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How To Go Viral On X In 5 Minutes (The New Algorithm Is Public Now)
Posted by on January 20, 2026 at 7:01 amHow To Go Viral On X In 5 Minutes (The Algorithm Is Public Now)
Most creators are invisible because they're optimizing for humans.
The algorithm doesn't care about quality.
It predicts engagement.
And it's open-source now.
You can read exactly how posts are scored, filtered, and distributed at github.com/xai-org/x-algorithm.
The code is public. The weights are visible. The mechanics are documented.
Yet 99% of creators are still guessing.
They post good content and pray.
They try posting 10x a day.
They copy viral formats without understanding why they worked.
But there is so much wrong with that sequence.
For years, I’ve been using Twitter / X as a platform and continued analyzing the patterns and behaviors.
The missing piece was The Thunder-Phoenix Pipeline—understanding the two distribution channels every post goes through, and what triggers the transition from linear reach to exponential distribution.
If you've ever spent hours on a post only to get 3 likes,
if you've watched worse content explode while yours dies,
if you've wondered why some accounts blow up overnight while you stay stuck
—this isn't luck. This is algorithm mechanics. And you can learn them in 5 minutes.
This is not a "10 tips for engagement" post. This is the actual scoring system, the weighted signals, and the 5-minute protocol to optimize any post before you hit publish.
Bookmark this. You'll want it next to you every time you create content.
Let's start with why your best work keeps dying.
I. You're Invisible Because You're Optimizing For Humans
"The algorithm doesn't pick winners. It amplifies signals."
— Chan, X Algorithm TeamThat's the secret nobody tells you.
The X algorithm is not a gatekeeper deciding what's good. It's a signal amplifier predicting what will generate engagement.
It doesn't see quality. It doesn't see beauty. It doesn't see how much time you spent.
It sees signals. 19 of them. Weighted by predicted engagement probability.
The Master Formula
Final Score = Σ (weight_i × P(action_i))Every post you write gets scored across 19 engagement actions. The algorithm predicts the probability you'll get each action, multiplies by that action's weight, and sums the total.
High score? You get distributed.
Low score? You die in silence.The 19 Signals (By Weight)
TIER 1 — AMPLIFICATION (Highest Weight)
- Reposts/Retweets: 8/10 weight
- Quote Tweets: 8/10 weight
- Replies: 7/10 weight
- Bookmarks: 7/10 weight
TIER 2 — ENGAGEMENT (High Weight)
- Likes: 6/10 weight
- Follows: 6/10 weight
- Profile Visits: 5/10 weight
- Video Completion: 5/10 weight
TIER 3 — CONSUMPTION (Medium Weight)
- Clicks: 4/10 weight
- Dwell Time: 4/10 weight
- Link Clicks: 3/10 weight
TIER 4 — SUPPRESSION (Negative Weight)
- Blocks: -8/10 weight
- Reports: -8/10 weight
- Mutes: -6/10 weight
- "Not Interested": -5/10 weight
But this is no way to create.
Most creators optimize for Tier 2 (likes). They craft beautiful posts designed to get hearts.
The algorithm doesn't care. Likes are 6/10. Replies are 7/10. Reposts are 8/10.
Replies are worth 30% more than likes in the scoring formula.
Yet every post ends with "Thanks for reading" instead of "What's your take?"
One generates signals. The other generates silence.
The lesson: Stop optimizing for what feels good. Optimize for what the algorithm weights highest.
II. You're Invisible Because You Don't Understand Thunder vs Phoenix
"Thunder is your launchpad. Phoenix is where viral happens."
— X Algorithm DocumentationThere are two distribution channels for every post you write.
Most creators never learn the difference. That's why they stay stuck.
Channel 1: Thunder (In-Network Distribution)
Thunder is X's real-time in-memory post store. When you hit publish:
- Kafka ingests your post instantly
- Your followers see it in sub-milliseconds
- You get immediate visibility to your existing audience
Thunder is linear. More followers = more initial reach. That's it.
Your followers are your velocity engine. Their engagement in the first 30-60 minutes decides everything.
Channel 2: Phoenix (Out-of-Network Distribution)
Phoenix is where viral happens.
It uses a two-stage ML system:
Stage 1 — Retrieval (Two-Tower Model)
User embeddings (interests, history) get matched against content embeddings (your post) via dot product similarity. Top-K candidates are retrieved from millions of posts.Stage 2 — Ranking (Transformer)
Candidates are scored using the 19 engagement signals. Posts with high predicted scores get surfaced to non-followers.Phoenix is exponential. Cross the threshold and you reach people who've never heard of you. Miss it and you stay in Thunder forever.
The Bridge Between Them: Velocity Threshold
Phoenix doesn't activate automatically. You need sufficient initial signals from Thunder to even be considered.
VELOCITY = (Engagements in First Hour) / (Follower Count / 1000) < 10: Dead on arrival 10-25: Thunder only 25-50: Borderline Phoenix 50-100: Phoenix begins 100+: Strong viral potential 200+: Explosive distributionMost posts get 10-25 velocity. They reach followers. They die.
Viral posts get 100+ velocity. Thunder launches. Phoenix amplifies.
The first 60 minutes decide if your post dies or explodes.
Everything you do in those 60 minutes—every reply you write, every engagement you generate—determines which channel you end up in.
Further, Phoenix uses candidate isolation. Each post is scored independently. You're not competing with other posts in the feed.
You're competing with silence.
III. You're Invisible Because You're Missing The 19 Signals
"Reposts beat likes. Quote tweets beat reposts. Replies beat everything. This isn't opinion—it's weighted math."
— Weighted Scorer Source CodeThe algorithm can't see quality. It can only see signals.
That beautiful thread you spent 3 hours writing? If it doesn't trigger Tier 1 signals, it dies.
That hot take you wrote in 30 seconds? If it generates replies and reposts, it goes viral.
The Signal Hierarchy
Most creators chase the wrong signals.
They want likes. Likes are social proof. Likes feel good.
But likes are Tier 2. They're worth 6/10 in the scoring formula.
What actually drives distribution:
- Replies (7/10) — Conversation signals high-quality engagement
- Reposts (8/10) — Direct distribution multiplier
- Quote Tweets (8/10) — Engagement + distribution + added context
- Bookmarks (7/10) — High-intent save for later
One repost is worth 33% more than a like.
One reply is worth 17% more than a like.Yet most posts are structured for passive consumption, not active engagement.
The Negative Signal Death Spiral
Here's what kills posts faster than low engagement: negative signals.
One block is -8/10 weight. That's the same magnitude as a repost, but in reverse.
One block erases 8 reposts in the scoring formula.
This is why controversial-but-not-toxic works. Controversy generates Tier 1 signals (replies, quote tweets). But if you cross into toxic, you generate blocks and reports.
The balance matters. Strong opinions that invite debate? Viral. Offensive takes that trigger blocks? Suppressed instantly.
Your goal: Maximize Tier 1. Minimize Tier 4.
The best creators maintain a 100:1 ratio (positive signals to negative signals). Most struggle to hit 10:1.
IV. The 5-Minute Optimization Protocol
"You can engineer virality in 5 minutes. Or you can guess for 5 years."
At this point, you understand:
- The algorithm weights 19 signals, with replies/reposts/quotes at the top
- Thunder launches your post to followers; Phoenix makes it viral
- You need 100+ velocity in the first hour to cross the viral threshold
The question is: How do you audit and optimize any post in 5 minutes?
The Signal-First Framework
To go viral, you need high predicted probability of Tier 1 signals.
The algorithm asks:
"Will this post generate replies?"
"Will this post get reposted?"
"Will this get quote-tweeted or bookmarked?"If the answer is no, you don't get distributed. Period.
Most creators write first, hope second. Winners audit first, write second.
The 5-Minute Breakdown
Minute 1: The Hook Audit
The algorithm's transformer model predicts engagement from early stopping patterns. If users don't pause in the first 50 characters, you lose the dwell time signal.Test: Read your first line. Does it stop the scroll?
Minute 2: The Signal Prediction
Ask: Which Tier 1 signal will this generate?
If the answer is "none" or "likes," rewrite it.Minute 3: The Engagement Trigger
The last 50 characters matter as much as the first 50. That's where you trigger replies.Test: Does your post end with a question, debate frame, or unfinished loop?
Minute 4: The Negative Signal Check
Will this trigger blocks, mutes, or reports? Controversial is good. Offensive is death.Minute 5: The Timing Optimization
Velocity matters. Post when your followers are online. Check historical engagement by hour.That's it. Five minutes. Every post.
The alternative is posting for 6 months, generating zero compound effect, and wondering why nobody sees your work.
V. How To Engineer Replies (The Highest-Weighted Signal)
"Most creators optimize the body. Winners optimize for conversation."
Replies are 7/10 weight. They signal high-quality engagement. They extend dwell time. They create conversation threads the algorithm loves.
Yet most posts end with statements, not questions.
The Reply-Generation Framework
There are 5 patterns that reliably generate replies:
1. The Direct Question
"What's your take?" "Agree or disagree?" "What would you add?"Simple. Effective. Universally applicable.
2. The Debate Frame
"Most people think X. I think Y. Change my mind."Controversy invites replies. The "change my mind" frame reduces blocks (you're asking for opposing views, not dismissing them).
3. The Unfinished Loop
"The best founders I know do 3 things: 1) X 2) Y 3) …"Then ask: "What's #3?"
Curiosity gaps generate replies.
4. The Experience Prompt
"Drop your experience below." "What's worked for you?"People love sharing their stories. You're giving them permission.
5. The Tag Prompt
"Tag someone who needs this."This generates replies AND extends reach (tagged users see the post).
What NOT To Do
Don't use engagement bait. The algorithm detects it.
"Tag 3 people for a giveaway" gets filtered.
"What would you add?" does not.The difference: Value-first framing. If your post delivers value, asking for a reply is natural. If your post is hollow, asking for engagement is obvious.
Don't end with "Thanks for reading." That's a conversation ender.
End with "What's your take?" That's a conversation starter.
VI. The Complete 5-Minute Pre-Publish Checklist
"The first 60 minutes decide everything."
Okay, let's make this actionable.
You've written a post. Before you hit publish, spend 5 minutes running this checklist. It will 10x your viral potential.
Part 1: The 60-Second Signal Audit
Exercise 1: The Hook Test
Read your first 50 characters out loud. Does it stop the scroll?If it sounds like every other post in the feed, rewrite it.
Winning patterns:
- "Unpopular opinion: [contrarian take]"
- "I [unexpected event] and discovered [insight]"
- "After [credential], here's what nobody tells you"
- "[Number] [things] that [audience] get wrong"
Exercise 2: The Signal Prediction
Ask: "Will this generate replies, reposts, or quote tweets?"If you can't answer confidently, it won't.
Replies come from questions, debates, or unfinished loops.
Reposts come from share-worthy insights (1-2 sentence summaries that stand alone).
Quote tweets come from takes people want to add context to.Exercise 3: The Negative Signal Check
Ask: "Will this trigger blocks, mutes, or reports?"Strong opinions? Good.
Offensive takes? Death.One block erases 8 reposts. Controversy without toxicity is the edge.
Part 2: The 2-Minute Hook Rewrite
Exercise 4: Remove Hedging
Delete: "I think," "maybe," "in my opinion," "perhaps."The algorithm rewards confidence. Hedging kills engagement.
Before: "I think most startups maybe fail because they focus on product."
After: "Most startups fail because they focus on product instead of distribution."Exercise 5: Add Specificity
Vague claims die. Specific claims generate replies.Before: "Good marketing matters."
After: "Your product is 10% of success. Distribution is 90%."Numbers, time frames, and concrete claims outperform generic statements 3:1.
Exercise 6: Front-Load The Insight
Put your best line first, not buried in paragraph 3.The algorithm's transformer uses early stopping patterns. Users who don't pause in the first 50 chars never see the rest.
Part 3: The 2-Minute Engagement Engineering
Exercise 7: The Reply Trigger
Add a question or debate frame at the end.Before: "That's my take on SEO. Hope it helps."
After: "That's my take on SEO. What's yours?"One gets passive consumption. The other gets Tier 1 signals.
Exercise 8: The Repost Check
Can someone quote-tweet this with one sentence of added context?If your post is too long, too complex, or too vague, it won't get shared.
Best practice: Include 1-2 standalone lines that work as quotes.
Example: "The algorithm can't see quality. It can only see signals."
That's a repost-worthy line. Extract it, make it bold, make it easy to share.
Exercise 9: The Timing Check
When are your followers online? Post then.Most creators post at random times. Winners post during velocity windows.
Check your analytics. Find your best-performing hours. Schedule accordingly.
Best times (EST):
Monday-Thursday: 8-11 AM, 6-9 PM
Friday: 10 AM-2 PM
Weekend: 10 AM-12 PM, 7-9 PMThe Commitment
For the next 30 days:
- I will run this checklist on every post before publish
- I will optimize for replies, not likes
- I will post during velocity windows
- I will not post without a reply trigger
- I will track velocity (engagements per hour / followers/1000)
That's it. 5 minutes per post. 30 days.
You'll either cross the viral threshold consistently, or you'll know exactly which signal you're missing.
VII. Turn Your X Strategy Into A Scoring Game
"Your post doesn't compete with others. It competes with silence."
Let me organize everything you now have into a system.
The Thunder-Phoenix Pipeline = How you win
Understanding the two distribution channels and what triggers the viral thresholdThe 19 Signal Scorecard = The rules of the game
Knowing which actions the algorithm weights and how to generate themThe Velocity Threshold = The boss fight
Getting 100+ engagements in the first hour to activate Phoenix distributionThe 5-Minute Protocol = Daily quests
Audit → Rewrite → Optimize → Post during velocity windowNo negative signals = Constraints
Controversy without toxicity. Strong opinions without blocks.Why is this powerful? Because these components create a scoring game.
Your vision: Cross the viral threshold consistently.
Your anti-vision: Stay invisible. Watch worse content blow up while you die in silence.
Your mission: Master the algorithm mechanics over the next 90 days.
Your boss fight: Your next high-stakes post (launch, product announcement, thought leadership).
Your daily quests: The 5-minute protocol on every post.
Your rules: Maximize Tier 1 signals. Minimize Tier 4 signals. Maintain 100:1 ratio.
The Compound Effect
Every post you optimize compounds.
Week 1: You learn which hooks stop scrolls.
Week 2: You learn which topics generate replies.
Week 3: You learn your velocity windows.
Week 4: You cross the viral threshold for the first time.By Week 12, you're not guessing anymore. You're engineering virality on demand.
Every week you skip, competitors compound ahead.
Every week you optimize, you pull further ahead of the guessers.
The difference is velocity.
The Anti-Vision (What Happens If You Don't)
Picture this: It's 6 months from now.
You're still posting daily. Still putting in the work.
But every post dies with single-digit engagement. Your best ideas vanish into the void.
You watch accounts with worse content blow up. You watch copycats with a fraction of your insight get 10x the reach.
How much time did you waste?
6 months × 30 posts/month × 30 minutes per post = 90 hours of creation.
Zero distribution. Zero compound effect. Zero authority building.
What was the opportunity cost?
The deal you didn't close because nobody saw your expertise. The audience you didn't build because the algorithm never picked you up. The reputation you didn't earn because you stayed invisible.
What will people say about you?
"They posted consistently." Not "They built something." Not "They had reach." Just… showed up in silence.
You played the game for 6 months without knowing the rules.
And the rules were public the whole time.
The Quick X Virality Rule
Velocity Score ≥ 100 → Phoenix activated. You're viral.
Velocity Score 50-99 → Borderline. Rewrite the hook or add reply trigger.
Velocity Score < 50 → Thunder only. Start over with signal audit.How to calculate:
- Did you get 100+ engagements in first hour? (+50)
- Did replies exceed 2% of engagements? (+20)
- Did reposts exceed 1% of engagements? (+20)
- Zero blocks or reports? (+10)
50 points possible per dimension. 100+ total = viral threshold crossed.
That's it for this piece.
You now have the algorithm architecture, the weighted scoring system, and the 5-minute protocol to audit and optimize any post.
The code is public. The mechanics are documented. The system is reverse-engineerable.
Anyone still guessing is choosing to lose.
— Udit Goenka
P.S. — If you want to see the full X algorithm source code: github.com/xai-org/x-algorithm. But the scoring system? The 19 signals? The Thunder-Phoenix pipeline? That's on you. And now you have the protocol.
What are your thoughts? Let me know below.
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1 Reply
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AI slop – also pretty sure the X algo changed since it was released.
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