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Do you want more engagement for your tweets?
Knowing how to write your tweets and when to publish them can increase visibility, boost engagement and drive traffic to your site.
In this article you’ll discover eight tips to deliver better tweets.
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#1: Tweet Without Links
Research shows that tweets without links get more engagement.
Remember that not everything you tweet has to have a link. If you limit the number of links you share on Twitter, you’ll add value to the ones you do.
For example, I tweeted this same quote with and without a link.
The one without the link got more engagement.
Twitter is an excellent platform to build your brand and create trust, so spend time developing relationships with your followers rather than just sharing a lot of links.
Plus, when you tweet fewer links, the people who trust you know whatever links you choose to share are likely worth clicking.
#2: Use the Right Hashtags
If you want to get noticed, add hashtags that give your tweets context. It’s important not to overdo it with hashtags, however.
Handy tools like Hashtagify and RiteTag can help you find the right hashtags to use.
Find Hashtags With Hashtagify
Hashtagify allows you to search for a hashtag you want to use. In the Search box, type in your hashtag (socialmedia, for example) and press Enter.
The results let you see the most popular related hashtags. By default, you see the results in Basic Mode view, which looks like a mind map.
Click the Table Mode button to see the related hashtags ranked in order of popularity.
You can use any of these alternative hashtags or combine several of them for each tweet.
Check Hashtag Relevance With RiteTag
Once you determine what hashtags you want to use, use a tool like RiteTag to find out how relevant they are.
Go to RiteTag and sign in with (and authorize) your Twitter account. Then click the New button at the top of the page.
In the Compose New Tweet box, type in your tweet. You’ll notice that when you add hashtags, RiteTag gives you a color-coded rating for each hashtag in real time. Green is good, blue is cool and red is overused.
RiteTag also has a Chrome extension that shows the tool’s codes and analytics for your tweets whenever you use Twitter, Buffer, Hootsuite or another platform to compose or schedule a tweet.
Using Hashtagify and RiteTag together is a great way to find effective hashtags for your tweets to get the most visibility and reach. Use these tools to do research and then build a library of hashtags for your future tweets.
#3: Add Images for Shared Links
It’s no surprise that tweets with images stand out and get more engagement than tweets without images. Fortunately, there are a variety of tools you can use to find the right images to use in your tweets.
Twitshot is an online tool you can use in any browser that makes it easy to find images to use when you share links. It’s also available as a Chrome extension and iOS app.
Compose your tweet in the Twitshot tweet box and paste in the URL you want to share.
Twitshot then searches for and lets you see all possible images that go with that link. Select one of the available images or upload your own image.
Everyone knows that tweets with images stand out, but not everyone takes the time to add them. Consistently incorporating images will improve your engagement.
#4: Tweet With the Proper Format
To compose a tweet in the proper format, you need to have all of the individual elements in the correct order.
Start your tweet with text and then add a link. Make sure to include the attribution with @mentions if applicable. Then add hashtags and insert your image.
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Now that you know the rules for composing a tweet, you can break them for effect. Come up with multiple ways to tweet the same information to add variety to your Twitter stream.
For example, rather than adding the article title, use an interesting or relevant quote from the article (attributing it to the author) with a link and hashtags. Another option is to start the tweet with a question that the article answers.
Remember, don‘t start tweets with @Mention unless you’re replying. When you tweet with @Mention first, only the people who follow both accounts will see the tweet. Tweets that are replies to multiple people, on the other hand, are fine.
#5: Provide Value With Quote Tweets
The new Quote Tweet function allows you to add 116 characters when you retweet. (The original tweet takes up the space of a link in a tweet.)
However, don’t just reiterate the title when you retweet someone else’s content. Give context by adding your own opinion or enthusiasm for the information.
Another option is to include a quote from the post shared in the tweet.
The purpose of a quote before your retweet is to showcase your thought leadership by adding value. Your tweet should set up the promise of what clicking through to that tweet will deliver to your audience.
#6: Tweet at Optimal Times
It’s important to know where your audience is in the world, and then identify the best times to tweet to them.
To find out where the largest percentage of your Twitter audience resides, go to your Twitter Analytics. Click the Audiences tab at the top of the page and then scroll down to Country.
Next, go to Tweriod to figure out the best times to tweet for your audience. Sign in with Twitter and click the My Analysis button. The results let you see when your tweets get the most exposure and when most of your followers are online.
Cross–reference tweet times from your Tweriod report with the time zone where you have the most followers to find the best times to tweet.
Remember, the life span of a tweet is short, so the best way to catch your followers is to tweet when they’re online.
#7: Reverse-Engineer Popular Tweets
Twitter Analytics allows you to see which of your tweets got the best engagement. After you identify your top tweets, try to determine which individual elements you included in them. This is one of the most effective ways to step up your Twitter marketing.
To do this, go to Twitter Analytics and click Tweets at the top of the page. Then click Top Tweets to see your most popular tweets for the period.
Your tweets with the highest engagement rate are clearly working for you, so review them and see what they have in common.
Also reverse-engineer other people’s tweets that have high retweets and likes. Dissect the elements of the tweets and create similar tweets for your own Twitter account.
#8: Use Lists to Curate Content to Retweet
To find material to retweet from people you trust, create Twitter lists for different niches.
When compiling lists, first look at the accounts through the eyes of your target audience. Find people who share valuable content that your audience is likely to retweet. Then add these accounts to your Twitter list.
Also, if you run events, create lists of speakers and attendees. This is helpful when you retweet content from influencers and friends closer to your event. Plus, if you run a blog or podcast, make a list of interview guests and contributors.
Note: Lists are also a great way to discover powerful tweets from other users to reverse-engineer.
Conclusion
Anyone can tweet anything, but only the best tweets get noticed.
To write better tweets, incorporate the most important elements in them. Plus, study what works for you and for other users to make sure you share the best tweets possible.
If you take a few extra moments to incorporate one or two of these tips for each tweet, you’ll vastly increase the reach of your tweets. Not only will your tweets go farther initially, but they’ll also get shared more and their visibility will extend well beyond your initial sphere of influence.
Ultimately, writing better tweets will help you build authority in your area of expertise, and improve the reach of your tweets even more.
What do you think? Have you tried any of these tactics? What tips do you have for better tweets? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
