There was a question on Linkedin yesterday asking what an effective tweet looked like. There were lots of interesting answers, including some that provided the traits of a good tweet. But I noticed nobody provided any models. As those of you who follow our Gold Standards practice know, models are key. Here’s a page from the social media workshop we’ve been giving at FastTrac to the Future:

If you want to get noticed on Twitter, write like a reader. What would get you to pay attention?

We like the 80/20 Rule. Anyone who’s been to journalism school or hung out in a newsroom knows the 80/20 Rule of Headlines. About eight out of 10 people read headlines. Only two of the 10 keep reading or click through. So it’s really important that you convey as much information as possible in your headline and make it sizzle. And you want to do it in 10 words or less, if the direct mail industry is to be believed.

Here are some tips for writing better Tweets:

Newsy
Today's Word Factory blog: Are we in recovery? https://tinyurl.com/cqcwzr,
& RT @atompkins: https://bit.ly/155TOy #economy

Announcement
Job search/outplacement resources from The Word Factory blog:
https://tinyurl.com/ldmdql. Pls RT. Thx.

Question
How do you define "good writing"? Like this: https://bit.ly/CSrdz

How-to
Self-promotion made easy with @ontheroadwithiv, today on The Word
Factory blog https://tinyurl.com/pkbr2n
6 tips for meeting his mom: https://bit.ly/93qMr #dating

Call to Action
Read this: RT @margot_lester Does living in a big city reduce chances of finding
love? Find out on The Word Factory blog: https://bit.ly/KHqy

Testimonial/Reference
Ontheroadwithiv Happy Friday Everyone! Hope u all are psyched for a rocking day
and an awesome weekend! #followfriday @margot_lester - She rocks!

Give it a try and see if you don't start getting more traction on Twitter. And if you'd rather leave it to the pros, DM me on Twitter, or email me here.

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Want to learn more about using social media? Peter Shankman and Chris Brogran, two superstars of social media, will offer a primer on social media and small business on August 4, at 1pm EST. At $50 for as many people as you can fit around a speakerphone, it's a pretty sweet opportunity to learn from two of the best. Sign up here.