Engagement isn't just vanity metrics—it's the fuel for growth on Twitter. Here are tactics that actually work without being spammy.
Creating Engaging Content
1. Ask Genuine Questions
Not "Like if you agree!" but actual questions you want answers to:
"What's one thing you believed early in your career that turned out to be completely wrong?"
2. Share Contrarian Takes
Respectfully challenge conventional wisdom. This sparks debate and replies.
3. Tell Stories
Personal stories are inherently engaging. People want to know what happened next.
4. Provide Actionable Value
Content people can immediately use gets saved, shared, and replied to with results.
Engaging With Others
The Reply Strategy
Thoughtful replies on larger accounts get you visibility. But:
- Add value, don't just agree ("Great point!")
- Share your perspective or experience
- Ask follow-up questions
- Be one of the first to reply (early replies get more visibility)
Building Relationships
Twitter isn't broadcast-only. The most engaged accounts:
- Regularly engage with the same people
- DM to build deeper connections
- Shout out others' good content
- Collaborate on threads or projects
Engagement Traps to Avoid
- Engagement pods (detected and penalized)
- Buying followers or engagement (worthless)
- "Follow for follow" (low-quality audience)
- Rage bait (short-term gains, long-term damage)
- Copying viral tweets (you'll get called out)
The Engagement Flywheel
Engagement begets engagement:
Great content → More engagement → Algorithm boost → More visibility → More followers → More engagement on future content
The best engagement tactic is creating content worth engaging with. Everything else is optimization at the margins.