Twitter’s Early Struggles with User Retention: A Growth Hack That Changed Everything
In 2009, Twitter faced a serious challenge: more than 75% of its users abandoned the platform shortly after signing up. While millions of people were creating accounts, very few were staying engaged, threatening the platform’s long-term success. The team needed a solution—and fast.
To understand the issue, Twitter’s team divided users into two groups: active users (those who continued using the platform) and inactive users (those who had stopped). They began analyzing these groups, asking a critical question: “What sets the users who stay engaged apart from those who leave?”
The research revealed a crucial insight: users who followed at least 30 accounts were significantly more likely to remain active on the platform. Following more accounts gave users access to a steady stream of content, making Twitter more engaging and valuable to them.
Armed with this knowledge, Twitter made a strategic decision to redesign the platform’s onboarding process. The goal? To make it easier and faster for new users to follow multiple accounts right after signing up. By integrating features like suggested accounts to follow and personalized recommendations, Twitter ensured that new users quickly built a rich and active timeline.
The results were transformative. By focusing on user experience and engagement during the critical onboarding phase, Twitter not only improved retention rates but also set the stage for its explosive growth in the years to come.
This story is a testament to the power of data-driven decision-making and growth hacking strategies. It demonstrates how identifying and addressing a single key behavior—in this case, following 30+ accounts—can dramatically impact user retention and overall success.