The Twitter Problem

[A.K.]

Hello Everybody, (Hi Doctor Nick) - sorry couldn't help myself.

Okay so down to business. I'm an author trying to do the whole self promotion thing, social media etc. And I seem to have run into problem with Twitter, and I wanted to ask you lovely people, if any of you had come across this little phenomena.

'If you have a problem with Twitter, why don't you ask Twitter Support for help?' - I hear you cry. Simple answer - I did. They have as yet (after several back and forth emails) not actually given a straight answer.

So the problem I am having with twitter:

If I put a link in a tweet that includes a hashtag, the tweet NEVER shows up in the hashtag feed.
If I don't have a link in a tweet that includes a hashtag, the tweet ALWAYS shows up in the hashtag feed.

The reason for the capitals is to highlight that if this was a random event, a glitch in the system, then the odds of this still happening at this point are actually beyond calculation.

The response from Twitter Support is an obligatory link to their help section which lists various reasons why Tweets don't appear in search. But given the specific and constant nature of this problem does not apply.

Twitter Support have admitted that they are currently experiencing a resourcing problem and that my account is affected by this. A resourcing problem, I pointed out, is understandable but surely it would affect tweets randomly and not specifically (i.e. those containing links and hashtags). Twitter Support ignored the question and, again. sent me the obligatory link to why some tweets don't show up in search.

So I am intrigued to know does anyone else experience this problem? Or have I broken Twitter? Lol

[Andrew]

This is only one suggestion, but if you go to a hashtag feed, it displays tweets displayed by "Top", "All" and "People you follow". I've no idea how it works out which tweets are "top", but if you click on "all" you should see your tweets appearing. If not, then, yeah, you've got a support issue...

[Marc]

Good advice Andrew. Also AK you may want to download something like Tweetdeck to manage your Twitter viewing. Then you could have a column for the hashtags you want to keep an eye on so they would show up instantly. Also you can pre-schedule tweets as well. It just makes Twitter life a lot easier I find

[A.K.]

Andrew wrote: "This is only one suggestion, but if you go to a hashtag feed, it displays tweets displayed by "Top", "All" and "People you follow". I've no idea how it works out which tweets are "top", but if you ..."

Viewing the feed on "All" so not that I'm afraid. Lol.

I have checked with the tweets people I follow have made, and have not seen the same thing happen to them.

Of course at this point they do have more followers than I do, and it may be possible Twitter has some invisible block on links with hashtags for people who have below a certain number of followers - but that is pure speculation and delving into the realms of conspiracy theory.

[A.K.]

Marc wrote: "Good advice Andrew. Also AK you may want to download something like Tweetdeck to manage your Twitter viewing. Then you could have a column for the hashtags you want to keep an eye on so they would ..."

I take your point on board, but I assure you it's not a case of the hashtag feed flowing past too fast and me missing them. I know it is starting to sound like I am going mad, but I'm really not.

[Marc]

as a matter of interest, can I ask what the hashtag is?

[A.K.]

Marc wrote: "as a matter of interest, can I ask what the hashtag is?"

Any and all hashtags. Like I said it only happens when a link is also in the tweet.

For example:
"#ebook Hello" - always shows in the #ebook feed.
"#ebook Hello *LINK*" - never shows in the #ebook feed.

[Marc]

weird. Must say I've never had that problem?

[A.K.]

Marc wrote: "weird. Must say I've never had that problem?"

No one I know has. Which is why I thought I would try my luck here.

Strangely enough - if someone retweets my tweet which has the hashtag and link in it - that does show, but my original tweet still doesn't.

I'm more puzzled by Twitter's response. They seem to not want to admit it is happening. But as no one else seems to have heard of the problem it can't be that widespread.