1. They spend 30+ minutes per day sourcing and refining 1-3 daily tweets. They don't wing what they say, and they typically sit on each idea for a few days.
2. Key: They write tweets that get *retweeted.*
Twitter is, by far, the fastest way to build a high-quality audience.
Why?
It's quicker to write insightful tweets than it is to produce 10min YouTube videos or 1400-word blog posts.
Here's a thread of actionable tactics from studying the fastest-growing Twitter accounts.
1. They spend 30+ minutes per day sourcing and refining 1-3 daily tweets. They don't wing what they say, and they typically sit on each idea for a few days.
2. Key: They write tweets that get *retweeted.*
We polled people to ask why they retweet. They said:
1. "Retweeting is my bookmarking system for ideas."
2. "I retweet when someone's put elegant words to my thoughts."
3. "I want my followers to know I relate to this statement."
1. Tweet referenceable content that people will refer back to later.
2. Challenge the status quo with elegance and wit.
3. Pick a debate and argue your side with a novel take.
The most RTed tweets? *Threads with advice like this.*
• Open with a hook: Make it counterintuitive or counter-narrative.
• Concise body: Satisfy the craving your hook created.
• End with a punchy zinger: Summarize implications of your finding and what it means for the reader.
1. Read other popular tweets and note every time you have a strong reaction to one. Create a Tweet based on that reaction.
2. Summarize novel facts from Wikipedia, YouTube, and Podcasts.
Twitter’s Featured Topics’ algorithm favors tweets with certain keywords.
Inject 1-3 Twitter keywords into your tweet, e.g. sports, investing, or venture capital.
• Express value in your bio: "I write tweets to help startups grow."
• Pin your highest value, most RTed tweet
• Ensure your last 3 tweets are interesting
• Measure profile visit → follow rate (use https://t.co/zX1uaHm5L3)
You need a way to consistently move people to an owned channel, like a newsletter.
2 ways:
1. Slow: Link your newsletter in your bio.
2. Fast: Tweet half a thread. Tell people to subscribe to get the other half.
Use a tool like https://t.co/sI9YO0rKLn to search through your followers’ bios.
Then message people when it's mutually beneficial to exchange ideas.
More from Growth Tactics
More from Twitter
After hearing about @JanelSGM from @csallen, I spent the past few hours digging into her Twitter feed to see how she has been building Newsletter OS in public, from ideation to launch.
Here are some highlights in chronological order and what you can learn from the process:
1/ August 5 2020: Janel digs into '50+ newsletters' (note the number to build credibility) and creates a thread to discuss the lessons learnt. She also mentions that this is for a side project, which raises awareness of something she may be working
2/ August 5 2020 (cont): Each tweet in the thread is focused on a key message, with clear pointers for newsletter writers to
3/ September 1 2020: Janel tweeted about #buildinginpublic (note the hashtag) with @pabloheredia24 for @makerpad's challenge. While the project is https://t.co/tMb1qCnxVY and not NewsletterOS, Janel is getting in the reps on how to build in
4/ October 18 2020: Janel hints at building her new product using @NotionHQ and @gumroad. But instead of telling the audience directly what the product is, she invites her audience to take a guess.
Here are some highlights in chronological order and what you can learn from the process:
1/ August 5 2020: Janel digs into '50+ newsletters' (note the number to build credibility) and creates a thread to discuss the lessons learnt. She also mentions that this is for a side project, which raises awareness of something she may be working
Just subscribed to 50+ newsletters in the past hour
— Janel (@JanelSGM) August 4, 2020
(for a side project)
Here are some lessons I've learned
Thread \U0001f447
2/ August 5 2020 (cont): Each tweet in the thread is focused on a key message, with clear pointers for newsletter writers to
1/ Clear Value Proposition
— Janel (@JanelSGM) August 4, 2020
Do you articulate clearly the following?
- What content you write about
- Who your newsletter is for
- How your audience will benefit from your newsletter?
3/ September 1 2020: Janel tweeted about #buildinginpublic (note the hashtag) with @pabloheredia24 for @makerpad's challenge. While the project is https://t.co/tMb1qCnxVY and not NewsletterOS, Janel is getting in the reps on how to build in
4/ October 18 2020: Janel hints at building her new product using @NotionHQ and @gumroad. But instead of telling the audience directly what the product is, she invites her audience to take a guess.
I've been launching a product a month, with the aim of launching 12 in 12 months (w/ @LaunchMBA)
— Janel (@JanelSGM) October 18, 2020
This month, I'll be launching an actionable info product.
Core Tools: @NotionHQ @gumroad
Want to guess what I'll launch?
Free copy for the first person who guesses right.
A big part of my tweets are inspired by other people's content.
I bookmark everything that looks interesting and go there when in need of inspiration.
This is a thread-recap of the best-saved tweets from 2020 (for me at least) and what you can steal from each one. 🧵👇
The year chart by @jakobgreenfeld
What to steal: the idea and the design
Create a chart with the key moments of your growth. It's a great reflective exercise for you and it can be a great learning experience for your
Let's collaborate by @aaraalto
What to steal: the idea.
Creating a blank piece of content (could be a sentence, a design, a video...) that your audience can later
Advice to first-time info product creators by @dvassallo
What to steal: the insight
This tweet was one of the sparks for me writing the Twitter Thief ($1,3k revenue says it's good
How to be a better writer by @JamesClear
What to steal: the insight
A world-class writer giving free writing lessons. The tweet is from 2019 but I discovered it this
I bookmark everything that looks interesting and go there when in need of inspiration.
This is a thread-recap of the best-saved tweets from 2020 (for me at least) and what you can steal from each one. 🧵👇
The year chart by @jakobgreenfeld
What to steal: the idea and the design
Create a chart with the key moments of your growth. It's a great reflective exercise for you and it can be a great learning experience for your
Here's roughly how I grew from 0 to 1400 followers in 4 months. pic.twitter.com/NqY54cWXpC
— Jakob Greenfeld (@jakobgreenfeld) December 15, 2020
Let's collaborate by @aaraalto
What to steal: the idea.
Creating a blank piece of content (could be a sentence, a design, a video...) that your audience can later
Let's collaborate
— Aaron Aalto (@aaraalto) December 17, 2020
Step 1: Take this image
Step 2: Be creative with it
Step 3: Reply with your creation pic.twitter.com/xCcCShLvdI
Advice to first-time info product creators by @dvassallo
What to steal: the insight
This tweet was one of the sparks for me writing the Twitter Thief ($1,3k revenue says it's good
My advice to first-time info product creators:
— Daniel Vassallo (@dvassallo) July 26, 2020
1. Start with a very small product.
2. Choose a topic you know well that will almost write itself. Avoid doing research.
3. Timebox production to 2 weeks.
4. Charge $10.
5. Promote it!
All the lessons are in #5. Best of luck!
How to be a better writer by @JamesClear
What to steal: the insight
A world-class writer giving free writing lessons. The tweet is from 2019 but I discovered it this
How to be a better writer:
— James Clear (@JamesClear) July 5, 2019
-write about what fascinates you
-make one point per sentence
-use stories to make your point
-cut extra words like \u201creally\u201d and \u201cvery\u201d
-read the whole thing out loud
-post publicly (you\u2019ll try harder when you know others will read it)
What else?
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1/ Here’s a list of conversational frameworks I’ve picked up that have been helpful.
Please add your own.
2/ The Magic Question: "What would need to be true for you
3/ On evaluating where someone’s head is at regarding a topic they are being wishy-washy about or delaying.
“Gun to the head—what would you decide now?”
“Fast forward 6 months after your sabbatical--how would you decide: what criteria is most important to you?”
4/ Other Q’s re: decisions:
“Putting aside a list of pros/cons, what’s the *one* reason you’re doing this?” “Why is that the most important reason?”
“What’s end-game here?”
“What does success look like in a world where you pick that path?”
5/ When listening, after empathizing, and wanting to help them make their own decisions without imposing your world view:
“What would the best version of yourself do”?
Please add your own.
2/ The Magic Question: "What would need to be true for you
1/\u201cWhat would need to be true for you to\u2026.X\u201d
— Erik Torenberg (@eriktorenberg) December 4, 2018
Why is this the most powerful question you can ask when attempting to reach an agreement with another human being or organization?
A thread, co-written by @deanmbrody: https://t.co/Yo6jHbSit9
3/ On evaluating where someone’s head is at regarding a topic they are being wishy-washy about or delaying.
“Gun to the head—what would you decide now?”
“Fast forward 6 months after your sabbatical--how would you decide: what criteria is most important to you?”
4/ Other Q’s re: decisions:
“Putting aside a list of pros/cons, what’s the *one* reason you’re doing this?” “Why is that the most important reason?”
“What’s end-game here?”
“What does success look like in a world where you pick that path?”
5/ When listening, after empathizing, and wanting to help them make their own decisions without imposing your world view:
“What would the best version of yourself do”?
