QuertweetThe X search cookbook

Chapter 2 · 6 recipes

Leads asking for recommendations: X search recipes

People asking "can anyone recommend" for the thing you sell or the service you offer.

Chapter notes

The warmest lead on X is a person who has already decided to buy and is asking their followers which one. These posts follow a few predictable phrases: "can anyone recommend", "looking for a good", "what do you use for". Put those phrases in quotes, group them with OR, and add the product type you care about.

Two filters do most of the cleanup. -filter:links removes posts with links, which strips out a large share of ads and affiliate posts, since a genuine question rarely carries a URL. A question mark (?) on its own keeps posts that contain one, a simple way to lean toward questions.

Reply like a person. Answer the question that was asked, mention your product only if it fits, and say that you work on it. A useful answer from a named account does more for you than a pitch, and a pile of identical pitches under one post is a quick way to get muted.

The recipes

2.1

Someone asking for a recommendation

The three most common ways people ask. No links and no replies keeps it to original questions.

Fill in

("can anyone recommend" OR "any recommendations for" OR "looking for a good") "standing desk" -filter:links -filter:replies
Open on X (Latest)
What each part does
("can anyone recommend" OR "any recommendations for" OR "looking for a good")
Any one of these is enough: "can anyone recommend", "any recommendations for", "looking for a good". OR has to be written in capitals.
"[product]"
Your product type, in quotes so a multi-word value is matched as one phrase.
-filter:links
Removes posts that contain a link.
-filter:replies
Removes replies.
2.2

Local service requests

For local businesses: people near you asking their followers for a name.

Fill in

("recommend a" OR "know a good" OR "looking for a") "plumber" near:"Chicago" within:20mi
Open on X (Latest)
What each part does
("recommend a" OR "know a good" OR "looking for a")
Any one of these is enough: "recommend a", "know a good", "looking for a". OR has to be written in capitals.
"[service]"
Your service, in quotes so a multi-word value is matched as one phrase.
near:"[city]"
Posts X associates with [city]. Few posts carry a location, so results are partial.
within:20mi
Sets the radius for near:, here 20 miles.
2.3

People leaving a competitor

Each phrase includes the competitor's name, so every result is someone shopping around.

Fill in

("alternative to Acme CRM" OR "switching from Acme CRM" OR "replacement for Acme CRM") -filter:links
Open on X (Latest)
What each part does
("alternative to [competitor]" OR "switching from [competitor]" OR "replacement for [competitor]")
Any one of these is enough: "alternative to [competitor]", "switching from [competitor]", "replacement for [competitor]". OR has to be written in capitals.
-filter:links
Removes posts that contain a link.
2.4

What do you use for...?

The question mark operator keeps posts that contain one, which leans the list toward real questions.

Fill in

("what do you use for" OR "what's the best") "standing desk" ? -filter:links
Open on X (Latest)
What each part does
("what do you use for" OR "what's the best")
Any one of these is enough: "what do you use for", "what's the best". OR has to be written in capitals.
"[product]"
Your product type, in quotes so a multi-word value is matched as one phrase.
?
Posts that contain a question mark.
-filter:links
Removes posts that contain a link.
2.5

Buyers on the fence

People close to a purchase and asking for a push either way.

Fill in

"standing desk" ("worth it" OR "should I buy" OR "thinking of buying") ? -filter:links
Open on X (Latest)
What each part does
"[product]"
Your product type, in quotes so a multi-word value is matched as one phrase.
("worth it" OR "should I buy" OR "thinking of buying")
Any one of these is enough: "worth it", "should I buy", "thinking of buying". OR has to be written in capitals.
?
Posts that contain a question mark.
-filter:links
Removes posts that contain a link.
2.6

Does anyone know a good one?

A looser net than the first recipe. Expect more noise and a few leads the others miss.

Fill in

("does anyone know" OR "anyone know") "standing desk" lang:en -filter:replies
Open on X (Latest)
What each part does
("does anyone know" OR "anyone know")
Any one of these is enough: "does anyone know", "anyone know". OR has to be written in capitals.
"[product]"
Your product type, in quotes so a multi-word value is matched as one phrase.
lang:en
Posts X detected as English. Detection on very short posts can be wrong.
-filter:replies
Removes replies.

More chapters

  1. 1 Job posts
  2. 3 Customer complaints
  3. 4 Local events
  4. 5 Giveaways and contests
  5. 6 Research quotes
  6. 7 News from verified sources
  7. 8 Questions in your niche
  8. 9 Brand mentions and feedback
  9. 10 Content ideas
  10. 11 Tutorials and resources

New to the operators? Read X search operators, explained. All 71 recipes are also on the home page, where you can filter them and save favorites.