Twitter Etiquette: Retweeting The Right Way

A retweet or RT is defined as reposting a tweet made by another online user on Twitter. The retweet is indicated by the letters ?RT? found at the start of the message. This should let online users know that the message is not your own but from someone else online. It is not officially a command on the website although users are advised to use it to acknowledge the original creator of the tweet, especially if you're inserting a comment with the RT. Otherwise, you can simply click the "Retweet" function on the post itself and it will automatically show up on your timeline as a retweet. Retweets can also be very effective in gaining new followers and driving more traffic to your account or site.

How to Retweet Properly

Start by logging on to Twitter and viewing your account. If you see a message that you?d like to retweet, move the mouse over the message then search for the retweet or RT icon. Click on the icon and you should discover a pop-up window. Click the Retweet button. The message will automatically be visible as your own post but acknowledging the source of the tweet. Using a Twitter client is ideal since others can also put comments and replies to the retweet.

The general rule according to social media enthusiasts is to comment on all retweets. Since you will only be reposting a message created by someone, you become a second party to the conversation so it is important to provide a comment to start the conversation. Make use of the remaining space just as long as you comment.

The retweet is one of the respectful practices that you can do on Twitter. It shows that you like someone?s message or post and also indicate that you interact well with other users. Retweeting means that you?re not simply stealing or claiming other people?s posts as your own. Retweeting should, however, be done sparingly.

More About RT Etiquette

When someone else retweets your post, it is only proper that you thank them for doing so. This means that they are also recognizing you as the original author of the post and that they like your message. [Of course, if there are too many RTs on your post, it's understandable when you can't thank each of them.]

Being retweeted by another social media user can increase your visibility and increase the likelihood of getting more followers on Twitter. Check your retweets regularly. Make sure that these are related to your social media objectives or company. Also find ways to make the retweet more interesting by discussing relevant issues and news. It can also be used casually to show more personality online. Keep on searching for excellent tweets by people and plan to include these in your future posts. Make friends and connections with regular social media users who will be helpful in your marketing campaign.