How to Go Viral On Twitter (X): A Guide For New Creators

Getting a viral tweet can help tremendously in building your account, especially as a new X (formerly known as Twitter) creator – and while the X algorithm is rather unpredictable, there are some things you can do or include in your tweet to increase your chances of it going viral. What are those? That’s what we’ll be focusing on here! 

But first – what even is a viral tweet? 

To put it simply, a viral tweet is a tweet that gets a lot of attention quickly. Likes, comments, retweets – these are all indicators of your tweet’s popularity. Is there a certain threshold over which a tweet can be considered viral? Not really. A lot depends on the audience size and your account, as what might be viral, in your case, might not be for an account with a million or more followers. 

Why Aim for a Viral Tweet? 

The first and main reason for aiming for viral tweets is impressions and engagement. The more impressions you have, the more likely your account and your tweet are to appear on other people’s feeds, allowing you to reach larger audiences. Not to mention, impressions can help you monetize your account. 

The algorithm works in mysterious ways (literally, as X’s algorithm, just like algorithms of other major social media apps are “black box” – hidden from users), so understanding it completely might be close to impossible. Still, by analyzing viral tweets, you can draw conclusions about what made them go viral and follow their lead, adding your own twist to it. 

So, with that being said – what are some of the things that can increase your chances of your tweet blowing up? 

How to Go Viral on X (Formerly Twitter) 

Crafting the perfect tweet with the intention of it going viral is not easy – and even if you manage to do it, there’s no guarantee that the X will choose your post to show to other people. Still, there are some things that you can do that will increase your tweet’s engagement and might contribute to it becoming viral. 

Here are some of those things, along with examples of tweets that nailed it. 

Choose a Newsworthy Topic 

Plenty of people consider X to be their source of information about world events and use it to expand their knowledge – especially now with the introduction of the Community Notes feature that allows users to correct misinformation. If you want to reach them, crafting a tweet that talks about a newsworthy event might be a bullseye – especially if you’re sharing breaking news (although, in this case, you need to be quick, as the faster you are, the likely your tweet is to get traction). 

Here is an example of a viral tweet using a newsworthy topic. At the moment of writing this article, it has over 116,000 views.

Be careful, however. While using the news to get viral can be great, it can also backfire – something that happened with American Apparel in 2012. While it hasn’t happened on Twitter (X), the social media app was definitely talking about it. 

If you don’t know the context, the brand sent out an email announcing their “Hurricane Sandy Sale” – the campaign was deemed as insensitive since the hurricane took the lives of over 200 people. 

Provoke Interactions By Asking Questions

Asking a simple question can go a long way – especially in a space like X, a social media that is mainly focused on provoking discussion and conversations. You might be surprised how eager people are to share their stories or facts when asked the right questions. 

Just take this tweet as an example:

Be Relatable 

One of the best ways to go viral on any social media, not only X (formerly Twitter) is to create a tweet that is relatable and that people will look at and think, “Oh yes, that’s so me” or “OMG, this happened to me too.” Take a look at this tweet:

Nothing extraordinary, right? Its virality doesn’t lie in eye-catching visuals or breath-taking jokes – instead, it lies in the experience all people working or studying from home during the pandemic could relate to. 

Another great example:

Again, no visual content, no jokes – just a statement that many people can relate to, as most had at least one manager that they wish they never worked under again. 

Use Humor

Do you have a funny observation or memory? Share it with your followers. Everyone needs a bit of a laugh every now and then, and X is the perfect place to find it. This is a great example of a funny and yet relatable viral tweet:

Use Hashtags 

Using the right hashtags can help you significantly expand your reach on social media platforms – and Twitter (X) is not an exception to that rule. 

Essentially, using a hashtag adequate to what your tweet is about makes it easier for other people to see your content, as not only your followers will see it but also those who might not be part of your typical audience but follow the hashtag you used. 

Here is a great example of using hashtags on X:

Remember About Timing 

Timing is more important than many would think – and it’s not only about picking the posting time when your followers are the most active. It’s also about hopping on a trend and responding to a popular event or news before it’s too late. 

A great example of good tweet timing is the tweet posted by Wendy’s on October 28th. It was on this day that Facebook, the company that owns major social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, changed its name to Meta. Wendy’s social media managers wasted no time in using it to their advantage, thus creating a rather simple tweet that, at the moment of writing, has over 261,000 likes.

Other Tips for Viral Tweets 

Here are some other things you should consider or think about when trying to craft a viral tweet: 

• Hop on trends – Social media apps are always full of trends, you just need to look for them. Take part in a popular trend, and your tweet might be the one to blow up. This also involves currently trending pop culture elements, such as a song, show, and so on. For example, many viral tweets referenced the K-drama “Squid Games,” as it was extremely popular at some point and was present everywhere. 
• Use visual content – Visual content relevant to the tweet is a great way of catching the audience’s attention. It could be anything – a photo, a video, or even a GIF. 
• Share valuable information – As mentioned earlier on, some people use X to actually expand their knowledge, so sharing something valuable could be a great way to pique their interest, making them more likely to interact with the post and share it with others. Tweets like “Things I wish I knew before XYZ” or “Here’s what (someone) said about XYZ that can help you ABC” can be a great start to a threat full of helpful tips. 

The Bottom Line 

X is a great social media app in the sense that, most times, you don’t need to create elaborate content to go viral – sharing a relatable story, asking a question that provokes thinking or interaction, or choosing the right topic can go a long way. 

Viral tweets can help you grow your account organically, but they are not the only way to do it. If you’re looking for a quick yet organic way to increase your follower count, we’ve got you covered. 

At Twenvy, we know the importance of organic growth, which is why our approach to expanding your account, whether it’s a personal or a business one, involves real followers instead of using bots or creating hundreds of new accounts. 
So, what are you waiting for? Get in touch with us today, and let us help you take your X (Twitter) account to a whole new level with our organic Twitter growth service!