Want to write a long tweet, but afraid that everything you want to say won’t fit in a single tweet? The easiest option is to post a series of tweets and combine them into a Twitter thread (or a tweet thread).
With the tweet thread, you don’t have to be limited to the standard 280 characters. Instead, you can use this social media platform to provide additional context or arguments for your point, as well as update it later with more information. Below you will find more information about what Twitter threads look like and how you can create your first one.
What is a Twitter Thread?
Previously, each tweet had a strict character limit of 140 characters, and that’s all you could write in a single tweet. However, as the platform developed, Twitter users continued to demand more space to express themselves. Since Twitter didn’t want its users to switch to another platform like Snapchat or Instagram, they introduced new post formats.
Today you can publish longer tweets, polls, GIFs, images and videos, fleets and threads. The Twitter thread is a relatively new feature.
A Twitter thread is a series of related tweets posted by the same Twitter user. They are linked together by the Reply function and appear as a continuous tweet with secondary and other additional tweets attached to the original tweet-like comments.
How to find and view Twitter threads
If it’s a thread from someone you follow, you’ll see it on your timeline as several tweets connected by a straight line. If the thread has four or more tweets, the tweets are truncated. To expand and see the entire topic, you must select Show this topic option next to the individual tweet.
On your profile, a topic will appear as separate tweets, posted in reverse chronological order. Any tweet belonging to a thread will have the same Show this topic option displayed next. When you Retweet or Tweet Tweet belonging to a thread, the retweet will also include Show this topic message so other people can select it to view the entire thread.
Users usually mark their Twitter threads with # thread to distinguish them from normal tweets and to avoid their followers jumping to comment on the first tweet before the whole thread is finished.
To make sure your followers read the tweets in your thread in the correct order, you can also number the posts in your thread: eg, 1/5, 2/5, etc. If you mention someone in a thread, they’ll get a standard Twitter notification about it.
Twitter Thread vs Tweetstorm
If you’ve heard of Twitter storms before, learning about Twitter topics can be confusing, as they seem to be one and the same. While threads and Twitter storms can be one in the same, that’s not always the case.
When a user posts a number of tweets in quick succession, it is called a tweetstorm. However, they only become a thread if these tweets are also replies to each other and are linked in that way. If tweets are not linked together with the Reply function, they remain individual tweets that can be part of a tweetstorm, even if they are unrelated to each other.
You may also find the word tweetstorm used in connection with something different. When many different users tweet about the same topic (eg, using the same hashtags or links), some people also call it a tweet storm. However, this usage example is much less common nowadays.
How to create your first Twitter thread
There are two different ways you can use to create a thread on your Twitter account. You can use both the Twitter website and the mobile app. Follow the steps in our tutorial to create your first Twitter theme.
How to create a Twitter thread using the reply feature
The easiest way to create a thread on Twitter is to publish a tweet and then use the reply function to add more tweets to your thread. To make your first Twitter link, follow the steps below. The steps are the same for Android, iOS and desktop users.
- Open the Twitter app or website and sign in to your account.
- pill house page, then start writing your first tweet under What is happening (or choose Compose icon if you are using the mobile app).
- Select Tweet.
- After your first tweet is published, select Reply under it.
- When the new tweet is ready, select it Tweet button to publish it.
Now you will see one Show this topic message appears next to your second tweet. You can continue to post new tweets using the Reply feature until you reach the last tweet of your thread.
This method is easy to use, but the main problem here is that your followers may not know that this is a topic that you are creating and start asking questions in the replies that you will reply to the tweets the following. If you choose this method, be sure to include it # thread on your first tweet and count each following tweet to let your followers know more posts are coming.
How to create a Twitter thread using the Threads tool
Another way to avoid a situation where your followers start commenting on your posts before the thread is finished is to create it using Twitter’s built-in threads feature. It allows you to create an entire Twitter thread with as many tweets as you like and then publish them all at once.
To make a new Twitter link using the threads tool, follow the steps below. The steps are the same for all Twitter apps and the Twitter website.
- On Twitter, start writing your first tweet under What is happening (for desktop users) or select Compose icon to create your first tweet (for mobile users).
- Choose blue + icon (for desktop users) or Continue the thread (for mobile users) to add the next tweet to the thread.
- Write your second tweet. Then choose + icon again to add another tweet.
- When you’re ready to publish your theme, select Tweet all.
You will now see your thread appear in your Twitter feed.
You can add more tweets after publishing your topic. To do this, open each individual tweet in your thread, scroll down and select Add another tweet.
You can also delete any of the individual tweets from your thread. To do this, open the tweet you want to remove, select the icon with three horizontal dots on the right side and select Clear.
Tips for creating engaging Twitter threads
Themes are great for increasing your engagement rates on Twitter. You can use this tool to get rewards from Twitter, such as gaining new followers and becoming more discoverable by other users. However, to get the most out of Twitter threads, here are a few things to keep in mind.
- Avoid using only plain text when writing your topics. Instead, use different types of media to accompany your posts, such as GIFs, images, videos, and links. It’s a great way to add diversity to your tweets and keep your audience engaged, especially if it’s a long topic.
- While composing your topic, don’t forget about hashtags. Tweet like a pro and make sure you use at least one hashtag in each of your tweets to make your topic more discoverable by users who don’t follow you yet.
- If it’s a short topic, number your posts to create a better structure and help your followers read the tweets in the right order. However, if it’s a long thread, avoid counting your posts, as seeing the final count of 23+ posts can scare people away.
- When people start commenting on your threads, engage with their comments as soon as possible and move the conversation forward. Your thread may contain the most useful information, but if it doesn’t get engagement from other users, Twitter’s algorithm won’t show it to anyone outside of your circle of followers.
Use Threads to tell better stories on Twitter
Twitter offers many tools to help you capture the interest of your audience. Twitter threads are no exception. Use topics to tell better stories, engage with your audience, and make your Twitter account more discoverable to other users.
