Twitter, recently rebranded as X, is a social media platform that can rapidly boost your online visibility. To grow your online audience, it’s essential to leverage this platform. By regularly posting tweets, you can easily gain new followers.
What works exceptionally well on this platform are threads, a compilation of multiple tweets that aim to tell a story, provide advice, or promote a product/service.
To help you master the art of creating threads, we’ll provide a comprehensive guide on how to craft a series of tweets.
What is a Thread?
On Twitter, you can post content with a maximum length of 280 characters. But when you have more to say, you can post multiple tweets in succession.
All your content will then be displayed below your initial tweet, creating a thread.
Typically, a thread consists of 5 to 10 tweets, but you can include as many tweets as you wish. You can post a series of tweets for various reasons.
- 👉 Provide Detailed Information: For example, a media outlet describing an international situation in multiple tweets with examples, illustrations, etc.
- 👉 Tell a Story: Many threads are storytimes, which creators can’t narrate in a single tweet. Twitter users share their recent mishaps, a project, an inspiring anecdote, and more.
- 👉 Share an Opinion: To express an opinion on a complex and sensitive subject, a single tweet is insufficient. Many users will write a thread to share their perspective on Twitter.
- 👉 Conduct an Analysis: Twitter often features analyses and case studies. With a thread, a user can analyze in detail a real estate investment, a successful business, a geopolitical situation, and more.
How to Create a Twitter Thread?
Posting a thread may seem complicated, but it’s straightforward. You need to post several tweets in response to your initial tweet.
By replying to your own tweet, all your content will be displayed in order to form a thread.
You can also use Twitter tools to prepare and schedule thread publication in advance.
For instance, you can use the TweetHunter tool to draft your threads and schedule their publication.
4 Tips to Create a Viral Thread
Publishing a thread is good, but the goal of this content is to generate engagement to increase visibility on the platform.
We’ll show you several tips to create a thread that works on the platform.
Craft a Captivating Hook
On Twitter, users only need to scroll to avoid your thread. To make them stop scrolling and read your thread, your first tweet must capture their attention.
By using a hook, an image, or something else, you must entice readers to go through your entire thread.
A hook can be a quote, the result of a poll, key figures, or more.
For example, a user presents a thread to reduce back pain through simple exercises.
In his hook, the user announces that they will address a common problem, back pain. They directly mention the number of exercises they will present to alleviate back problems.
Readers know what the thread is about and want to discover the exercises to relieve back pain.
Remember, users only spend a few seconds on your tweet. Writing a captivating first tweet is the most crucial aspect.
In fact, this first tweet will determine the success of your thread.
Use the Right Structure
While some random tweet successions can create a viral thread, we recommend using a specific structure to facilitate reader comprehension.
As we’ve seen, the first tweet in your thread should serve as a hook. Subsequent tweets will introduce the thread’s content and define key concepts if necessary.
Then, include your content tweets to tell your story, explain your viewpoint, or more.
Throughout the thread, you can also add calls to action. For example, you can include links to your website or ask readers to subscribe, like, and retweet the thread.
Finally, you can conclude the thread.
Another important point is to add spacing. Although the format is different, a thread is also long-form content, much like an article.
So, avoid overloading the thread, as this can cause readers to lose interest. You can also include emojis, images, GIFs, bullet lists to break up the text-heavy format.
Adding space will make your thread more readable and motivate users to read it to the end.
Choose the Right Length for Your Thread
By definition, a thread is simply a series of tweets published by the same person. The length of this content can vary depending on the topic.
However, to create a thread that performs well on Twitter, your thread shouldn’t be overly extensive.
For example, a user presents a thread to reduce lower back pain. In just 10 tweets, they explain what lumbar pain is and how to relieve it. The thread ends with a call-to-action encouraging users to subscribe to a newsletter.
The length of a thread can vary based on the complexity of the subject. There are no recommended tweet counts for a good thread.
However, it’s advised not to create overly long threads. If users see a thread with dozens of text-heavy tweets without any images or emojis, they won’t be motivated to read it.
Include Emojis and GIFs
As on all platforms, the key on Twitter is to capture users’ attention. To make your thread more enjoyable to read, you can add emojis, GIFs, or images.
At the end of some sentences, you can insert emojis to add color to your content and catch the reader’s eye. By choosing the right emojis, you can also enable readers to skim your thread.
Every 2 or 3 tweets, you can include an image or a GIF to break up a monotonous, text-heavy structure, which can be boring for many users.
Again, use these elements in moderation. Excessive use of emojis can distract the reader from the main content. Limit the use of GIFs, which take up an entire tweet each time.
Final tip
Another way to grab users’ attention is to use key figures in your thread. By incorporating data from scientific studies, you can pique users’ interest and motivate them to read further.
For instance, in our “How to create a blog” thread, we included the average income of a blog based on its niche. As you can see, we cited the source to verify the accuracy of these figures.
In another instance, a thread may tell the story of Satoshi Nakamoto, the creator of Bitcoin. The creator includes a hook that grabs attention by stating that Nakamoto is one of the world’s richest and most sought-after individuals.
The thread also features numerous photos and emojis to make reading more enjoyable.
Creating an engaging thread isn’t very complicated. You just need to find a captivating topic, write concise content, and integrate images, emojis, GIFs, and more.
Conclusion
To create compelling threads that capture your audience’s attention, start with a captivating first tweet, use a well-structured format, and include visuals like emojis and images.
Tailor your thread’s length to your topic, and aim to strike a balance between informative content and reader engagement.
By following these tips and examples, you’ll be well-prepared to make a meaningful impact on the X platform.