How to grow your twitter account from scratch

Are you feeling invisible on X (formerly known as Twitter)? If so, you’re not alone. In 2024, the platform’s algorithm can make it difficult for small accounts to get noticed—but there’s a simple, proven way to escape “beginner hell” and start growing your community. In this post, you’ll discover the key habit that helped me gain thousands of followers month after month—and that creators with 100,000+ followers still rely on to keep their engagement high.

How the X Algorithm Works in 2024

Ever since Elon Musk took over X, the platform has undergone massive changes: from the rebranding itself, to the type of content favored, to how users get discovered. Here’s the rundown:

High-Quality Content Rules The algorithm prioritizes clear, well-written content. Actionable tips, step-by-step insights, and thoughtful commentary are essential. Misinformation and posts riddled with grammatical errors get heavily downgraded, since X aims to showcase credible information to attract new users.
Rich Media is Favored Images, videos, and other multimedia elements receive a visibility boost. Plain text can still perform well if the writing is strong, but incorporating visuals can give you an extra edge.
Starting from Zero is Tough The hardest milestone to hit is often your first 1,000 followers. Even if you have stellar content, it’s challenging to get eyes on it when you’re working with a small audience.

In essence, your content’s reach hinges on engagement. The more people interact with your posts, the more the algorithm pushes them out to a wider audience. If you’re starting small, you need to find ways to get engagement fast—and the best place to do that? Other people’s tweets.

The One Game-Changing Habit: Reply, Reply, Reply

When you’re just starting out, relying solely on your own posts can feel like shouting into the void. Even with the best content, you won’t gain momentum if no one sees it. That’s why replying to others’ tweets is so powerful. By leaving thoughtful, valuable comments, you’re essentially “borrowing” someone else’s audience.

How it works:

Spotlight Your Expertise Leave replies that add value—answer questions, share relevant anecdotes, or contribute fresh perspectives. People who see your insights are more likely to check out (and follow) your profile.
Network & Build Community Social media is about being social! When you engage in real conversations, you build connections. Creators and other users notice your supportive presence and often return the favor by liking, sharing, or commenting on your posts.
Gain Algorithmic Boost The more you interact, the more the algorithm sees you as an active participant. Frequent replies signal that you’re not just a passive scroller, increasing your overall visibility on X.

Becoming a Grade-A “Reply Guy”

A smart approach to maximizing your reply strategy is to create dedicated “Reply Lists” for accounts of varying sizes. Here’s how:

Create Multiple Lists • Small Accounts: Users who are around your size. • Medium Accounts: A bit larger than you, but still approachable. • Top Creators in Your Niche: The biggest names relevant to your content.
Make the Lists Private This ensures you don’t accidentally notify people that you’ve added them. Give your list an internal name like “Engagement 101” or “People I Want to Reply To.”
Schedule “Sociable Time” Open your lists and spend deliberate time each day reading their latest tweets. Like them, reply thoughtfully, and keep the conversation going.
Keep it Genuine Your replies should show real interest. Ask yourself: “Does my comment genuinely add to the discussion? Am I answering a question or offering a new viewpoint?”

Example: If someone tweets, “What advice would you give people who want more self-confidence?” you might respond with:

“In my experience, tackling small tasks daily is a huge confidence-booster. Small wins add up fast!”

A sincere, conversational reply like this draws readers in. They may click your profile, see your pinned tweet, and decide to follow you if they resonate with your style.

Learning from the Best

Observing how established creators engage is a crash course in excellent replying. Pay attention to: • Specific Quotes: They’ll often pull a sentence from the original post and expand on it, adding their own experience or insight. • Encouragement + Value: They acknowledge the creator’s effort (“Great point!”) while also delivering value (“I’ve found that X works better if you do Y”). • Positive Energy: Support, positivity, and genuine interest go a long way. People generally respond in kind.

Automate Your Engagement with Tools

Staying active is crucial, but manually sifting through endless posts can be overwhelming. That’s where scheduling tools come in, such as HypeFury. With HypeFury’s “Engagement Builder,” you can: • Track Specific Search Terms: For instance, if you’re in marketing, set up streams for “marketing,” “email marketing,” or “sales tips.” • Watch Certain Users: Pull your private list directly into the tool to see tweets from the people you want to engage with. • Schedule Posts in Advance: Plan your tweets for the week or month so you’re never scrambling to post.

By streamlining your engagement, you can maintain consistency without being glued to your phone 24/7.

DM to Deepen Relationships

Don’t overlook direct messages (DMs). When you reach out to fellow creators or people in your niche, you: • Build Personal Connections: A friendly “hello” or “thank you” can start a relationship that leads to future collaborations or mutual support. • Get More Engagement: If people know who you are, they’re more likely to like, retweet, or comment on your content.

Wrap-Up: Your Roadmap to Growing on X

Master the Basics: Create high-quality, grammatically clean, and misinformation-free content.
Engage, Engage, Engage: Become a proactive “reply guy” to leverage other creators’ audiences.
Use Tools Wisely: Manage your conversations and schedule your posts with platforms like HypeFury.
Foster Real Connections: Combine on-timeline engagement with private DMs to build genuine relationships.

This strategy isn’t just for small accounts; creators with huge followings also rely on these tactics to keep their numbers climbing. Consistency and genuine participation are the keys to unlocking the algorithm’s support.

Next Steps: Want to learn how to brainstorm fresh, viral ideas for your X content? Check out [this video] (hypothetical link) where I show you exactly how to plan content that drives engagement.

Let’s supercharge your presence on X—and transform your small account into a thriving community. See you online!