Navigating the post-Musk era: How I grew with news on Twitter in challenging times

Editor’s note: under Elon Musk’s chaotic leadership, growing on Twitter is more difficult than it used to be – but still possible. In a column for The Fix, Erika Marzano, a project manager in the Audience Development team at DW, shares her experience of successfully growing a news Twitter account in less than two months.

In the wake of Elon Musk’s controversial reign on Twitter, news accounts face a plethora of challenges. From forced logins and limited tweet visibility to paid account verification and vital features behind a paywall, these obstacles test the resilience of media outlets and journalists. However, despite these hurdles, Twitter remains a central hub for news media and journalists to engage with their audience, as highlighted by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism Digital News Report 2023.

Recently I took part in a journalistic fellowship where I was granted a unique opportunity to immerse myself in a foreign newsroom for seven weeks (due to confidentiality reasons, I will not reveal the name of the publisher). 

As part of my everyday role in Audience Development at Deutsche Welle (DW), I define measurement and test strategies in cooperation with the analytics team to identify opportunities for content strategy with the editorial teams across our newsrooms. Furthermore, I constantly support editorial teams in implementing these strategies, advise on day-to-day enhancements in their work, and keep them up to date on the peculiarities of different platforms. With this background I immersed myself directly into the editorial experience of the fellowship, creating content for the web and for social. 

Taking the reins of their social media presence, the challenge for me was daunting, but my goal remained: to achieve remarkable growth on Twitter despite the formidable odds. Here’s how I managed.

Overcoming Twitter’s limitations

When I joined the newsroom, the three-month old Twitter account was poised for growth, but it required a strategic approach to navigate the challenges imposed by Twitter’s new policies. By employing a combination of tactics, I managed to achieve impressive results in just seven weeks.

During my fellowship, the account witnessed a remarkable increase in impressions by +4329.5%, profile visits by 797.3%, and mentions by 7600%. These numbers illustrate the effectiveness of the approach I train editors and journalists in at DW.

• Diverse content strategy:

One of the core elements of the success was implementing a diverse content strategy. I recognized the importance of catering to different preferences and consumption habits. With this in mind, I significantly ramped up our output: This represented an increase of 612.5% in our content output compared to the previous period. 

My posts ranged from traditional link tweets and articles to original picture galleries, snippets of our daily podcast and vertical short videos. By embracing Twitter’s brand-new immersive vertical media viewer, I allowed our audience to enjoy a full-screen experience of our videos on mobile, making it easier for them to engage with our content. To attract a broad range of readers, especially the younger demographic, embracing new formats is essential. Young people are drawn to short-form vertical video, and presenting your stories in fresh, creative, and “cool” formats can pique their interest in content they might otherwise overlook.

This strategic mix of formats not only captured the attention of our followers but also encouraged higher levels of interaction that brought in new followers.

• Active community management:

To forge a genuine connection with our audience, I prioritised active community management. I responded promptly to comments, inquiries, and feedback, encouraging conversations, and fostering a sense of community. By engaging with our followers, I created a dynamic and interactive space that encouraged increased participation.

The contemporary social media audience seeks more than just information; they crave a personal and interactive connection with the content they encounter and the creator of such content. By having a more informal and interactive dialogue with them, you can garner likes, recommendations, shares, and foster loyalty towards your account.

• Strategic mentioning and tagging:

To amplify our reach, I made it a point to mention and tag relevant anchors, colleagues, and interviewees who were active on social media and who could amplify our tweets. Their involvement not only helped in gaining retweets but also expanded our exposure to wider networks. Collaboration and networking became powerful tools in extending our reach and spreading the word about our account.

Why not leverage on our experts and anchors and their already formed network of followers and fans?

• A stroke of luck:

As the saying goes, “Luck favours the prepared.” It is true that sometimes external events play a significant role. During my time at the newsroom, we experienced a volcanic eruption in the country. It was truly a spectacle to witness the force of nature in action and – luckily – there was no harm to people or property nor any type of disruption. This natural and spectacular phenomenon captured the attention of numerous people worldwide, creating a demand for constant updates about the event. Capitalising on this opportunity, I provided quick and comprehensive coverage, establishing ourselves and our account as a reliable source of information in English available for everyone. The eruption became a catalyst for the account’s exponential growth, attracting followers who valued timely updates.

Despite the challenges posed by Elon Musk’s influence on Twitter and the platform’s restrictive policies, it is still possible for news media and journalists to grow and thrive. 

By diversifying our content, increasing our output, engaging actively with our community, leveraging strategic mentions and tags, and seizing opportune moments, I managed to achieve remarkable growth on Twitter.

While the Musk era presents its own set of obstacles, perseverance, creativity, and adaptability remain crucial. Twitter continues to be a vital space for quick news and journalism, enabling direct connections with audiences across the globe. By staying ahead of trends, understanding the platform’s features, and embracing a proactive approach, media outlets can navigate these challenging times and build lasting relationships with their audience on Twitter.

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