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This post was updated May 25, 2023.
Do you hear that? It’s the sound of millions of replies on Twitter being drowned out by the algorithm.
Recently, Twitter released its algorithm, giving a behind-the-scenes look at how content is boosted and shown to more people. This comes after a slew of changes have been made after new owner Elon Musk took over the platform.
What did the code tell us? And what does it mean for anyone using Twitter to market their brand?
One of the most interesting takeaways is how engagement is weighted by the algorithm. For a long time, it has been the best practice for social media managers to work for, and covet, replies and comments on posts as they have been considered the most important type of engagement.
However, the Twitter algorithm shows that not only are replies the least weighted type of engagement on the platform now, but the extra weight given to likes and retweets is effectively snuffing them out.
Why would the algorithm do this? How does this benefit Twitter’s users?
The best-case scenario is that this is an effort to limit the power of trolls hate-commenting on tweets to hurt the Twitter user. However, this would also have the same limiting effect on those trying to support users and their content.
Regardless of the intentions, the impact of such an algorithm is that it rewards spam bots and suppresses actual conversation by real people.
It’s very easy to program a bot to Like and Retweet. It’s so easy that anyone can do it with a free account on If This Then That, Zapier or another automation tool.
What does that mean for you trying to market your real estate business on Twitter?
In short, it means you’re less likely to reach actual people on the platform and more likely to reach bots — which is usually not the goal of anyone in their digital marketing efforts.
It’s probably best to skip Twitter in your digital marketing strategy if you haven’t already done so. Especially if you are going the DIY route for your content and social media marketing, save your efforts for more effective platforms that place a greater value on meaningful engagement.
Jessi Healey is a freelance writer and social media manager specializing in real estate. Find her on Instagram or LinkedIn.
