It’s the dream of many business owners and entrepreneurs: Go viral and watch the likes, retweets, and new followers roll in. Since 89% of shoppers on X, formerly Twitter, use the social media platform to discover new products, your brand could be their next find with just one viral tweet.
Let’s look at how to go viral on Twitter—including what makes a tweet stand out and how to craft viral tweets for your brand—with tips and tricks from entrepreneur Kheris Rogers.
Kheris started her fashion brand after a photo of her with the hashtag #FlexinInMyComplexion went viral overnight, with celebrities from Snoop Dogg to Alicia Keys featuring it on their feeds. Kheris transformed that viral moment into a thriving business and continues to use Twitter to connect with her audience.
What is a viral post on Twitter/X?
A viral post is any post that receives a higher-than-average amount of engagement from your followers and other users. This could mean a spike of just a thousand impressions, though many viral tweets get tens of thousands of likes and replies. When your post goes viral on X/Twitter, you may see a snowball effect where followers share your tweet with non-followers, and you receive much more attention than usual.
Going viral with a tweet is one facet of a broader marketing strategy that creates high-value content to connect with your target audience and promoteyour brand.
Why is going viral on Twitter/X beneficial for businesses?
Almost any business trying to sell on the platform will get a boost when a post goes viral. A tweet can deliver the following benefits:
- More potential sales. Having a post go viral improves your chances of converting followers into customers. Create a profile and craft content that matches your brand personality, and you’ll attract audiences who want what you’re selling.
- New followers. When you go viral,you’ll attract the attention of users across X, build a community, and maybe even reach other platforms.
- Increased brand awareness. Every retweet means more people see your branded content. Not everyonewho likes or leaves a comment on your post ultimately makes a purchase, but those who see your posts will now have at least one touchpoint with your company.
Tips and tricks for going viral on Twitter/X
- Use the right hashtags
- Understand your audience
- Hook users immediately
- Respond to replies
- Post consistently
- Post when your audience is active
- Have fun
Most people on X (want their content to go viral. Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as just starting a thread and watching the likes roll in. Here’s what to focus on if you want the best chance of going viral, with valuable insights from thought leader Kheris Rogers:
Use the right hashtags
Harness trending topics and hashtags to your advantage. Kheris started her brand because of the response to a hashtag: #FlexinInMyComplexion. It went viral overnight, and Kheris and her family launched the business just two days later.
Popular hashtags in your target communities are a great place to start. Follow up with analytics tools to help you find high-performing keywords among your demographic. Use no more than two relevant hashtags to avoid cluttering your post without much additional benefit.
Understand your audience
Tailor your content to your target audience. Although your audience could be broad, many business founders build their brands around a problem they encountered in their own lives. This personal connection creates insider knowledge of what their followers want to see.
Kheris was thrilled her posts resonated with many users. “Once I realized the things that I liked, I realized that other people were liking it as well, it made me more excited to do it,” she says on an episode of the Shopify Masters podcast. That energy gave her the momentum to keep creating content that connected with her following. For her, creating engagingcontent was natural and fun. If it’s not enjoyable, you might be doing it for all the wrong reasons.
X serves content to people’s feeds from two sources: accounts that users follow and recommended content based on their interests (often called “For You” content). If you need insight into your target audience, look at your “For You” content to see how the platform serves posts to others with similar interests and networks.
Hook users immediately
In the increasingly fast-paced world of social media, the average attention span is shorter than ever, and it’s crucial to createcontent that grabs your audience’s attention.
“Catch people’s eye in the first five to 10 seconds,” Kheris says, whether with quick-witted humor or stunning visual content. Keep your content short and sweet, and front-load your posts with humor or information that will prompt Twitter users to stick around for the payoff.
Respond to replies
Although algorithms for Twitter—and all social media platforms—continue to evolve, there are plenty of proven ways to succeed. For example, Twitter boosts posts that generate lively conversations. So, if a Twitter post gets Twitter users to reply, there’s a higher chance it generates more visibility on the For You page.
To keep the conversation going, monitor your Twitter posts’ replies and leave comments where appropriate. Show your audience that you’re not just trying to sell products but want to be a part of the community. When the time comes to start selling, you might even direct message followers most engaged with your content to offer deals or promotions.
Post consistently
Kheris puts it plainly: “Consistency is key.” Posting consistent tweets helps attract followers by building a more holistic sense of your brand.
In addition to regular posting, Kheris puts a lot of thought into how she schedules her posts. For instance, seeing the same thing risks losing people’s attention, so she ensures that similar posts are spaced apart. “Figure out what you're going to be posting before you post,” Kheris says, recounting low engagement after she posted two brand deals back to back. Analyzing your timing and readjusting after low-performing posts can turn a good account into a great one.
If you’re having a hard time coming up with new content for your followers, try thinking of events or activities that will help generate post opportunities. “I was doing so many interviews and photoshoots and traveling so much that it was keeping us relevant,” Kheris says. With so much real-world activity, she had plenty of personal stories and experiences to engage her audience.
Post when your audience is active
If you spend all day crafting the perfect post only to hit Submit when all of your followers are asleep, your funny tweets and clever videos could come and go without anyone seeing them. Instead, time your content for maximum views and better engagement.
Want to figure out when your followers are online? Look at your account analytics on past posts. Chances are, your highest-performing posts are published when your audience is most active. Track these analytics to find the times that work best for your brand. If you’re part of your target audience, you can also use your own knowledge and browsing habits to decide when to post.
Have fun
It may sound trite, but your viewers can tell when you’re posting just to meet a deadline and when you’re actually enjoying yourself. Kheris says that can make all the difference. “We have so many photo shoots and different ... reels in mind,” she says, “and I can't wait for everyone to see them because it’s things that I really like doing.” That enthusiasm is infectious, so pack every post with personality and share content as if you’re talking with your friends.
How to go viral on Twitter FAQ
How do you capitalize on a viral post?
The best way to capitalize on viral content is to prepare for the influx of engagement. Lead users to a product page, article, newsletter sign-up, or other target. Engage with the commenters and new followers to retain them as long-term brand community members.
What is considered viral on Twitter/X?
A viral tweet on X typically has thousands of likes and hundreds of retweets. However, a post can go viral in smaller communities with less engagement if it’s shared more than your account’s average.
How do you make a post go viral?
While there’s no surefire way to make a post go viral, you can use strategies like trending hashtags and comment replies to boost your chances. Stick to social media marketing fundamentals, such as posting consistently and at the right times of day, to capture the most attention.
