Tips for Writing Compelling Twitter Threads

Twitter threads have become a popular format for telling stories, sharing ideas, and hosting discussions across multiple tweets. When done right, threads can captivate audiences and get widely reshared. But crafting a truly compelling thread requires skill and planning.

In this guide, we dive into proven tips for writing compelling Twitter Threads your followers will love.

What Makes a Good Twitter Thread?

First, what actually makes a thread stand out? Strong threads often have these key attributes:

A clear central theme or narrative
Thoughtful sequencing and structure
A mix of text, images, videos, and other media
Cliffhangers, suspense, surprises and payoffs
Personal perspectives and storytelling
Inviting audience participation and reaction

Building a thread with these elements in mind will help grab attention in the rapid-fire Twitter scroll.

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Viral Threads

Follow these steps to develop compelling threads optimized for engagement:

1. Find the Core Idea

Start brainstorming what you ultimately want to express in your thread. Identify the core message, story, experience or issue you want to spotlight. This focus will anchor your threaded narrative.

2. Outline the Structure

Map out the flow of your thread with an outline. Decide how to logically sequence tweets from opening to a resolution to tell a cohesive story or make your case persuasively.

3. Engaging First Tweet

Your opening tweet absolutely needs to grab people’s interest right away. Ask a provocative question. Start mid-story? Set an ominous tone? Kick-off strong.

4. Strategic Length

Long threads may tell a complex narrative but also risk losing audience interest. Try to keep public threads under 10 tweets for optimal engagement. You can link to a blog for more.

5. Varied Multimedia

Intermix tweets with photos, videos, gifs, quotes, graphics, reactions etc. Multimedia keeps threads highly visual and dynamic. Just ensure you have the right to embed any content.

6. Manage Pace and Tension

Alternate quick, exciting tweets with slower, descriptive ones. Build curiosity and uncertainty between tweets to incentivize clicking through the thread.

7. Current Pop Culture References

Relatable references to trending TV, music, memes, etc., help threads resonate with what audiences are already tuned into or nostalgic for.

8. Use Cliffhangers

End tweets on suspenseful notes hinting at the next reveal. “But little did I know…”, “If you think that was surprising…”, “The story wasn’t over yet…”

9. Drive Audience Participation

Ask questions and polls, and encourage replies to get the audience involved in shaping the thread. Their engagement boosts visibility.

10. Personal Perspective

Share your distinct reactions, emotions, and experiences as part of the thread. This authentic perspective helps connect with readers.

11. Fact Check Rigorously

If covering a sensitive public issue, verify your facts thoroughly. Inaccuracies get spread rapidly on viral threads.

12. Monitor and Refine

Review real-time analytics on your thread’s performance to improve as you go. Figure out which tweets resonate best with your audience.

Also read: Best Twitter Threads of All Time

Types of Twitter Threads to Create

Consider these popular genres of threads to produce:

Storytelling Threads

Share an intriguing personal anecdote, experience, or journey across threaded tweets as a mini-story.

Educational Threads

Tweet “classes” on topics you’re knowledgeable on – perfect for how-tos or summarizing lessons learned.

Commentary Threads

Offer your unique takes and analysis on current events, news, pop culture or societal issues.

Listicle Threads

Present ranked lists, tips, or “X ways to Y” threaded in bite-sized tweetable points.

Q&A Threads

Solicit or answer questions from your followers and engage in active discussions through reply threads.

Breaking News Threads

Live-tweet as events unfold or share updates from the field as a news story develops.

Crowdsourced Threads

Prompt contributions from followers and compile the best responses into a curated public thread.

Match the thread style to your skills, interests, and audience for maximum appeal.

Also read: How to Create a Twitter Thread

Best Practices for Optimizing Twitter Threads

Apply these proven best practices in your threads:

Number your tweets sequentially for clarity
Crosslink between your tweets to retain context
Quote-tweet sources when embedding outside content
Set an even cadence – not too fast or slow
Balance text with eye-catching visual media
Limit hashtags to 1 or 2 relevant ones per tweet
Tag relevant accounts to expand the reach
Keep language conversational, concise and compelling
Credit creators and check copyrights on embedded media
Close threads with a satisfactory wrap-up or takeaway

Promoting Your Twitter Threads

Drive greater visibility for your threads through smart promotion:

Pin your thread to your profile for ongoing visibility
Post the full thread in a Twitter Space for synchronous discussion
Share key pull quotes and graphics from a thread as standalone tweets
Link to your thread from other platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.
Prominently feature threads in email newsletters with your best content
Embed a thread recap straight into your blog, site or publications
Collaborate with others to co-create threaded stories

Make it easy for audiences to follow your threads across social channels and communities.

Curating Your Best Twitter Threads

Manage your threads beyond Twitter to extend their value:

Use Thread Reader to convert threads into readable articles
Compile popular threads into an ebook
Transcribe audio threads into a podcast
Add threads to your link-in bio for easy access
Send curated threads in a newsletter using Revue, Substack, etc.
Store threads on sites like Wakelet for public collection

Repurposing evergreen threads makes them more discoverable while providing your best content in new formats.

Case Studies of Viral Twitter Threads

Analyzing examples helps illustrate tactics for compelling threads:

Case Study 1: Storytelling Thread

@ThomasMcCallum shares how an unexpected connection on a flight profoundly impacted a grieving family. He turns the encounter into an emotional narrative across 14 cinematic tweets, accruing over 130K likes. Cliffhangers, specificity, personal stakes, and high drama make this a masterclass in threaded storytelling.

Case Study 2: Educational Thread

@AdamMGrant breaks down the psychology of motivation in an insightful 12-part tweet class. He peppers evidence-based lessons with pop culture humor. Asking his followers, “What motivates you?” creates active engagement. His fame as a professor provides a credible voice.

Case Study 3: Commentary Thread

@TVietor08 offers live analysis on Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover, critiquing Musk’s proposed policies across a rapid 15 tweets. Humour and sarcasm make his takes entertaining. Covering a current event topic capitalizes on public intrigue. His experience as an Obama staffer lends authority.

Case Study 4: Q&A Thread

@MallikaDua asks her 1M+ followers for dating advice as a newly single woman, then curates the most interesting responses into a public crowdsourced thread. The participatory nature makes the thread more relatable and universal. She adds her witty reactions to user suggestions.

Tools for Creating Twitter Threads

Leverage technology to help craft polished threads:

Threadful

Browser extension to visualize and publish threads from any text

Threader

App to schedule threads with analytics

TweetDeck

Twitter’s dashboard for managing multiple threads and accounts

Storify

Embed curated tweets, gifs, and videos into flowable stories

Wakelet

Save and collaborate on public Twitter threads with teams.

The right tools help streamline composing and structuring long-form threaded narratives that captivate audiences.

Over to You!

The more you experiment with varied approaches, the better you’ll get at creating binge-worthy Twitter threads your community loves. Study viral threads in your niche, curate your content library, and engage audiences in public storytelling. Say it in (threaded) tweets!