It’s no secret that social media is a key tool for modern-day marketing. And though each platform has its unique benefits, we’ll admit that we play favorites (cue Twitter). Known for its live feed and news-worthy content, Twitter is one of our go-to channels thanks to its ability to build quality connections with users, not to mention its many content marketing advantages.
When using Twitter for marketing purposes, establishing your strategy takes time and may feel like a never-ending learning process due to changing features and functions. If you need a little help getting started, begin with a framework (check out our previous blog post to help guide your strategy).
After your strategy is in place, it’s time to start building those connections by actively engaging with your Twitter audience.
When writing tweets, your text can only contain 280 characters. This may seem like it limits your ability to create quality content but don’t fret, there’s a solution: Twitter threads – a series of tweets linked together as a thread.
Why use threads?
Threads are a helpful tool when you need more than one concise Tweet to effectively communicate an idea or share valuable information.
If it’s feeling nearly impossible to share an idea with 280 characters, you may need to break it down into separate but connected Tweets to further explain and add context to a broad topic. This typically adds clarity as well – something we can all appreciate when scrolling through social media.
Threads also serve as a great tool for updating your audience. If you’ve posted a previous Tweet, say, two weeks ago, and you have valuable follow-up information to share with your audience, add additional context and repurpose your content by replying to your original Tweet in a thread.
Overall, Twitter threads act as a great method for strengthening your Twitter strategy by boosting your engagement and sharing content without limiting yourself to 280 characters.
Quick tips for creating a thread
If you’re ready to utilize Twitter’s thread feature, we recommend drafting your text and planning out the separate Tweets beforehand. This will save you time and minimize any potential errors when posting your live thread. Additionally, you may want to numerically label each tweet within your thread (example: 1/5 on your first Tweet, 2/5 on your second, and so on) to let your audience know how many posts to expect and ensure they aren’t missing any necessary pieces.
There are a couple of ways to create a Twitter thread, shown below. Twitter’s Help Center also offers a great step-by-step explanation for creating a thread.
First, you can draft each of your Tweets within a thread and publish them all together by clicking the + icon for each new Tweet, then click the ‘Tweet all’ button when you’re ready to post the full thread. Example below:
Another option is to publish your first Tweet, then reply to your Tweet to create a thread. This process is great if you want to create a live thread that allows your audience to engage with you as the thread builds. Example below:
After your thread has been published, you can click ‘Show this thread’ to view your connected Tweets (see the example below). This displays your Tweets as well as any replies from your audience. Tip: It’s beneficial to keep up with those replies and engage with your audience along the way.
If you’re needing a bit more guidance in building your Twitter threads, check out the examples below and access Margo’s platform (or sign up for a free trial) to let us help you through the process.
Examples to inspire your creation
We've sourced a few examples to highlight the various way you can utilize Twitter threads. Click the following Tweets to expand and view each thread.
Teneika Askew uses a thread to provide an organized list of resources for those wanting to learn more about all things data. Each Tweet lists a resource, with links, so the audience can utilize each resource separately.
Shopify uses a thread to engage with its audience in a playful manner. Although the content isn't necessarily educational, it's a fun way to interact with users and show their brand's personality.
Kaya Yurieff is using a thread to highlight an article from The New York Times and discuss the information with her audience. This is a great way to repurpose external content that may be relative to your brand. It also creates an opportunity to engage with your audience.
Jaime Schmidt shares personal anecdotes for growing her business. This thread breaks down a lot of information into digestible pieces. She closes the thread with a Tweet that tactfully promotes her book. If her audience found this information valuable, they may be intrigued enough to read her book and learn more.
Tracy Chou creates a Twitter thread to promote a job posting by providing additional details in linked Tweets. She offers an opportunity for her audience to engage with the content and replies directly to questions to add clarity within the thread.
Are you looking for Twitter threads that may be more applicable to your business? Luckily the platform offers many more examples beyond the ones listed above. You can start by scrolling through accounts within your industry to see what content is encouraging audience engagement.
