@beanfair asked the question on Twitter: What do YOU think makes an effective Tweet? Is it a call to action? A tease that makes you curious? a great link or…?
My answer is Yes. All those things. I am a life-learner, curious beyond measure, and ever-antsy to do something! so Yes, all those things.
A call to action…
If I read a book or a blog post or even a Tweet, and have an aha moment, then I’m prompted to act. Maybe it’s just a small thing, but to make it real — to LEARN — I want to do something with it.
For example:
RT @LewisHowes: 50 Tricks to Get Things Done Faster, Better, and More Easily http://bit.ly/g1DbK <- sounds irresistible.
Another example:
8 Qualities of Powerful Writing http://bit.ly/7NW2mj
A tease that makes you curious…
Being a curious sort, I love a tease — if I trust the teaser. It opens doors to what might be, what’s new, who’s new , what if?
For example:
“I personally think it’s a time now, more than ever, that we need poets. And artists of all kinds. They…” http://tumblr.com/xxr5zbtt2
And a great link…
I love a good people story well-told. I’ll go out of my way, interrupt my day, for such a story.
Here’s one I saw posted by @winebeerWA (that’s Bean Fairbanks, good friend and instructor at LVS) two days ago, on Twitter.
Here’s another, told by Karol Fuller Grace, photographer and writer. Having found it, I posted it on Twitter, to share with others.
The two stories are very different. I printed out both, made fresh coffee, and treated myself to a delightful read.
I look for Tweets that share something I want to know, ask me a question, lead me to an area of interest, inspire me. (All about me.)
And any Tweets I leave should give something of equal value back to whoever follows me. (All about them.)
What makes an effective Twitter Tweet to you?
Please grab some coffee and join the talk. I’d love to know if you consider Twitter worth while, and why.
What do you look for? How do you use Twitter? To be inspired? To learn something? To ask questions?
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks so much for the tweet of Art Day, Barb.
After all this time since Twitter first came up in BFFF, I have still not figured out what it is to me, or whether it fits into my life. I don’t want to start something that I won’t have the time or the interest to keep up. Your post about what makes Twitter effective makes perfect sense to me. I’m reconsidering it. Thanks for that, too.
I clicked on your Twitter page. I really love your format. It’s comfortable, classy and professional. I might change mine, it looks a little wishy-washy.
Hi Karol. You’re welcome.
I tried finding you on Twitter, to include the link here. ???
I don’t spend a lot of time on twitter. I’ve created a few lists that help me stay focused when I do go. And I usually glance over the first page of tweets. And then move on.
I have found bloggers to follow there, though. I check their websites and sometimes subscribe to them.
Thanks for commenting on my page! (No one else has, so that’s a ‘feel good’ for me.
)
I use Twitter a lot, primarily to get and share news. I also use it to initiate conversation and to get projects off the ground. I am glad that you like the story. Although I was not the story teller that time, it perfectly reflected one of the main reasons that I blog. I love the stories behind our passions.
Bean´s last blog ..Win Tickets to Seattle Food and Wine Experience
I love those stories too, Bean. You may not have been the story teller here, but I found it on your blog, and your synopsis of it is what sent me to find it, a click away. Thank you.
I have not used Twitter much to have conversations. It seems a little like talking, just two of us, in a room full of people listening. (Funny thing — old lessons die hard. I was taught it was bad manners not to include others (present) in a conversation. So I feel somewhat chastised by my mom’s spirit when I disobey. Haha.) I have made some personal comments though; some of them are answered, some not.
Barbara, thanks for giving me some food for thought. I will keep your post in mind when composing new messages on Twitter. I’m still new to social media, and have been surprised that it provides me more useful information than I anticipated. The timely announcements about events have me regularly checking in on Twitter. I’m also surprised to find that I appreciate the brevity of the messages. It gives me control over whether I want to delve deeper into a topic by clicking on a link, or move on to the next tweet.
Hi Nancy. I’m really just discovering what all Twitter provides. For instance, I haven’t explored the #topics other than a couple. #art #writing are two. I know enough to know I can do a little research on a topic by using them. But that’s about all I know.
I agree with you — I like the useful bits of info. And as Vivian says (below), the tweets are ways to lead us to bigger chunks of content that interest us.
Thanks so much for your ideas.
Hi Barbara.
All of these work for me. And what is great about Twitter is that there is a huge variety of just these types. And a lot of personality thrown in for good measure. Sometimes just the chit-chat is the most entertaining. I enjoy the opportunity to promote other bloggers as well.
Davina´s last blog ..This Effortless Brilliance
Hi Davina. Thanks for your input. About the entertaining chit-chat… do you come from one of the Twitter thingiebobs like TweetDeck or Seesmic? (Sp?)
Do they show conversation threads? I find the ongoing conversations at Twitter disembodied, and therefore without much meaning. I too like to see the various personalities shown through the posts.
And I love sharing and promoting others as well. My hubby asks me why he’s getting all these retweets from me. Hahaha! I’m teaching him all I know about social media. Which is next to nothing. But we keep on asking the questions, and learning as we go. I like that part.
When I first delicately and slowly started tweeting Twitter prompted you to write about what you are doing right then. Now that prompt is no longer there, at least not on my account. Twitter has evolved to be more than “what are you doing right now”. It really is a short message service, any type of message you want. Various things motivate writers and various things motivate readers. All of the above are effective tweets but really the question becomes how is “effective” measured. It is so subjective. Being involved in information architecture, usability, etc., humans are fascinating and fickle. Bottom line – I believe micro-posts are a way to lead yourself or others to bigger chunks of content. The bigger content might be a blog, website, a gathering at a friend’s house, a meeting of like minded at a new winery …. People are led in a variety of ways so it is a mistake to think there is only one type of ‘effective’ tweet. Use them all!
Hi Vivian. Wonderful comment! Especially like your wording here: …micro-posts are a way to lead yourself or others to bigger chunks of content. The bigger content might be a blog, website, a gathering at a friend’s house, a meeting of like minded at a new winery ….
I agree there are many types of effective tweets. I posed the question so I could learn how others use them, what different types of tweets they find helpful and interesting. What kinds of things they tweet about.
I’m finding the answers interesting, and hopefully, I’ll incorporate new ways to appreciate and use Twitter that I hadn’t yet thought of.
Thanks so much for the visit. Did you bring wine? Yummmmm…..
It usually brings good traffic.
Nimit Kashyap´s last blog ..Wordpress ecommerce plugin GetShopped
B, “B” stands for bravery. Twitter scares me to death, probably because I don’t understand it . . . at all, and I’ve heard such nightmare stories about Facebook and its new privacy settings. Yowza. But I’m dipping in my big toe. Slowly but surely, I promise I am.
Lawyer Mom´s last blog ..Still Here
Hi Lawyer Mom! Oh and how I agree with you! FaceBook has messed with me twice — big time both times. This past week I spent 4 whole days cleaning up my laptop! (I learned a ton in the process though — and I always have to look at it that way.)
I don’t post my paintings there, for I’m not sure I yet trust them. Anything image posted is easy to take. (I know — I asked and got permission from my daughter to copy and save one of her photo shots of my grandkids.)
Yes, it does take bravery. But like living in the real and now, touch-real, I won’t let the smarmies scare me away from living also in the virtual world. It’s fun. I’ve met interesting people online through blogs and some social media sites. (I don’t spend a lot of time there, but then I don’t spend much time on the phone either.)
How does the water feel on your big toe? If you’re on Twitter, I’ll follow you…
I like retweeting posts I like reading and discoverying. I also like to share on FaceBook the posts I have found wonderfully, but I am having trouble sharing on FB sometimes the post just do not show up or the pictures are missing to draw.
I get a great many readers from twitter and a few from facebook. I average about 390 readers a week on my blog but have very few subscribers to my blog…
I just attempt to learn how to do something every week and do other things “better” so I am not really sure I can answer your questions.
I love reading and learning…so I use both FB and twitter to connect with new folks – such as I use stumble upon….one always leads to another
reading is a bit like chocolates for me
Patricia´s last blog ..Vitamins
Hi Patricia. FaceBook sometimes confuses me too. I’m learning that bit by bit. I’m a lot like you — I love to learn. And each day presents opportunities to do just that.
Reading is like chocolates? I love that! Chocolates go great with both coffee and wine. So does reading.
How do I find you on Twitter?
Hi Barb,
I like Twitter for connecting with other bloggers, even if it’s just small talk that doesn’t mean anything to others who may be reading my tweets. I feel it gives us a chance to get to know each other a little better.
I also like Twitter for promoting others and their work. It’s kind of like a pyramid effect – I tell my followers and they may tell theirs, etc. In fact, just today, Lori and Betsy released their free ebook, The Narcissist – A User’s Guide” and I jumped in to help them get some publicity on Twitter. Whenever I feel something is a great find, I love to share it with others.
Like you said, then we can sit down with our cup of coffee and enjoy a great read. Sweet!
P.S. I see your CommentLuv is working perfectly. Great job on that Barb.
Barbara Swafford´s last blog ..Unveiling The Results Of My Facelift
Hi Barbara.
Thanks so much for sharing how you use Twitter. I ordered The Narcissist — A User’s Guide. I hadn’t seen these tweets of yours. That’s one of the areas of Twitter I have yet to make my own. Develop my lists and then read from there. (You’re in there — I just need to look!)
I also love to share what I find that I like. I read online, think How can I let others know? Oh yes, there’s Twitter! But often I get distracted and forget…
For me, I think it’s a matter of defining and practicing better habits.