All glossary terms
Glossary · Algorithm
Time decay
Also known as: Decay rate
How quickly a tweet's reach drops off after publishing, typically with a half-life under 30 minutes.
In depth
X content has the shortest half-life of any major social platform. A typical tweet's impressions peak in the first 15-30 minutes and drop by 80% within 2 hours. Threads and long-form posts have slightly longer tails (24-48 hours) but the same shape.
Time decay is why posting cadence matters: you need fresh impressions per day to maintain reach. It's also why scheduling tools (and the right posting times) drive measurable outcomes — getting the publish moment right captures the algorithm's freshness boost.
Related terms
Now put it to work
AutoTweet generates and schedules X content tuned for the algorithm — the same one this glossary just explained.