TRAPPSTR

6 tips for writing red-hot tweets

Posted on 30. Sep, 2009 by Brett in Social Media

It’s Twitter Week at TRAPPSTR.com! 5 days of Twitter madness! Whether you love Twitter or think it’s hot garbage, check back each day for a fresh look at the state of the Twitterverse. If you haven’t signed up for Twitter, DO IT NOW! You can find the TRAPPSTR on Twitter right here. If you like something you see, pass this article along by clicking on the SEND THIS POST TO A FRIEND button at bottom.

Also, I’m having a contest for a free, custom-designed Twitter background! You can learn about that here.

Let’s be honest, 140 characters isn’t much real estate. If you want to be a good tweeter, you’ve got to maximize minimal space. Here are 6 quick tips for writing red-hot tweets:

1. Use fiery images – I wrote a few weeks ago about communicating with vivid images. Abstract words and phrases just don’t work well when it comes to communication. Using images paints a powerful picture in the mind of the reader. Here’s a great example:

“Jerry Rankin: A rat-meat eating, Jesus-loving, gospel-preaching field missionary who helped focus the IMB on church pltng. Worthy of honor.” – @JimmyScroggins, 5:53pm Sep 16th

Jimmy could have said, “We honor today Jerry Rankin, a missionary who tirelessly labored in the field for the cause of the Gospel.” No! He told us that he ate rat meat! Wow! What an image! Can’t you just visualize Jerry huddled inside some grass hut in a far-away land with a Bible in one hand and a blackened rat skewer in the other? Jimmy communicated an entire man’s life sacrifice with one powerful image.

2. Tell campfire stories – Everybody loves stories. They are the best vehicle for human communication. You might think 140 characters isn’t enough to tell a story. I’ve actually seen it done quite well on Twitter. Check out this tweet from my friend Matt:

“Uneventful flight. Picking up the rental car and finding my way to Franklin, LA. Dodging gators and snakes along the way. Humidity at 200%.” @MattWright24, 11:22 AM, Sep 8th

Matt puts you right in the middle of his story with this perfectly crafted tweet. He is finding his way to Franklin which tells you he is a little los. He doesn’t see alligators and snakes, he dodges them which paints a picture of some sweltering highway littered with reptiles. It’s not just humid; he exaggerates the humidity. 200%! Matt took us on a journey from the airport to a sweltering Louisiana swamp with 139 characters. Perfect.

(Also, check out one of my favorite storytelling Twitter accounts @VeryShortStory.)

3. Warm up with a vulnerable/tender tweet - People love honesty, authenticity, and vulnerability. I love it when people share life’s special moments. They are my favorite kinds of tweets, yet they are the most rare. Here are some of the best I’ve seen:

“‘This is just one of the ways I know you love me,’ said Nick when I fixed his Lego for him.” @challies, 7:31 PM, Sep 18th

“Nurse told us to say a goodbye to each other in case they didn’t succeed. Never seen andy so pale. Said it all with our tears and eyes.” @saritagirl, 12:26 PM, Aug 3rd

“awesome…there’s a 6th grade girl taller than me.” @jaredtaft, 12:36 PM, Apr 15th

“I just put on a jacket. Its getting colder. The sun has set on this day. One day closer to you.” @mattskeller, 8:02 PM, Sep 29th

Don’t be afraid to show the real you. Twitter is a great place to admit mistakes, reveal insecurities, and laugh at yourself. Don’t miss those opportunities.

4. Light our minds with wisdom – The greatest value Twitter offers is as a giant switchboard for wisdom. People love posting quotes on Twitter which I’m a big fan of. Consider this tweet from my friend, Guy:

“‘A little boy can slay a giant but it won’t be his first kill’ -@barrydrice #HIS09” @guywalker, 9:16 PM, Sep 14th (to be fair, Guy was actually quoting Barry Drice)

But don’t forget, you have a lot of wisdom to offer as well! Think of the expertise you’ve gained as a mother or a bank teller or a teacher! We want to hear it!

5. Ignite our funny bone with a funny observation - You can sit around all day trying to cook up funny, clever things to say on Twitter, but most of us don’t have time for that. I’ve found it’s much easier to just open my eyes to the hilarious things that happen around me every day. Here are a few examples I’ve seen:

“Just passed a kid texting with both hands while ridding his bicycle down the middle of the road. No shirt. No shoes. No Brain.” @andystanley, 6:45PM, Aug 14th

“I attract cops lk no other.dude.I know I look lk I might B bad,but all ur gonna find R PollyPockets.http://twitpic.com/f3zij” @loswhit, 11:14 AM, Aug 24th

“The hotel where I am staying in Tampa is hosting a bodybuilding convention. Sweet providence, I am right in my element. These are my people.” @albertmohler, 5:07 PM, Aug 8th

“Of all the fence options for a new ATL kids’ bike path, barbed wire is an odd choice. Unless a fence made of scorpions was the other option.” @prodigaljohn, 4:22 PM, Sep 13th

People love to laugh and be entertained. You encounter funny situations every day and the Twittersphere needs to know about it!

What kinds of tweets do you like best? What other tips would you offer?