Twitter Algorithm 2020: How to Optimize Your Account

Published On January 7, 2020

With over 330 million active users, Twitter is one of the biggest social networking platforms. The best way to leverage the latest Twitter algorithm update in 2020 and get the most out of this platform is to be aware of timing, location, relevant hashtags, and use high-level images, videos, and content. The more organic interaction and engagement you curate, the more likely Twitter will favor your content.

We’re highlighting 4 ways you can optimize your Twitter account in 2020:

1. Optimize your Twitter Handle and Bio

First impressions matter. With only 160 characters or less, this is your chance to make a lasting impression and stand out in a crowd of 330 million users. What most people don’t know is that your Twitter Bio really acts like a meta description. If optimized correctly, your Twitter profile URL can show up on page 1 of Google’s search results.

Starting off with your Twitter Handle, (@username) consider the following:

Is it memorable?
Does it relate to your business or brand?
Is it consistent with all your other social channels?
Will it easily come up in a search result through Twitter or Google?

Our Twitter Handle is @newparkcreative It is simple, to the point, brand-oriented, and consistent with all our other social channels. Make sure your Twitter Handle is relevant to your brand and what you’re trying to achieve.

Make the most out of your profile by including a mini description about yourself and your brand. Your profile description should have all of the following:

Make sure your location is accurate and up to date.
Include a link to your website to help drive traffic.
Use this opportunity to include a call to action.
Use brand-specific keywords and hashtags to stand out and spark a conversation.

“Your bio should be compelling and inviting. Don’t be cutesy or funny. Your profile should paint your story in 160 characters and encourage me to want to learn more about you,” said Madalyn Sklar, Twitter Marketing Specialist and host of #TwitterSmarter Podcast and chat.

2. Share and create more visual content

From GIFs to videos, Twitter has become more visual than ever before.

According to Buffer, Tweets with photos get 18% more clicks, 89% more favorites, and 150% more retweets than those without.

The Twitter Algorithm in 2020 is all about the visuals: video, GIFs, and photos. With Twitter’s latest profile redesign, all visual media posted is under the “Media” tab, giving users easier access to the visual content you post. This redesign keeps content fresh and top of mind.

As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Make sure the visual content you produce and share are in line with the message you’re trying to achieve.

Make an effort to produce more brand-specific videos, images, and content that is eye-catching. Retweeting visual content also helps your profile stand out compared to others who simply are retweeting plain text. When creating visual content, we suggest using bright colors and captivating imagery. Don’t forget to include hashtags that are relevant, trending, and cater to your audience.

Pro tip: Attach up to four photos to a Tweet to take up most of the visual real estate available.

3. Tweeting at the right time

Do you remember that one Tweet you published that received hundreds of favorites and retweets? Do you miss your 30 seconds of fame? Wondering how you could do it again?

Start with Twitter Analytics- it has a multitude of features such as measuring engagement to learn how to make your tweets more successful and exploring the interest, locations, and demographics of your followers. This analytics dashboard essentially gives you the formula for success, and by understanding your Tweet activity and audience, you’ll have a better jist of when to Tweet at the right time.

Tweeting consistent, relevant content is key. Tweet information that is relevant to your audience and industry. Tweeting tips and tricks, content from your website or blog, and industry-specific articles are great examples of what to Tweet and where to start.

According to Sprout Social, these are the best times to post on Twitter:

Best times to post on Twitter: Wednesday at 9 a.m. and Friday at 9 a.m.
Best days: Tuesday and Wednesday are the best days to post on Twitter.
Most consistent engagement: Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
Worst day: Saturday gets the least engagement.
Lowest engagement: Occurs every day from 10 p.m–4 a.m.

One way to stay up with the latest and tweet at the right time is to make use of the new “Topics” feature. See the most relevant Tweets, hashtags, people, events, and ads all according to topics you care about. Use this as an opportunity to create conversations relevant to your industry while also increasing engagement and traffic. Use a mix of Tweet formats such as video, images, links, and polls and questions to keep followers engaged.

When you feel like you have a better understanding of your audience and how well your Tweets perform, schedule your tweets in advance. As of recently, Twitter announced it is experimenting with a feature that will allow users to manage, sort, and schedule tweets across multiple accounts.

What does this mean?

Having scheduling capabilities allows marketers and social media managers the ability to compose material and content ahead of time, making our lives just a little bit easier.

To hack the Twitter algorithm in 2020, take advantage of tweeting at the right time. Those 30 seconds of fame may just become a reoccurrence.

4. Pin Tweets

If you feel as though your Tweets are getting lost in the noise of Twitter, use pinned Tweets as a means of creating more exposure and engagement. Pinned Tweets are Tweets that stay static on top of your profile. When people visit your profile, the first thing they come across is this pinned Tweet, regardless of when the Tweet was posted. This feature gives prime real estate for Tweets in a network that moves lightning fast.

Pinned Tweets are great for highlighting a call to action such as a contest or upcoming event. Make the most out of your pinned Tweet by including rich content such as an explainer video, mini commercial, or an eye-catching image.

Pinned Tweets that elicit an emotional response on average perform better than others. Consider pinning a tweet that makes profile visitors feel happy—something positive, funny, or delightful, perhaps —and you might start a chain reaction of sharing.

5. Active Engagement

We cannot stress this enough for social media platforms in general, but Twitter specifically. Simply Tweeting will not do the trick, the more active and engaged a profile, the more exposure and benefits that account will reap.

The most active Twitter accounts have 70x as many favorites and 6x as many accounts followed.

How is this possible?

Engagement!!

Encourage conversations with your audience. Retweet, favorite, and actively reply to others to get under their radar. Even if it’s a few minutes out of your day, make an effort to actively interact with others.

There’s a reason all social media platforms have algorithms that prioritize engagement. With the Twitter algorithm in 2020, it focuses beyond engagement and more on the meaningful conversations and interactions between users. The more value your content brings to others, the higher your ranking across other accounts.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is your follower count. It’ll take some time, but through constant engagement and interactions, your profile will have a stronger online presence and greater reach than ever before.

The future of Twitter

There’s no telling what the future of Twitter could bring us, but what we do know is that rich media and content will continue to prevail and become more of a focus in 2020 and the years to come.

Want to learn more? Let’s continue the conversation on Twitter.

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