On Friday, March 31, 2023, during a release on GitHub, Twitter unveiled how its recommendation algorithm works.
Whether out of curiosity, a desire to increase your visibility on Twitter, or just to be inspired by the algorithm to create your own, let's dissect what positively and negatively impacts a tweet.
How Does It All Work?
For a tweet to be shown to other users in the recommendation tab, a score is secretly calculated.
The higher this score, the more likely your tweet will be shown to other users.
In fact, as soon as you publish content, each small interaction earns you points. The total points allow your tweet to be displayed on other accounts' "For You" pages. Certain elements can either boost or reduce this score.
What Affects the Reach of Content?
The number of "likes" and "retweets" on your tweet
The more "likes" and "retweets" you have, the more your content will be shared with other accounts in the "For You" tab.
Number of points: 0.5 ("like") 1 ("retweet").
If You Are Subscribed to Twitter Blue or Not
Users subscribed to Twitter Blue also receive a boost in the distribution of their tweets.
Number of points: 1.
The Number of Clicks and Time Spent Reading Your Tweet
If your tweet receives a large number of interactions and other accounts spend more than 2 minutes reading it, the algorithm will increase the reach of your content. This explains why "threads" hold such an important place.
Number of points: 11 (22 x more than a "like").
The Number of Profile Views
If, after viewing your content, other users click on your profile, your tweet will be distributed even more to other users.
Number of points: 12 (24 x more than a "like").
The Number of "Replies"
Each reply to your tweet increases the distribution score of that tweet.
Number of points: 27 (54 x more than a "like").
The Number of "Replies" You Make to the "Replies" You Receive
When another user writes a reply to your tweet, if you respond to them, the score of your content will increase significantly!
Number of points: 75 (150 x more than a "like").
Content with Images/Videos
If you publish content that includes images or videos, your reach to other accounts will be greater.
Number of points: 1 ("like") 2 ("retweet").
If You Are Blocked, Reported, or Unfollowed
The above elements will reduce your distribution.
Number of points: -369 (738 x more than a "like") if you are reported and -74 (148 x more than a "like") if you are blocked, "muted," or if the person no longer follows you.
Ultimately, if someone reports you, you become literally invisible from one minute to the next (unless you've received 738 "likes" to offset the impact of this penalty, good luck).
And If You Are Elon Musk
All your tweets will be privileged so that you bypass everything we've dissected: no penalties and full distribution. Freedom of expression? Maybe... certainly not equal rules for everyone, let's go.
Distribution coefficient: towards infinity and beyond.
Summary
Many things are important to be shown to other people on Twitter. Here is a summary of the weight each element can have on your distribution.
| User Action | Type of Correlation | Weight |
| Like the content | Positive | 0.5 |
| Retweet the content | Positive | 1 |
| Click on the content and reply | Positive | 11 |
| Click on the content and read it for two minutes | Positive | 11 |
| View the profile | Positive | 12 |
| Reply to the content | Positive | 27 |
| Reply to the content and receive a reply from the author | Positive | 75 |
| Block, report, or mute a person | Negative | -74 |
| Report the content | Negative | -369 |