2 Misconceptions That Keep You From Writing Great Content on X

Brace yourself for a new journey with X that you’ve never experienced before

When I decided to go all in on my content creation journey, I had to learn and unlearn from the best within my niche. So, I returned to my X account to continue building it from where I had left off.

With an plenty of knowledge, I felt I had enough ammunition to kickstart it. I was unaware that X was a different counterpart I would face.

Now, X is a platform where I love spending time (for the past four months) while building my personal brand. The intriguing thing is, to my surprise, the algorithm works differently.

When I joined X in 2018, the term “viral content” mesmerized me. My general view was that behind the scenes, content was being sprinkled around for everyone to see (which is not far from the truth).

I wondered, “How do I write viral content to grow on X?” I bet we’ve all envisioned our posts going viral on X and making a significant impact.

Shockingly, it doesn’t work that way.

Should we care if our content goes viral? Or, should we just create it and see what happens?

That’s a topic for another day.

Now, for those who’ve X accounts, what are some of the misconceptions you’ve felt or heard before?

If you’ve experienced this before, buckle up and let’s talk about it, among other things.

#Myth 1: More Followers Equals More Eyeballs

I feel anxious each time I take a sneak peek at my X account followers.

Why?

Because of the numbers compared to other large X accounts. I often ask myself, “Is it possible for my tweets to get decent eyeballs with my low number of followers?”

But in reality, the answer is, yes.

Influencers who have amassed huge followings over time expect more attention whenever they publish their content. Which is justified; moreover, influencer marketing is built on that premise. As a smaller X account holder, I dread the possibility of a decently sized audience seeing me.

But you can dominate X (Twitter) by learning from the best like Dagobert Renouf

Here’s the thing: accounts that literally follow you will see any post you publish. How frustrating is that when you’ve fewer followers, right? But, you can employ proven strategies to increase your reach.

1. Replies

I emphasize this strategy because it is effective for me. We often underestimate the power of replies, but this is a hidden gem that I use daily (you can too).

You can start by hijacking someone’s X thread. Then, chime in authentically. When you do, you’re taking advantage of that person’s follower list.

Again, it works best when the topic in question aligns with your interests and values. It becomes intriguing if the post is from a renowned user or a popular one. The effects is like rubbing shoulders with the influential; it trickles down to you.

2. Engage with Top Influencers in Your Niche

You wouldn’t want loneliness and the sound of crickets creeping in on your posts, especially when starting. Targeting everyone with your post is like targeting no one.

So, when building your community, it’s advisable to build within your niche. This is because you’ll be around people who share the same values and interests.

Also, you can gain expertise in areas for improvement. And, you can stay updated on new trends in your industry. For instance, I’m in digital marketing and content writing. I’ve followed experts and influencers in those niches.

Also, you can add accounts you interact with to build the relationship. X, like any other platform, is about building a community.

A community for meaningful conversations on any topic of interest. Before you know it, some of the followers may end up being clients or close buddies.

3. Leveraging Lists — A Powerful Tool

Lately, I’ve discovered the power of leveraging the X lists tool. If you’re looking to see tangible growth on X, embracing the lists is the way to go. I learned this strategy from X guru Alex Finn.

According to Alex, this strategy resulted in 200,000 followers over a period of two years. You should have at least three lists, which are:

• Interacting with regularly (maintain relationships).
• Networking (build new ones).
• Inspiration (improve your content).

4. Profile Tagging

If it gets results, it’s worth trying. Tagging profiles can boost your content’s reach. Retweets are one aspect of X that amplify your posts.

A reader is likely to retweet a post if it references their work or promotes their brand. So, if you create a post about an article not written by you, tag the person.

For example, if you post a New York Times article by Miller Bolo, add this after the link: “by @millerPost for @newyorktims.”

If you do that, the X profile you’ve tagged will receive a notification. What this does is increase the likelihood of that person viewing your post by 95 percent. As a result, it boosts the likelihood of retweeting the post by 25 percent.

#Myth 2: Must Create and Reuse My Original Made-up Hashtag

I’ve been guilty of this before, and I admit it. The harsh truth is that no one cares about your made-up hashtag. Do you know why? Because they don’t know whether it exists or not in the first place.

A hashtag originated as a method to search for conversations on a specific topic on X. Its function remains unchanged to this day. However, hashtags succeed when they refer to topics where people are ALREADY engaged.

Times have changed, and people nowadays don’t use hashtags like they did before.

X has undergone significant changes since Elon Musk’s takeover. It is evolving into a go-to platform for brands and professionals. The community on X is vibrant if you’re looking to build your personal brand or land new clients.

Soon, X will replace decades of text-based content with videos.

Brace yourself for a new journey with X that you’ve never experienced before.

There you have it, folks!

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Originally published on Medium