Being on Twitter means you are looking for conversations. So, you would hate to see your tweet have zero likes, zero replies, and zero retweets. That would not bear a good feeling, especially if you spent some time creating and “perfecting” it. When you are using Twitter for business purposes, that’s even worse.
Now, if more than half of your Tweets are like this, it would be best if you’d take some time to reflect. Probably, there is a problem with the way you Tweet. The way you structure your post could be unappealing for your audience, and hence, you are not getting engagements from your real followers.
Twitter Studies Successful Tweets
Here’s some good news for you. Twitter compiled years of internal research to identify what makes an excellent Tweet. The company’s study will let you know what makes one Tweet outperform the next. Also, it will help you learn and understand the core, top-performing strategies that work well on the platform. By listening to what they said, you will be able to spark conversations, and ultimately, get the engagement that you want.
You can follow Twitter’s tips and tricks rigorously. However, it would be best if you would allow some flexibility. Digital advertising is fluid. Therefore, the best content strategy is also changing and improving. With that said, it is highly recommended that you add your own twists on these techniques. Experiment to see what resonates best with your specific audience. Just remember not to break any of these “rules.”
Best Practices To Help You Tweet
- Short But Strong
Twitter is a micro-blogging social media website. You can only use 280 characters per Tweet. So, one might say that favoring short posts is embedded in Twitter’s DNA. According to Buffer Social, the most popular Tweets are between only 110 and 120 characters.
Twitter says that being concise is good for marketing. As much as possible, keep your Tweets short. Also, focusing on one subject works better than trying to communicate multiple ideas.
If you can’t help it, and you really have more to say, link out to your website. That would be an effective way to direct traffic. Or, you can start a Twitter thread. Though keep in mind that people still like short Tweets better than threads.
- Add Visuals: Images, GIFs, or Videos
So you want to make your Tweet short. But you may find spreading your message a little challenging when you do that. To overcome this challenge, you can use visuals.
As the adage goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” So, you can use images or GIFs to make your message clear, despite using only a hundred characters on your Tweet. Also, visuals work great for attracting attention.
Videos are special. There are over 2 billion video views per day on Twitter, according to its internal data. You can use the popularity of videos to direct attention to yourself.
Just like Tweets, the shorter the video – the better. Twitter says that 6-15 seconds is the sweet spot. That length will ensure that your video will be effective and memorable. Twitter also suggests that you include your company logo in the video for best results. Also, add subtitles so people can enjoy it without needing headphones.
- Limit The Use Of Hashtags
Hashtags can help make your Tweet more discoverable. People use them to find Tweets about topics they are interested in. So, hashtags allow you to expand your reach and tap into relevant conversations.
Understandably, you may want to include as many hashtags as you can. Please refrain from doing so. Doing that will make it appear that you are either a robot or desperate for attention – which is a turnoff.
Instead, limit to 1 – 2 hashtags per Tweet. Select only the keywords that are relevant to your business. Checking the trends on the “Explore” tab will help you find topics you can tie to your brand. This way, your Tweets will feel more authentic.
- Connect With People Through Retweets and Replies
If all you do is post Tweets, your account will be lacking personality – even if your Tweets are humorous. You are putting up a barrier that does not allow your audience to interact with you – deeming you unapproachable or super “corporate.”
So, try to connect with others as much as you can. You can retweet relevant content like positive customer feedback or new trends in the industry you are in. Replying to Tweets also helps at maintaining a robust Twitter presence. Engage in conversations with your customers through replies. Doing this will help humanize your account. That would make people pay more attention to your next Tweets.
- Tweet Your Launches
79% of people on Twitter are there for discovery. So, it is the best platform for brands to launch something new. Whether it’s a new product, promotion, sales event, or partnership, announcing it on Twitter helps raise awareness. Of course, that also helps increase engagements.
- Ask Questions Or Run Polls
Like when finding a partner, if you want people to talk to you, one of the best things to do is ask questions. Aside from allowing you to interact with your audience, asking questions lets, you show your brand’s personality. Furthermore, it enables you to gather feedback.
One of the things that you can do is to ask a playful question related to your brand. Also, you can let your followers be the tiebreaker on a decision. Engaging with your followers ends up growing your total Twitter followers too.
- Add Calls-To-Action
Why do you Tweet? What do you want people to do after seeing your Tweet? Ask yourself these questions and add them to your Tweets. Do not be shy. Tell people to follow you, leave a like, comment below, or send you a DM. Emphasize something if it’s urgent. Always make the next step clear. That will let people know how they can interact with you. Consequently, that will increase the interactions and engagement on your Twitter page.
There you go! Follow these tips, add your spins, and you’ll be able to make engaging Tweets.