Twitter threads, we love them and we hate them. They are a great way to convey valuable insights in a short and structured way. Some threads really have helped me gain knowledge and advance in my career.
Yet somehow, I get tired of threads popping up on my timeline — And I’m sure some of you might find the threads I write annoying too.
Threads can be useful, but we shouldn’t abuse them. Here are my thoughts on what makes a bad (and good) Twitter Thread
Be unique
Use your own words, your own formatting, and your own headlines. I see a lot of people copying each other’s writing styles. Sometimes it feels like I’m reading the same thread over and over. I know, using specific words, headlines and structures almost guarantees a great reach.
But you’re not going to stand out. Ask yourself: Is my thread really mine if I’m not using my own words?
Go in-depth
Many threads are too general. They’re filled with blanket statements and don’t have a lot of actionable advice.
Everyone knows we should be consistent if we want to grow our Marketing Strategy. What most of us want to know instead, is:
- What does consistency mean?
- What are actionable ways to become consistent?
- Is consistency really necessary?
- How can you be consistent if you feel chaotic or work in a chaotic environment?
Stop those ridiculous headlines
Seriously, a Twitter thread isn’t a substitute for a college degree. Neither will you learn copywriting or SEO by applying tips from one single thread. Neither will you make $100K+ after 6 months of learning a new skill (I wish the latter was true).
I know we need to make our headlines spicy, but come on.
Keep it short and simple
Some threads can be reduced to one single Tweet and still convey as much information as possible.
Especially those threads
With a lot of line breaks
And unnecessary cliffhangers
I know another social media platform
Where people do this too.
Follow my blog for more.
Once you’re drafting a thread, you should always ask yourself if you can cut down the fluff.
I always did this when writing my own threads. I would write summary threads from insightful Twitter Spaces. During the Twitter Spaces, I took a lot of notes (about 1000-3000 words). After that, I picked the most valuable insights and started writing my thread. Then, I edited and reduced my thread from 25 Tweets to 12. And sometimes I would go even further.
Quality over quantity
I’ve read a lot of threads since joining Twitter, so I know what makes a thread stand out from the ordinary.
There are a lot of Marketing/Copywriting/SEO 101 threads that all repeat the same but use different words and examples. These aren’t interesting anymore.
I can see when authors have put effort into writing their threads. They’ve done research, they come with actionable insights, data and personal examples. They also amplify other voices and link to websites, other Twitter users, and books.
Make it about the others, not about yourself
Seriously, there’s no need to promote your course or e-book in every thread. I’m an impulsive buyer, but I’m not going to buy something after reading one single thread. Use that last Tweet to engage with your followers and to build trust. Ask them questions, let them ask you questions. Just don’t promote your stuff every single time.
Lastly
I know we complain a lot about these threads, and rightfully so. I would encourage you to amplify the threads that are good, instead of quote tweeting the ones that don’t make sense. There are a lot of talented writers out there whose Tweets and Threads disappear into oblivion because the ‘shitty’ threads get the attention.
Gerelateerd