X is where buyers complain about competitors, ask for alternatives, and publicly evaluate tools. Most teams miss it because manual monitoring doesn't scale.
This guide sets up Clawdbot to monitor demand-capture keywords and post contextual replies — with the warm-up and safety config needed to stay on the platform long-term.
Requires Clawdbot running locally. Set it up first.
Step 1: API Tier & Cost Reality
X's free API tier allows 500 posts/month total. That's not enough. You need at minimum the Basic tier.
| Tier | Cost | Posts/month | Viable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 500 | No — too low |
| Basic | $100/mo | 3,000 | Minimum viable |
| Pro | $5,000/mo | 300,000 | For serious volume |
At the Basic tier ($100/month), 3,000 posts gives you 100 replies/day — enough to run the system described here.
Step 2: Account Warm-Up Protocol
Never start automating on a new account. X flags sudden behavioral changes. Warm up for 3–4 weeks before enabling Clawdbot replies.
Manual likes only. No posting, no replies.
2–3 manual replies/day on trending posts in your niche.
3–5 replies/day + 1–2 original posts/day.
Enable Clawdbot at 10 replies/day cap. Scale up weekly.
Step 3: Keyword Setup in Clawdbot
Inside Clawdbot, create a monitoring agent with four keyword groups:
Competitor alternatives
"alternative to [competitor]", "[competitor] replacement"
Category evaluation
"best tool for [category]", "looking for [category] tool"
Switching signals
"switching from [competitor]", "moved away from [tool]"
Pain queries
"struggling with [pain your product solves]", "anyone else having issues with [pain]"
Clawdbot monitoring agent keyword configuration panel
Reply within 30 minutes of a keyword match. Early engagement on a post gets more visibility from X's algorithm.
Step 4: Configure the Reply Agent
Each reply template must be dynamic. Identical copy = suspension. Build at least 3 variants per keyword group using this structure:
Acknowledge the situation
Name 2–3 options including competitors — don't just pitch yourself
Mention your product naturally with one differentiating detail
Ask a clarifying question or offer help — don't drop a link
Generated reply preview inside Clawdbot with variant selector
Add links only after the person responds. DM with your link after they engage — not in the first reply.
Step 5: Stay Under the Ban Threshold
| Parameter | Safe value |
|---|---|
| Daily reply cap | 100–150 after warmup; start at 10 |
| Gap between replies | Randomized 2–5 minutes — never sub-minute |
| Quiet hours | Off between midnight and 6AM local time |
| Copy variation | Minimum 3 rotating variants per keyword group |
| Links in first reply | Never — earn trust first, DM after engagement |
Clawdbot agent settings: reply cap, delay randomization, quiet hours toggle
Step 6: What to Measure
Profile visits
People investigating after seeing a reply
Website clicks
Traffic routed from reply engagement
DM opens
Follow-up conversations started
Demo bookings
Pipeline directly attributable to replies
Review weekly. Drop keywords with no profile visits. Add keyword groups for competitor names gaining market share.
Foundation
Haven't set up Clawdbot yet?
OpenClaw + Telegram + Claude. Takes ~20 minutes.
