Alan Draper
Do you spend your day begging for retweets? Are you “that guy” or “that girl” that everyone avoids on Twitter and Facebook?
I never thought I would be one to write a post on this topic. However, I am being asked numerous times a day by people I don’t know to share their content. I also often get asked why I don’t retweet tweets or share blog posts if I so choose not to.
So, I figured it was a good time to provide a quick summary of my philosophy of retweeting and sharing content.
The purpose of this post is not to explain or provide details of how I tweet in general. For details on such, please check out the following two posts as well as our upcoming “Twitter in a Nutshell” course as reference if interested.
- How I Tweet in a Nut Shell – 55 Behaviors of a Twitter Nut
- 55 Tips to Get Retweeted on Twitter
- Twitter in a Nut Shell Training Program
Key criteria for selecting the content I share.
- Relevant
- Offers benefit to audience
- Unique perspective
- Not already written or said by a million others in the same way.
- Timely
- Accurate
- From a trusted source
- Data sources are backed up and cited.
10 Reasons Why I Don’t Retweet You & Your Content
1. I don’t know you.
As mentioned above, providing content from a trusted source is a key requirement for me. I love tweeting content from new bloggers, different bloggers and business leaders who can offer a different perspective for my community. However, if I don’t know you, you need to earn my trust. This can happen sometimes rather quickly but often times may take longer. Even if you If I meet you via a Tweet and your Twitter bio doesn’t help me know you better or make me want to click the url to learn more about you, chances of me tweeting your content are slim to none.
2. Your blog stinks.
Even if you have good content it may not be enough. If I visit your blog and it has any of the following attributes, it’s probably the reason you are not getting retweeted.
- Your share buttons don’t work.
- Your Twitter share button doesn’t include the title.
- Your Twitter share button doesn’t include your Twitter handle by default. Unless I REALLY like your content, the chances of me looking up your Twitter handle are slim.
- Blog is Hard to read
- Fonts are too light or too small or both.
- Too many ads and pop-ups.
- There are links to websites that pop-up virus warnings. I have literally had people ask me to retweet content where this happens.
- If I do click thru to your blog, it does nothing for me.
3. Your Content Stinks. Attributes of stinky content:
- It’s all about you.
- Offers little value for my audience.
- Your content is is a rant with no purpose but to start an argument.
- You don’t speak from authority.
- Source of your data isn’t documented.
- Too much sellling, not enough content.
- It’s already been done…a million times.
- I’ts over done.
- Your grammar stinks.
- It’s simply poorly written.
- It offers no unique perspective.
- You’re over selling via your blog titles. You’re selling your post as “the latest top 5, amazing super fabulous, never been heard before social media tips.” Yet there are numerous blog posts on each one of them on all of our blogs all dating back to two or three years ago.
4. It’s me, not You!
I am also a writer, an owner of an agency and several other online revenue generating platforms. I have an editorial calendar and a content plan. I have a plan for what I tweet, the topics I cover over a period of time and what I’ll be covering in the future, such as next month. It could be as simple as:
- Been there, done that! Your content is something I already shared in depth in past days, weeks or months. My community is updated on this and could honestly be tired of hearing about such a topic. Yours offers nothing new or interesting so there is no reason to share.
- Your content and style simply doesn’t gel with me and my audience.
- Your content is over political in nature.
- Your content is about a very negative event or topic which I simply choose not to share.
- Your content goes against my core values or beliefs.
- Your content is simply off topic for me and my audience. Don’t get me wrong here. I share some funky content and definitely like to shake the pot when it comes to unique and exciting content.
- I’m on a different roll. It could be I have set aside a block of time to engage and “be social” with my online friends. Sharing posts or content may not be on the agenda at the moment you send me the request begging for a retweet, sorry.
- I like your conent, however I need to add my 2 cents to it because I don’t really agree with it. My followers already know I don’t agree with it and they will question why I tweeted it. I often share these kinds of posts but only if I have time to edit the tweet title and usually leave a comment. If there is no room on the tweet to add a few words then the chances of these posts getting tweeted on a busy day are close to zero.
5. The only time you talk to me is when you want me to share your content.
If the only time you talk to me is when you want me to retweet you or share your content, the chances are it’s not going to happen, sorry.
6. You make it hard to share your tweet!
- Too many characters.
- Poor title.
- Too many hashtags.
- URL has issues.
7. You are still using the default Twitter egg avatar.
Sorry, I don’t talk to eggs, engage with eggs, read the blogs of eggs or share content from eggs.
8. You are boring.
Bottom line, your content is boring, your bio is boring, your tweets are boring and there is not much more I can say but you’re boring.
9. You tweet the same stuff every day.
I am seeing this more and more. People tweeting the exact same quotes, content and advice day after day after day. They don’t even bother to mix up the words. Don’t be this person even you are a self proclaimed social media “expert.” icon wink 10 Reasons Why I Dont Retweet You & Your Content
10. You are too stuck on your influence score and only talk to people who have a high influence score.
If I think you are only talking to me because of this, chances are I won’t talk to you much. I like real, genuine, authentic relationships built on trust. I never decide who I am going to engage with on any online platform based upon an influence score such as Klout, PeerIndex or Kred. I would have and still would be missing out on some of the best partners and friends in real life if I based a decision on such a score. If you are doing this, I highly suggest you STOP! The heartbeat of social media is people. If you look at people as a number only, you are missing out on the greatest of all benefits of social media which is building real relationships. Get over that influence score once and for all, would ya!?
Don’t Just “Do Social” or “Be Social” be Socially Relevant!
If you are having to beg for retweets and are spending half of your day worrying about how you are going to get people to retweet your content you are focused on the wrong objective. Instead, focus on getting in the head of your audience and figuring out how you can offer them the most relevant value possible. If you focus on good content the retweets will come. The shares and readership will come. Your business will eventually succeed if you are truly solving your customers problems. Trust me, it works!
What You Say?
How do you decide what to share and not share? Do you have a content plan for your audience? Are you guilty of begging for tweets and retweets?
Get a Grip on Social Media:
This is part of the series titled “How to Get a Grip on Social Media.” The series will include a free newsletter, webinars, whitepapers, tips and best practices to get a handle on your business and social media.
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This article was written for Business 2 Community by Alan Draper.
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Hey Pam, I think we’ve met online one time during this #custserv chat that I love participating in.. and I can’t help but smile while reading your post. I hate to admit it too, but I don’t like talking to eggs on Twitter.
This is a good article for all twitters to do their work easily.
Did you get a chance to check the website http://www.ezedcal.com to manage editorial calendar easily for your blog and show your editorial calendar in your blog easily (optional)
Thanks & Regards
~Jo
Hi!
Love you article!!
But what do you mean by “URL has issues”?
Thanks :)
I find that in Canada Twitter is not as often used as a social media platform as much as Facebook is. People just haven’t really grasped it. Looks to me like Facebook has won the battle at least here in Canada. What do you think?
Thanks for this article! I completely agree with your issues..great tips!
Great post, Pam, and so true. If you don’t know me, I’m boring or I’m simply repeating what others have said – it does not ring the bell.
Jeff Ogden, Host of Marketing Made Simple TV