💡

Key Points

Key Takeaways

  • 1

    The account growth formula is valuable posts x likes from the same niche

  • 2

    In the early phase

  • 3

    horizontal connections are most important. Build deep relationships with accounts of similar size

  • 4

    Posts should include both functional and emotional value to promote fan creation

  • 5

    The 2025 algorithm is impression-first. Character count and real-life images are key

Introduction: Why You Can Still Grow on X Today

“X is already saturated” and “It”s too late to start now” are common refrains. However, that is a misconception.

Even after 2024, it is entirely possible to steadily grow followers and build influence on X. But it requires the right strategy . Even if you post 10,000 or 100,000 times the wrong way, your account will not grow at all.

This article thoroughly explains the core “success formula” for running X.

💡 Success Formula for X Operations

Account growth = valuable posts x likes from the same niche

By combining these two elements correctly, your account will surely get on a growth track. Especially in the early stages, the latter “horizontal connections” become the most crucial factor that determines success.

Chapter 1: Horizontal Connection Strategy - The Golden Rules to Break Through the Early Phase

Why “Horizontal Connections” Are Necessary

When you have few followers, no matter how high-quality your posts are, they will not reach anyone. This is not a problem of post quality, but a structural problem in the algorithm .

The X algorithm has an important characteristic: when an influential account likes a post, that post is also shown on that person”s followers” timelines.

📝 How the Algorithm Works

Example: If K, who has 35,000 followers in the SNS growth niche, likes your post.

  • About 1% of K’s followers (around 350 people) will see your post in their timeline.

This is the power of “horizontal connections.” However, there is an important condition: likes must come from accounts in the same niche to matter .

Understand the Essence of the Algorithm

If an account with many followers in the SNS growth niche likes a beauty post, the effect will be weak. That’s because their followers are not interested in beauty content. Even if the post is shown, it will be ignored.

In other words, building relationships with influential accounts in the same niche is the key to breaking through the early phase.

Seven Steps to Build Horizontal Connections

Step 1: Choose the Right Targets

If you suddenly engage with a big account that has 100,000 followers, you will likely be ignored. You should aim for accounts within plus or minus 500 to 1,000 followers of your own .

In this range, it is easier to build an equal relationship as “coexisting peers” rather than competitors.

Steps 2-4: Relationship Building That Starts With Giving

Once you find your targets, follow them and like or comment on their posts. It is important to act without expecting something in return. When they follow you back, send a DM right away.

You
You

“Thank you for the follow. I look forward to connecting!”

This one line makes you stand out as a “polite giver” and develops the relationship into one where you can exchange likes.

Steps 5-6: Research and Identify High-Quality Accounts

Look through the “Following” list of competitor accounts to find active accounts and manage them in Excel or similar tools. When you do, “like rate” is a useful metric to judge quality.

✅ High-Quality Account Metric

Like rate = likes / impressions

  • Accounts above 1% have high-quality followers.

Three Give Strategies to Strengthen Horizontal Connections

React strongly to a partner’s pinned tweet, or offer help when they face trouble (suspension, backlash, etc.), and trust will deepen.

Providing value through quote retweets is also effective. Rather than a simple reaction, change the angle or add information so it benefits them too.

Original post exampleValue-added quote RT exampleTechnique
30 Mister Donut items that won”t make you gain weight30 McDonald”s items that won”t make you gain weightChange the genre
You can make money on InstagramYou can’t make money on InstagramOpposite angle
Don’t eat after 6 p.m.Recommended foods after 6 p.m.Add information

Chapter 2: Creating Valuable Posts - The Full Method for Designing Buzz-Worthy Content

Once impressions increase through horizontal connections, the next step is to craft valuable content to gain followers.

Achieve “Overwhelming Fan Creation” With Two Types of Posts

  1. Functional posts (know-how and informational) : Fans follow the “information.”
  2. Emotional posts (mindset and values) : Fans follow “you.”

By combining these two, you can create enthusiastic fans (true believers).

Six Formulas for Creating Functional Posts

💡 Formula for Viral Posts
  • Be specific : Not “make money on social media” but “made 300,000 yen from a single post”
  • Make it fun : “Get dates in one month even if you”re a virgin” or “lose weight without exercise”
  • Break common sense : “F-rank university but got into a global consulting firm” or “lose weight while eating sweets”
  • Authority : “Paid 900,000 yen per year” or “directly taught by the No.1 hostess”
  • ONE OF THEM : “Met 1,000 people and only one stuck in my memory”
  • Image appeal : Attach achievement screenshots to boost credibility

Two Iron Rules for Emotional Posts

Avoid abstract pep talks and always include real experiences . And talk not only about success but also the setbacks and struggles behind it. People are drawn not to perfect winners, but to humans who move forward while carrying scars.

Chapter 3: Profile Funnel Design to Increase Follow Rate

Users act in the flow: “See a post -> View profile -> Follow.” Prevent drop-off at the profile.

Header Image: Hit Them With Proof

The header is the biggest ad space. For business accounts, show revenue screenshots; for diet accounts, show before-and-after images. Place results that are understood at a glance . If you have no results, use a design that clearly shows who you teach and what you teach.

Pinned Tweet Mechanism

📝 How to Use the Pinned Tweet
  1. Self-introduction (proof of results) : Strong results and evidence photos like “lost 20 kg in two months.”
  2. Giveaway campaign : “Follow and RT to get XX.” Create a clear reason to follow.

Impression-First Priority

Right now, the most important metric on X is impressions (views) . Monetization criteria is also based on this, and it is treated similarly to YouTube view counts.

Changes in Content Types

  • Text posts : More visibility in recommended timelines. Long posts score higher due to longer dwell time.
  • Photos and videos : Real-life photos and reaction posts to clips tend to perform well.

Account Score System

Accounts have an invisible “score” that changes based on daily actions. If the score drops, you may be subject to shadow bans, so healthy operations (replies and exchanging likes) are important.

Conclusion: Put the Success Formula Into Practice

The strategy explained here is the standard path , optimized for the underlying structure of X.

Account growth = valuable posts x likes from the same niche

Remember this formula and put it into practice one step at a time starting today. Build horizontal connections, polish your posts, and refine your profile. The accumulation will dramatically change your Twitter life.

If you run X with the right strategy, it can still be a platform with plenty of growth potential after 2025. Now, start your journey to master X today.

If this article helped you, please like, RT, and follow. I sincerely cheer for your success.

# twitter # x # sns-marketing # strategy # branding