Can I find customers on X without paying for ads?
Yes. Search is free for signed-in users, and helpful public replies to people asking for recommendations are one of the most direct ways to meet buyers.
Guide
How to find customers on X (Twitter) with advanced search
Short answer: search X for phrases people use when they want a recommendation (“any recommendations”, “is there a tool”, “alternative to”) combined with your category words, filter out links and other languages, sort by Latest, and reply quickly with a genuinely useful answer before you mention what you built.
By the Meg team · Last reviewed 24 October 2026
How X differs from Reddit
- People ask their followers, not a community. Requests often look like “Founders: what do you use for…?” with no topic tag, so phrase-based search matters more than hashtags.
- Conversations move fast. A reply the same day is far more likely to be read than one a week later.
- Replies are public and tied to your profile. Your bio and recent posts are your credibility. Make sure they say what you build.
- You need to be signed in to use X search.
The operators that matter
| Operator | Example | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| "exact phrase" | "any recommendations" | Matches the exact words in order |
| OR | crm OR pipeline | Matches either word. Use capitals. |
| -word | -giveaway | Excludes posts with that word |
| lang: | lang:en | Limits results to one language |
| -filter:links | -filter:links | Skips posts with links, which removes most ads and promotions |
| min_faves: | min_faves:2 | Only posts with at least that many likes; cuts bots and spam |
| since: / until: | since:2026-10-01 | Limits results to a date range |
| -from: | -from:yourhandle | Hides your own posts |
After searching, switch to the Latest tab. Top favours popular posts, which are usually not the ones still waiting for an answer.
Searches to copy
Replace the words in brackets with your own. Keep the category words to the terms customers actually use.
Buying asks
("any recommendations" OR "is there a tool" OR "what do you use for") ([your category] OR "[problem phrase]") lang:en -filter:linksPain points
("tired of" OR "struggling with" OR "how do you deal with") "[problem phrase]" lang:en -filter:linksPeople switching
("alternative to" OR "switching from" OR "replacement for") [competitor] lang:en -filter:linksOr let the free Reddit & X search builder write them from your product's words.
Reply so people are glad you did
- Answer the question itself in the first line. No “Great question!”.
- Mention your product only if it fits, and say plainly that you built it.
- One reply per conversation. Don't reply to everyone in the thread with the same pitch.
- Never reply with only a link. X users scroll past them, and they look like spam.
- Don't DM people who didn't ask for it. A public reply is visible proof you help.
Make it a habit
Save your best two or three searches in X so they're one tap away. Check them once or twice a day, reply to the few posts where you can genuinely help, and write down which searches led to conversations or signups so you can drop the ones that don't.
Where Meg fits
Meg's Reddit & X lead finder runs searches like these on X and Reddit, keeps posts from the last 15 days, scores each one for buying intent, and drafts replies in your voice. With Auto Run it does this daily and can alert you on Telegram. You still choose what to answer and post the reply yourself.
Questions
Why add -filter:links?
Most promotional posts contain links. Excluding them leaves mostly people talking, which is where the questions are.
Is replying to strangers with my product spam?
It is if the reply is a pitch that ignores the question. A useful answer with a clear disclosure that you built the tool is usually welcome.
Related
Let Meg watch X for you
Meg finds the posts and drafts the replies. You decide what to send.