Prerequisites
Ensure twitter-cli is installed and authenticated:
# Install
uv tool install twitter-cli
# Auth via browser cookies (no API key needed)
# twitter-cli auto-extracts from Chrome/Arc/Firefox/Edge/Brave
twitter-cli timeline
If auth fails, the user needs to set TWITTER_AUTH_TOKEN and TWITTER_CT0 environment variables from their browser cookies.
Process
1. Draft Content
Before posting anything, always draft and present to the user for approval:
- Single tweet: Keep under 280 chars. Lead with the hook. End with a CTA or open question.
- Thread: Write each tweet as a standalone insight that also flows as a narrative. Number tweets (1/N format).
- Reply/Quote: Read the original tweet first (
twitter-cli tweet <id>), then add genuine value.
2. Review & Approve
Present the draft clearly:
📝 Draft tweet:
---
[tweet content here]
---
Post this? (y/n)
Never post without explicit user confirmation.
3. Post
# Single tweet
twitter-cli post "Your tweet content here"
# Tweet with images (up to 4)
twitter-cli post "Check out these results" --image chart.png
# Quote tweet
twitter-cli post "My take on this:" --quote-url https://x.com/user/status/123
# Reply
twitter-cli post "Great point! Here's what I'd add..." --reply-to 123456789
4. Monitor & Engage
After posting, check engagement:
# Check your recent tweets and their metrics
twitter-cli me --yaml
# Search for mentions or relevant conversations
twitter-cli search "keyword" --tab latest
# Check replies to your tweet
twitter-cli tweet <tweet-id>
5. Iterate
Track what works:
- Which tweet formats get highest engagement?
- What time of day performs best?
- Which topics resonate most?
Use twitter-cli me --yaml output to analyze patterns and inform the next content batch.
Anti-patterns
- Don't post multiple tweets in rapid succession — space them out
- Don't draft generic content — every tweet should have a specific audience and purpose
- Don't ignore replies — responding to comments boosts algorithmic visibility
- Don't post and forget — always check engagement within 1-2 hours