Well if you're a small business owner and trying to make an impact in the wild world of social media, what do you do. One option is Twitter. It’s a great way to share your branded content, but it’s also a great platform for sharing other news and tips you think your community would enjoy.

The fact that Twitter exists in the first place, however, suggests our own collective impatience as a culture. If we wanted lots of words and links filling up our smartphone screens, we’d head over to Facebook. The twitterverse is a different type of platform, where people want things short, fast, and very much within their control.

Here’s how to play by the rules of Twitter and craft great tweets in the process.

Writing great Tweets

Conversations that you have with your customers every day can also happen on Twitter. And you can approach these Twitter conversations the same way – like you’re talking to a good friend. Here are a few tips straight from Twitter:

  • Know the difference between voice and tone.  Voice doesn’t change, but a business’ tone should vary based on a situation.  If a follower did not have a positive experience, a business’ tone may be more sympathetic and understanding.

  • Talk with people, not at them. Reply to @mentions and address both positive and negative feedback. It’s a real-time network, so businesses shouldn’t keep followers waiting too long.

  • Keep Tweets conversational.  Be professional without being overly formal. Avoid business jargon when possible.

  • Think about how your content will be consumed by your followers. Would they want to retweet it or pass it along to others? Incorporate humor, inspiration and newsworthy content to draw followers in.

Around 100 characters is the sweet spot

You get only 140 characters with twitter for each tweet. We all have so much to say, it almost seems unfair. But, that shouldn't mean you use every last character. Why, you ask? 

Shorter tweets are easier to read, and better for retweeting. While there may not be a foolproof “perfect length” for a Tweet, research by Track Social on 100 well-known brands popular on Twitter found that the sweet spot for Tweet length is right around 100 characters.

Their analysis saw a spike in retweets among those in the 71-100 character range—the “medium” length tweets column in this chart. This research makes sense when you consider how we use Twitter—a tweet at this length is long enough for the original poster to say something of value but still short enough for the person retweeting to add their commentary as well.

Front Loading

When creating a tweet, put the main topic of your message as close to the beginning of the tweet as possible. Consider these variations.

  1. 10 ways to make customers smile through great service.
  2. 10 smile-inducing customer service tips.
  3. 10 retail tips to keep your customers smiling.

Which one of the above tweets grabs your attention? If you thought “a” … you’d be wrong. It’s not bad, but for best results, “c” is the better choice. Tweet “c” not only explains that you’re about to read retail tips, but it also details how many tips there are – all within the first three words. This is called front loading. 

Photos and video can make content twice as engaging

With Twitter, you have more than characters as content. Equip your marketing arsenal with rich media like photos and Vine or YouTube videos to drive retweets—it can double engagement with users.

Conclusion

Play by the rules that Twitter set up from the get-go. Keep things informative, short, fast, and clear. Doing so will keep your followers engaged and informed while building trust between them and your brand.

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About the Author

Philip Byrne
Philip Byrne

Philip Byrne, the founder behind eBuild Web Solutions, has been building bespoke, user-friendly websites for the better part of 22 years. He may not be a leprechaun, but he'll make sure your website is easy to find and use.