10 Tips to get ReTweeted

RT’s…a good thing!

Being ReTweeted (RT) is one of the best compliments that you can be paid on Twitter.  The ultimate goal of every one of your tweets should be to have your message shared.  Remember, if you are putting the value of your information on the end-user, your audience, then it makes sense that you should want that information shared by your audience, your community, your peers.  (Yes your peers…the community is or should be your target audience with your great information, but if you make the content compelling your peers will want to share it with their audience…the COMMUNITY.)

1.) Tweets should max out at 120 characters.  Yes you can go up to 140 (I won’t even mention how to go beyond that) but the more characters you use, the harder it is to RT the info.  Go one step further, aim for 100 or less.

2.) Include pictures.  A picture tells a thousand words. Great way to increase your voice.

3.) Videos. Working with the above, a picture is a thousand words, a video is an epic novel. Aim for short videos. I mean 1 minute or less.  Twitter is for short attention spans. Best? 15 seconds.

4.) Keep it clean.  You will never offend someone by not swearing or using insulting or abusive language, but you may very well offend by using them. People won’t RT what they don’t like.

5.) Add links.  Make your information deeper and richer by supporting it with quality links.  Use a shortener or just put the link in (Twitter will auto shorten).  Make sure you are linking to something that is not graphic or depicts violence without a warning. Check your link after you tweet. Nothing worse than suddenly finding your great info is pointing to the exact opposite.

6.) Use plain language.  Police and law enforcement people have a unique way to talk.  The only ones that relate to it are other LEO’s.  Use the language that everyone else speaks.  Don’t get all big word or science like. Write for a 6th grade reader. (That’s not an insult, its being nice to your audience.)

7.) Keep it professional.  Remember at all times who and what you represent and how you will be viewed by the public, your peers, your supervisors. Like it or not, fair or not fair.  Personally, I find it keeps me in check.

8.) Make it emotional.  Make your audience laugh, cry, sympathize, feel anger, be mad, think about love.  You want to become memorable, get people to have an emotional link to you and your content.

9.) Key words.  Use ‘actionable’ words in your tweets that grab people. “Did you know” “How to” “Great tips” What do you think” “Please share” “Please RT”.  There is nothing wrong with asking people to do something.  In fact, it’s a good idea…just don’t abuse it.

10.) Provide GREAT content.  Go back to the beginning.  Your information HAS to be value based on your audience, your community.  Make their lives easier, better, safer, greater.

There are many more tips that out there.  Have you found something that works really well for you? Leave it here in the comments for other people to see and use.

Thanks for taking the time to read.