Monitor posts from accounts on X

I started managing social media accounts for a couple of clients

from my software development agency — DevSquadSix.

In order to resonate with their audience and drive engagement,

I had to know the accounts that their audience followed and engaged with.

Once I found them,

I added them to a private X list I created.

This gave me a place where I could see new posts from the list of X accounts I was interested in.

But there were 2 major problems…

First, I didn’t have the time to monitor that list every 10 minutes.

Second, some of these posts are threads (multiple posts in a thread) and I needed a summary of the entire thread.

So I began brainstorming how to best solve this…

Tracking New Posts from Lists on X

Using the twitter/X API was out of the question since continuously monitoring these lists would put me on the 5k/m enterprise plan.

I then looked at scraping using Brightdata which allows you to bypass bot detection, but their plans get quit expensive as well.

I took a step back,

and told myself to remember the concept my 9th grade English teacher introduced me to… KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid)

If I could keep my browser window opened,

and run a local scraper to extract based on the XPath it should do the trick.

I used this tool which is free or $15/m for unlimited notis -> https://distill.io/

I installed their browser extension and setup my XPath config.

There were some tweaks I had to make like excluding promoted tweets

"expr": "//*[@data-testid='cellInnerDiv'][not(.//*[contains(text(), 'Promoted')])]//*[@data-testid='tweetText']"

They also have a cloud option as well, but I like the Browser extension b/c it gives me unlimited checks I can run on a schedule.

There are other creative ways to solve this if you don’t want to deal with XPaths, but slightly more expensive and not as accurate:

1. Stillio offers automatic screenshots. You can periodically take screenshots and process them with Open AI GPT Vision through Make.com or a web hook.
   Although this option is more limiting than getting exactly the data you need with XPaths.

2. https://monitoro.co No code monitoring. I haven’t tried this, but it is also slightly more limited and more expensive compared to XPath scraping with distill. The major advantage is it requires less coding.

Since we’re on the subject of monitoring X lists, here are some other use cases this could be used for:

Other Use Cases for Monitoring Twitter Lists

Twitter Lists for Influencer Monitoring

If your brand collaborates with influencers or plans to, Twitter Lists can be highly beneficial.

By creating a list of your current influencers, you can easily track their social media activity. This helps ensure they are adhering to your agreements and aligns with your brand’s topics.

Twitter Lists are also useful for scouting potential influencers. Monitor new profiles for a few weeks to see if their values and messaging align with your brand.

Remember, influencers are human and can make mistakes. A controversial tweet from an associated profile can impact your brand. Regularly monitoring these users allows you to catch and address issues promptly.

Monitor Competitors Using Twitter Lists

Twitter, with its quick updates and brief posts, is ideal for brands to share news, promotions, and product launches.

By creating a Twitter List of your competitors, you get a customized feed of their updates, making it easier to track their activities and respond effectively.

Besides regular updates, Twitter is known for its humor. Brands often share witty, engaging messages to capture attention.

Keeping a list of competitors helps you stay informed about these posts and even join the conversation when appropriate.

Use Twitter Lists to Identify the Next Big Thing

Create a Twitter List combining influencers and leading brands to identify emerging trends. By monitoring key players in your industry (or even a different industry), you can spot new products and use cases early.

Focus on the content they share, the topics they discuss, and their communication style. Trends can encompass more than just products — they might include new memes, writing styles, or popular emojis.

Collaborate with Blogs, Writers, and Media Using Twitter Lists

Create a Twitter List of blogs, writers, and media outlets you want to collaborate with. By monitoring their posts, you can identify topics that align with your brand. This makes it easier to reach out for collaboration on new content, which is highly beneficial for link-building and SEO.

Client Engagement with Twitter List Monitoring

An agency can benefit significantly from a dedicated Twitter List for clients. If you manage their Twitter accounts, this list helps you verify tweet publications and provides a quick overview of retweets, likes, and replies.

If you handle their other social media profiles, use the list to monitor their Twitter activity. Ensure consistency in style and tone across platforms and identify any controversial tweets or necessary adjustments. This allows you to offer timely recommendations for improving their Twitter presence.

Interested in setting up Twitter/X monitoring and automations that bring you results? Schedule a free discovery call with me here: DevSquadSix.

Free templates here: vladshostak.com.

Don’t forget to comment below for what you want to see next.

Cheers!