Elon Musk is working on making the Twitter algorithm open source to increase trust

On March 24, weeks before he offered to buy Twitter, Elon Musk posted a poll on the social media platform: "Twitter algorithm should be open source," he wrote, with options for users to vote "yes" or "no." Some of Twitter's technology is already open source, which means it's publicly available for anyone to view, rework, and use for other purposes. But what Musk was asking, essentially, was whether the rules that computers follow to determine what you see in your Twitter feed should be public, too. Over a million votes were tallied by the time the poll closed, with an overwhelming amount of "yes" votes (82.7%). When Elon Musk victory-tweeted his US$44 billion acquisition of Twitter on Monday evening, he committed to improving the social network by, among other things, "making the algorithms open source to increase trust."

In reality, cracking Twitter open to see how it truly works would involve a lot more than just uploading some code to GitHub. And proving the existence—or absence—of biases that may be subtle and depend on a multitude of ever-changing factors may prove to be far more difficult than Musk suggests.

But making public the algorithms that shape what you see on Twitter won't by itself do much to make Twitter a more transparent company, according to artificial intelligence and open-source software experts. Even if it does ultimately help address some distrust that critics have in Twitter's content enforcement actions, moving in this direction could also create a new set of risks for Twitter.

Why does Twitter use an algorithmic timeline?

When Twitter first came out in 2006, it had a simple timeline structure and Tweets were displayed in reverse chronological order from the people you followed. This was great in the beginning, but as more users joined Twitter, it became nearly impossible to keep up with the thousands of Tweets one user would receive on their timeline in a day. This is why, as time went on, new algorithms were introduced.

Here are 10 ways to use the Twitter algorithm effectively:

1. Maintain an active Twitter presence

All good relationships require commitment, even on Twitter. It is also a fantastic way of promoting events, new releases, or even interviews that are available online. Once a piece of information is published on Twitter it is then available for millions of people to see. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain an active Twitter presence because the less often you tweet, the more likely your account is to be the target of purges and unfollows.

2. Get verified

After a break of about three years, Twitter reopened its public account verification process in May 2021. While getting verified won't necessarily boost your content directly in the algorithm, it will help show that you're legitimate and credible. Having a blue tick on your Twitter account offers more credibility and helps increase trustworthiness among followers. With it, you are more likely to be taken seriously by your followers and prospective followers.

3. Tweet at the right time

You need to put your tweets in front of your target audience when they are the most active on Twitter. Posting during the best times increases the engagement rate, and your followers are more likely to like, comment, and retweet your tweets.

4. Use tags purposefully

Using hashtags helps your brand connect with what's happening on Twitter. Which is good news for you, because when brands connect with what's happening on Twitter, they see lifts all across the marketing funnel, such as +18% message association, +8% brand awareness, and +3% purchase intent.

5. Use photos, videos, GIFs

A boost in engagement can help your Tweet's ranking with the Twitter algorithm. And it's well known that Tweets with photos, videos, and GIFs tend to get more attention. Twitter data shows a 95% increase in video views on Twitter in 18 months, and 71% of Twitter sessions now involve video.

6. Encourage followers to engage

When it comes to soliciting engagement on Twitter, it's simple. Ask, and you shall receive. Add an incentive with a Twitter contest. The engage-to-enter format is a tried and true way to boost likes, retweets, or comments. If you ask for engagement, be prepared to return it. Retweet relevant posts. Respond to questions. Show appreciation. There's no such thing as a one-way conversation.

7. Try a Twitter Poll

Twitter Polls allow you to weigh in on questions posed by other people on Twitter. You can also easily create your poll and see the results instantly. No matter how many followers you have, Twitter polls will help you get into their heads. So you can know what they think, what they want, or what they're doing. Which will help you determine what you should be doing for your brand.

8. Join relevant trends and topics

Twitter trending advantage enables you to benefit from the points your group of spectators thinks about, so you can begin discussions with them. This is a truly outstanding and most effortless approach to ensure that your image appears to be human.

9. Repackage top content

Even if you tweet at peak times, chances are many followers may have missed your Tweet. And if it performed well the first time, it likely will again. Don't simply Retweet or copy your top-performing content. Find creative ways to repackage and re-share what works. Leave enough time and contrast from the original so as not to appear spammy.

10. Apply insights from Twitter Analytics

Twitter Analytics allows you to access information about your followers such as their age, gender, location, household income, and even buying styles. You'll have a better idea of your follower demographics which in turn allows you to conduct an effective Twitter campaign that resonates with your audience.

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