PostEaseThe short answer
X, formerly Twitter, grows accounts through conversation. In the ranking code X published in 2023, a reply counted 27 times a like and a reply the author answered counted 150 times, while a report counted hundreds of times against a post. About half of the For You feed comes from accounts people do not follow, so a post that starts a conversation can reach strangers. Post several times a day in working hours, answer your replies, and keep links out of the post itself.
The growth checklist, with the evidence
Each lever, what to do, and where the evidence comes from.
| Lever | What to do | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Replies | Write posts that invite an answer | X’s published weights: a reply counted 27 times a like |
| Your replies | Answer the people who reply, in the first hour | X’s published weights: an author-engaged reply counted 150 times a like |
| Strangers | Post about a clear topic, for its community | X’s code: about half of For You comes from accounts people do not follow |
| Frequency | 2 to 5 posts a day if they stay good | Hootsuite and Buffer recommendations; most accounts post about twice a week |
| Timing | 9 a.m. and early afternoon, Tuesday to Thursday | Buffer, 8.7 million posts; Sprout Social |
| Links | Put the substance in the post; link in a reply if needed | Hootsuite’s own experiment: posts without links do much better |
| Annoyance | Never bait or provoke the mute button | X’s published weights: “show less” cancelled about 148 likes |
Write to be answered
The weights X published make conversation the point. Replies were weighted 13.5 against 0.5 for a like, and opening a conversation and staying, or visiting the author’s profile and engaging, each counted more than 20 likes. X explained the weights were first set so each kind of engagement contributes about equally on average: replies are rarer, so each one moves a post more.
Questions, clear opinions with reasons, and unfinished thoughts all invite replies. A post people only agree with collects likes and stops. Read the replies you get as the measure of a post, not the likes.
Answer the people who reply
The single largest positive weight in X’s published model was a reply that the post’s author then engaged with, 75 against 0.5 for a like. Post when you can stay for the first hour, and answer the replies with something that continues the conversation.
Post often, in working hours
A post on X sinks quickly, especially in the time-ordered Following tab, so several posts a day reach different moments of your followers’ day. Hootsuite recommends two to three a day and Buffer three to five, against an average of about two a week across X accounts in RivalIQ’s data. Buffer finds 9 a.m. the best hour on almost every day; Sprout Social finds X busiest from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday is weakest in both.
Keep links and bait out
Hootsuite’s own experiment found posts without links do much better, so put the substance in the post and add a link in a reply if it is needed. And never provoke people into muting you: in X’s published model, one “show less often” cancelled about 148 likes, and a report counted against a post more than 700 times as much as a like counted for it.
Questions
How do I grow on X from scratch?
Reply thoughtfully to people in your field, post once or twice a day about a clear topic, and answer every reply you get. About half of For You comes from accounts people do not follow, so good conversation reaches beyond your followers.
Do likes help on X?
Very little. In X’s published model a like was weighted 0.5, against 13.5 for a reply and 75 for a reply the author engaged with.
Does X Premium help you grow?
The 2026 guides say Premium accounts get a boost in reach, with followers and non-followers alike, according to Hootsuite.
Should I reply to big accounts to grow?
Yes, with replies worth reading. A reply is seen by the people in that conversation, not only your followers, and that is how a new account is found. A thoughtful reply earns follows; a generic one does not.
Do threads work on X?
They can. In X’s published model, opening a conversation and staying for two minutes counted 20 times a like, so a thread people open and read carries weight. Make each part worth the next.
Why did my reach on X drop?
Common causes are fewer replies, posts that people muted or asked to see less of, links in the post, and gaps in posting. Look at your recent posts against those that did well.
How many times a day should I post on X?
Two to five if each post is worth reading, according to the recommendations from Hootsuite and Buffer. Spread them across the working day.
Sources
- X, Heavy ranker: engagement weights, April 2023.
- X, X’s recommendation algorithm (open-source repository), March 2023.
- Hootsuite, How the Twitter (X) algorithm works, October 2026.
- Sprout Social, Best times to post on X (Twitter), March 2026.
- Buffer, The best time to post on X (Twitter), March 2026.
- Buffer, 2026 social media benchmarks, January 2026.