency Guidelines

Goal	Posts/Day	Replies/Day
Maintenance	1-2	5-10
Growth	3-5	20-50
Aggressive Growth	5-10	50-100
Maximum	15-20	100+

Warning: More than 20 posts/day triggers spam detection.

Optimal Timing (US timezone reference)

Time Slot	Quality	Why
8-10 AM ET	BEST	Morning scroll, commutes
12-1 PM ET	Good	Lunch break
4-6 PM ET	Good	End of workday
8-10 PM ET	Decent	Evening leisure
11 PM - 7 AM ET	Worst	Low activity

Pro tip: Post 5-10 minutes BEFORE peak times - algorithm needs time to surface.

The Velocity Window

Minutes 0-30:   CRITICAL - determines 90% of reach
Minutes 30-60:  Still matters - can push to "trending"
Hours 1-2:      Important - extended reach window
Hours 2-6:      Diminishing returns
Hours 6+:       Dead unless viral

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What KILLS Your Reach

Instant Death Triggers

• ❌ External links in main post (use replies)
• ❌ Getting reported by multiple users
• ❌ Posting identical content repeatedly
• ❌ Using banned words/phrases
• ❌ Aggressive follow/unfollow patterns
• ❌ Automated behavior patterns

Slow Death Triggers

• ❌ Inconsistent posting schedule
• ❌ Not replying to comments
• ❌ Too many hashtags (>2)
• ❌ Off-topic from your niche
• ❌ High tweet deletion rate
• ❌ Low follower-to-following ratio (<1.0)
• ❌ No profile picture or bio

Shadowban Indicators

1. Your tweets don't appear in hashtag searches
2. Replies don't show under other people's posts
3. Sudden engagement cliff (90%+ drop)
4. "This tweet is unavailable" for others

Recovery: Stop posting 24-48h, then post only high-quality content for 2 weeks.

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Thread Optimization

Thread Structure That Works

Tweet 1: HOOK - Must stand alone, no "thread" or "🧵" in hook
Tweet 2-3: The PROBLEM - Why this matters
Tweet 4-7: The SOLUTION - Step by step value
Tweet 8: SUMMARY - Key takeaways
Tweet 9: CTA - Follow for more / link in reply

Thread Rules

• First tweet MUST work standalone
• Each tweet should make sense alone (people quote-tweet mid-thread)
• Number your tweets (1/, 2/, etc.) for scannability
• Add images/videos throughout - not just first tweet
• Put links in LAST tweet or reply to thread

Thread Length Sweet Spots

• 5-7 tweets: Best engagement per tweet
• 10-15 tweets: Maximum total engagement
• 20+ tweets: Diminishing returns, looks spammy

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X Articles (Long-form)

Hook Patterns (Proven 10K+ engagement)

The Insecurity Hook

"Everyone's talking about [X] and you're still wondering if you missed the window..."

The RIP Hook

"RIP [profession]. This AI tool will [action] in [time]."

The Secret Hook

"I spent [time] studying [X]. Here's what nobody tells you..."

The Opportunity Hook

"This is the biggest opportunity since [comparison]."

The Mistake Hook

"I wasted [time/money] making these [N] mistakes. Don't repeat them."

Article Structure (Optimized)

1. HOOK (insecurity, curiosity, or opportunity gap)
2. SOCIAL PROOF (why you're credible to write this)
3. THE PROBLEM (what's at stake)
4. THE SOLUTION (your framework/method)
5. STEP-BY-STEP (numbered, actionable)
6. OBJECTION HANDLING (why most won't do it)
7. RESULTS (what they'll get)
8. URGENCY (why now)
9. CTA (specific next action)

Article Formatting

• H2 headers for each major section
• Bold key phrases (but not entire sentences)
• Bullet lists for scanability
• Time estimates for each step
• Copy-paste templates when applicable
• No em dashes - use commas or periods
• Short paragraphs - 2-3 sentences max

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Account Health Factors

TrustScore Components

• Account age (older = more trust)
• Verification status (Premium boost)
• Follower-to-following ratio
• Historical engagement rate
• Report/block rate received
• Content policy violations
• Authentic follower percentage

The Follower Ratio Rule

Ratio > 10:1   = Authority signal (boost)
Ratio 2:1-10:1 = Healthy (neutral)
Ratio 1:1-2:1  = Warning zone
Ratio < 1:1    = Follow-farming penalty

Premium/Verification Benefits

• Higher ranking in For You tab
• Posts shown to non-followers more
• Priority in replies
• Longer tweet limit (4,000 chars)
• Edit tweets ability
• Bookmark folders
• Blue checkmark social proof

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Growth Tactics

1. Reply Guy Strategy (0-1K followers)

1. Turn on notifications for 10-20 large accounts in your niche
2. Be FIRST with a thoughtful reply (within 5 minutes)
3. Add genuine value - insight, question, or experience
4. Don't shill - just be helpful
5. Their audience discovers you through great replies

2. Quote Tweet Takeover (1K-10K)

1. Find viral posts in your niche
2. Quote tweet with "Let me explain why this matters..."
3. Add 3-5 points of genuine value
4. Credit the original author
5. Builds authority + captures their audience

3. Thread Dominance (10K-100K)

1. Post 2-3 educational threads per week
2. Repurpose into video/carousel
3. Cross-promote on other platforms
4. Build email list from thread CTAs
5. Threads compound - old threads still get discovered

4. Controversy Calibration

• Mild hot takes: 2-3x engagement
• Spicy opinions: 5-10x engagement but risky
• Inflammatory: viral but attracts reports

Rule: Only be controversial about things you genuinely believe.

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Engagement Farming Techniques

Question Formulas

• "What's the most [adjective] [thing] you've ever [done]?"
• "Unpopular opinion: [statement]. Agree or disagree?"
• "If you could only [do X] for the rest of your life, what would it be?"
• "Name a [thing] that's overrated. I'll start: [example]"
• "Wrong answers only: What is [X]?"

Reply Bait Patterns

• Leave something incomplete for people to correct
• Make a slightly wrong statement (people LOVE correcting)
• Ask for recommendations
• Start a debate between two options
• "Fill in the blank: ____"

Engagement Pods (Use Carefully)

• Small group (5-10 people) in your niche
• Engage with each other's content in first 30 min
• Genuine comments only (algorithm detects fake)
• Don't overdo - 1-2 posts per person per day

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The No-Link Strategy

Why Links Kill Reach

• X wants users to stay on platform
• Link posts get 0.3x normal reach
• Affiliate links are especially suppressed

Link Placement Strategy

❌ Bad:  "Check out my course [link]"
✅ Good: "I made a free guide on [topic]. Drop a 🔥 and I'll DM it to you."
✅ Good: Thread → Link in final tweet or reply
✅ Good: "Link in bio" (but don't overuse)
✅ Good: Pin tweet with link, reference in other tweets

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Analytics That Matter

Key Metrics to Track

1. Impressions/Follower: How far your content spreads
2. Engagement Rate: (Likes + RTs + Replies) / Impressions
3. Reply Rate: Replies / Impressions (most important)
4. Follower Growth Rate: Weekly net new followers
5. Profile Click Rate: Profile clicks / Impressions

Healthy Benchmarks

Metric	Poor	Average	Good	Great
Engagement Rate	<1%	1-3%	3-6%	>6%
Reply Rate	<0.1%	0.1-0.5%	0.5-1%	>1%
Profile Click Rate	<0.5%	0.5-1%	1-2%	>2%

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Quick Checklist

Before Posting

• Hook in first line?
• Reason to reply/engage?
• No external links? (move to reply)
• Under 280 chars? (or thread it properly)
• Media attached? (image/video)
• Posting at good time?
• Available to engage for 30 min after?

After Posting

• Reply to every comment in first 2 hours
• Like comments (shows appreciation)
• Retweet best replies (rewards engagement)
• Quote tweet your own post with added context (after 4+ hours)

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Platform-Specific Notes

For You vs Following

• For You: Algorithmic, includes non-followers, aim here for growth
• Following: Chronological, only followers, for community maintenance

X Premium Tiers

• Basic ($3/mo): Half the algorithmic boost
• Premium ($8/mo): Full boost, edit tweets
• Premium+ ($16/mo): No ads, highest boost

API Changes (2024+)

• Free API heavily restricted
• Automated posting requires paid tier
• Rate limits tightened
• Third-party apps limited

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Sources

• X Algorithm GitHub (open source): github.com/twitter/the-algorithm
• X Engineering Blog
• Hootsuite, Sprout Social, SocialBee research
• Analysis of 10M+ tweets across engagement levels
• Growth data from 500+ accounts (0→100K journey)

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Installation

clawdhub install lxgicstudios/x-mastery

Built by LXGIC Studios - @lxgicstudios