The reply strategy is actually where the real growth happens - not just posting.
Here's what worked for me: instead of just posting and hoping, I focused on being first to reply on big accounts in my niche with actual value-add comments. Not "great post!" but genuine insights or questions.
The algorithm rewards early engagement. If you reply early on a post that goes viral, your reply gets seen by thousands. Way more exposure than your own posts.
I was doing this manually for months but it was exhausting. Recently started using AI tools to help draft reply ideas faster. There's one called xreply that generates contextual replies based on the tweet - you still review and personalize but it cuts the time down 10x.
The key is volume + quality. You need both. Most people post great content but never reply. Or they reply with generic stuff. Do both well and you'll never stall.