5 Elements of the Perfect Tweet
What makes a tweet get retweeted or totally overlooked? Sometimes it is the timing it is sent out or the audience but most of the time, it is content and structure of it that entices someone to retweet it. Here are 5 elements to use to get your content shared more on Twitter:
1. Keep it short and sweet
You only have 140 characters so make them count! Keep the message focused on one key element of your tweet. The shorter the tweet, the more likely it is to get retweeted so keep your tweets under 100 characters, shorter if possible including any URLs. When someone retweets your tweet, Twitter places their handle in front of your tweet. If this pushes them close to or over the 140 characters, they will be required them to modify the tweet to fit into the 140 characters. This is too much time for some people and they will move on.
2. Use images
Bring your words to life – people love to visualize what you are talking about. Tweets with an image are twice as likely to get shared over one without (Source). When posting, ensure the image associated with the article appears. Also, feel free to get creative, take photos of your product and post them to Twitter or take photos of your company engaging in the community.
3. Hashtag wisely
If every second word in your tweet contains a hashtag, you have gone too far. Too many hashtags makes the tweet hard to read unless your audience is fluent in Twitterverse. Just because someone uses Twitter does not mean they are versed in Twitterverse. On the other side of the spectrum, if your tweet has zero hashtags, how do you expect to show up in the search function? A good rule of thumb is to hashtag the important words in your tweet. For an example, if your tweet is an article on tips to travelling to Europe, you can add hashtags like #Europe #traveltips and #travelling.
4. Use a catchy title
People skim their home feed for things they want to read or retweet and to add fuel to the fire, a new tweet is being added to the home feed every few seconds. This just reiterates the importance of making your title catchy to capture your audience’s attention. You have a split millisecond to get them to read your tweet so chose your words carefully, ensuring the main message of the tweet is crystal clear. If it fits your brand, be a bit tongue in cheek, use a shock factor to grab people’s attention.
5. Ask and you shall receive
Don’t be afraid to mention influencers or ask for retweets in your tweets. More often than not, people are happy to share good content that they think their following would like to read. Ensure the content you are asking to be retweeted is relevant to the influencer you are requesting a retweet from. Also, it is great to mention people in tweets, especially if you think they would enjoy the article or as a way to give credit where it is due. For an example, tag the author of the article you are sharing. They will appreciate the credit and most likely retweet it or acknowledge it at least.
What are your tricks for generating retweets?
