Is Twitter/X still worth it for building an audience?
Short answer
Yes, but keep your expectations in line. Three years ago you could get 50,000 followers in six months. Not anymore. It's still where the smartest entrepreneurs are, so it's great for relationships. To grow, reply to other people instead of only posting, and share what you're actually building instead of generic tips.
It's still worth it, just not for the reasons it used to be.
"this Twitter stuff was, you would have gotten 50,000 followers in six months, like, three years ago. It was, like, amazing for, for people like you and me, and it's just not anymore, so, you know, keep your expectations in line"
Why bother if growth is harder?
All the smartest people in the world are on Twitter. You can get in front of some of them and have them know who you are, and it's not hard.
In my niche, I've had about 25 emails from people saying my stuff is great. I've gotten zero saying I'm not good. Not even one.
Who's there matters. Twitter is for really smart entrepreneurial business people. LinkedIn is for more traditional business people. Pick based on who you're trying to reach. For the local media side, see whether a local media brand should post on LinkedIn.
How do you grow on Twitter now?
- Reply to people. If growth is your goal, you just need to be replying to people. Don't worry about posting your own stuff.
- Post personal updates. Here's what I've been doing, here's what I built. What worked two years ago doesn't work now.
- Skip the generic listicles. "Seven principles of stoicism" posts crushed three years ago. Now it's all about human to human: what you do and why you're interesting.
The routine I'd suggest for a new niche account: write one tweet a day and comment on five other people's tweets a day. It fits next to a weekly video and newsletter, which I lay out in building a niche media brand.
Should I start a new account?
Maybe. I talked to an entrepreneur who grew from zero to 30,000 followers in a year. His advice to me was to start over with a new account. I didn't take it, but I probably should have. If your old account is full of followers who don't engage, a fresh one may beat fighting it.
What results did it bring you?
Niching my profile is what made the difference. When my Twitter started saying local newsletter, along with a podcast and newsletter on the topic, people started reaching out to partner and pay me. That story is in whether niching down brings in clients.
Answered by TJ Larkin. From consulting and peer calls, 2025. Last updated .