Twitter is an essential tool for personal and business growth. It enables you to reach a global audience and establish your expertise. I used these tactics to grow my account from 0 to 700+ in less than 45 days. Here's what you need to know in a nutshell: Personal and relatable posts work best, conclusions should be stated upfront, visuals are not always necessary, and posts should be free of clutter. This guide will offer a step-by-step template to creating engaging posts on Twitter.
Your Twitter Account: A Personal Product
Think of your Twitter account as a SaaS product. You are the product on Twitter, and growing your account is akin to marketing yourself. If the product (you) isn't appealing, no amount of strategic posting will grow your following. You have to get the following key value chains right:
You as a product
Your profile, which converts visitors to followers (like a landing page)
Your tweets, which enlarge your reach
Example:
Let's say you are an entrepreneur in the early stages of your startup. Your product (yourself) could be a resourceful founder sharing insights on startup building, lessons learned, and tips for overcoming common challenges.
Making it Personal
Guru-style statements won't get you far on Twitter. The most impactful tweets are personal and relatable. They reflect your experiences, thoughts, struggles, and learnings. Your content should always resonate with your audience on a personal level.
Example:
If you're a software engineer learning a new programming language, a personal tweet could be: "Just spent 3 hours debugging a piece of code, only to discover I missed a semicolon. Remember, folks, the smallest details can make the biggest difference."
Don't Tease Your Audience
Teasers might work in some contexts, but on Twitter, it's best to deliver the conclusion upfront. You can encourage further engagement by inviting those interested in more details to engage with your tweet.
Example:
If you've read a new book on productivity, instead of teasing the content, state the main conclusion: "Just finished reading 'XYZ.' Key takeaway: Productivity is not about doing more, but doing what matters most."
Visuals: Not a Must-Have
Visual content can be engaging, but it's not always necessary. Sometimes, a well-crafted tweet without images or videos can be equally, if not more, impactful. Ensure your visuals are adding value, not noise.
Example:
A powerful image-less tweet could be: "Just nailed a tough client presentation. Remember, confidence isn't about knowing all the answers but about navigating through uncertainty."
Cut the Clutter
Twitter is all about brevity. Make your tweets clean and easy to read. Using bullet points is an efficient and visually appealing way to structure your thoughts.
Example:
Instead of a lengthy paragraph about your latest blog post, bullet out the main takeaways:
"Identified top 5 marketing trends for 2023
AI and personalization still lead the way
Influencer marketing is not going anywhere"
The Balance of Long Form vs Threads
Both long form tweets and threads have their place. The goal is to pique interest and prompt users to 'click' (engage). If crafted well, both formats can result in high engagement and virality.
Example:
You could write a long form post about your experience launching a product or create a thread detailing the process step-by-step.
Grab Attention Right Away
The first few lines of your post or thread are crucial. Use them to catch the reader's attention with concise and powerful sentences.
Example:
Starting a thread about your business pivot might begin with: "We almost shut down last month. Here's how we turned our startup around."
Ask for Engagement, But Don't Overdo It
Inviting users to retweet or comment can boost your engagement. However, you should avoid appearing too promotional. Balance is key.
Example:
After sharing lessons from a product launch, you might encourage engagement with: "Struggled with a similar launch? Share your thoughts or retweet to help others."
Stay Genuine
Originality wins on Twitter. Pre-generated or insincere posts don't resonate with the audience. Authenticity is vital for building genuine relationships with your followers.
Example:
Share an honest struggle like, "Spent all day trying to make sense of our user data. Analytics are tough, but the insights are worth it!"
Avoid Mixing Long Form and Threads
Mixing long form posts and threads can confuse your audience and harm engagement. Stick to one format per topic for clarity and consistency.
Example:
If you're sharing insights from a book, either stick to a summary tweet or create a detailed thread. Mixing both can muddle your message.
The Key Takeaways
Crafting Perfect Twitter Posts: Your Template
Your Twitter Account is a Product: Market yourself effectively.
Make it Personal: Share personal experiences and learnings.
Don't Tease Your Audience: Give conclusions upfront.
Visuals are Not Mandatory: Use them only if they add value.
Cut the Clutter: Use bullet points for a clean structure.
Balance Long Form and Threads: Both can drive engagement.
Grab Attention Immediately: First few lines are crucial.
Encourage Engagement Judiciously: Don't appear too promotional.
Stay Genuine: Authenticity is vital.
Don't Mix Formats: Use either long form or threads, not both.
Now, it's your turn to implement these strategies and watch your Twitter engagement soar. The key to success is authenticity, genuine engagement, and delivering value to your audience.
