There are a few reasons why people retweet: content that matters, relationship building, returning a favor, helping to convey a msg.. It never escapes from social networking between people. We could monitor whether or not to follow one's updates, but, it's really up to their likings how they wish to present themselves via RT.
If not because of retweet, I wouldn't be exposed to some great info, or people behind the writings etc. To me, retweet will always be the Wild Thing that serves alot more than just being a info-magnet alone.
@wchingya Social Media/Blogging
Rafiek
· 2 months ago
And in the case of some friends of mine sharing my bloopers with the rest of their follow list.
Trevor Rotzien
· 7 months ago
Good intro.
Some additional suggestions for retweeting etiquette & formatting:
- It's better to cut text than eliminate a twitter username from a RT, as it is rude to not credit your source. Maybe obvious, but it gets harder for a RT'd RT.
- Avoid screwing with the wording of the tweet you are RTing, except to strictly reduce the total number of characters. People hate it when you reinterpret their tweet but imply by RTing that it wasn't materially changed. If you feel the need to reinterpret, use a reply or a entirely new tweet instead.
- While tools like TweetDeck's one-click RT are convenient, they can introduce a lot of extra and expensive characters if you are RTing a RT. Better to edit a bit. I've found the most compact syntax I can use that retains usernames in the RT chain and also minimizes the amount of text editing I need to get the RT down to 140, works like this: "RT @3rdtweep,@2ndtweep,@originaltweep Original message" Notice I've eliminated redundant "RT"'s and the ":". I've used commas because punctuation effectively delimits the usernames (TweetDeck, etc, won't recognize them as usernames without some kind of delimiting character). I didn't simply use spaces since "RT @3rdtweep @2ndtweep @originaltweep original message" would imply that @3rdtweep sent the tweet to @2ndtweep and @originaltweep, so @3rdtweep originated the message, which is exactly backwards.
Trevor Rotzien
· 7 months ago
- One more: It makes more sense if you wrap your editorial comment about the RT somehow, so readers know which text is the original tweet, and which is from you. For example: "RT @3rdtweep,@2ndtweep,@originaltweep Original message [My comment]"
Heidi / Savory Tv
· 7 months ago
I believe it needs to be done in moderation. Watch your frequency of retweets, and only spread information that will truly benefit your followers.
drewmgriffin
· 7 months ago
Nice Basic instruction for the RT novice. I'll share this with my new Twitter user Friends
Jayme Soulati
· 7 months ago
This was amazingly helpful. Learned a ton after my frustration trying to find these answers over the last four days. Thank you!
Jayme Soulati
· 7 months ago
Have been searching help files for four days wondering the best way to RT. Thanks for this explanation, finally. And, I agree -- always helpful to justify when you can why the RT. Makes sense so you're more a leader than a "follower." A-Hem!
Erin
· 7 months ago
thanks so much for this blog post! im new to twitter and retweeting and learned a lot! i'll be dowloading tweetdeck to make twitter easier! thanks again
best man ever
· 7 months ago
How to retweet?
I still don't know!!!!
Must I read 1000 words to maybe find out -if I am very lucky???????
Can someone tell me how to retweet and not how great they and everything is please.
Digital Jedi
· 4 months ago
Did you even read past the first paragraph? The info is in the third.
best man ever
· 7 months ago
I still cannot retweet.
see below - IT DOES NOT TELL ME - OMG OMG OMG.
Retweeting is an integral part of the Twitter experience. The retweet (or “RT”) allows Twitter users to share the best links, tweets, and gems they find from others using the service OMG bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla
will
· 7 months ago
Chinese rtmeme rt.ju690.com, It based on the simlarity of Retweets,,nice try..
Arnold - Mr.Gadget
· 7 months ago
People fail to realise how important ReTweeting is. Great post guys.
Meryl
· 7 months ago
Is TweetDeck secure? Just got a totally scary security warning about it.
virtualpartner
· 7 months ago
If you're going to retweet, I would add to please read the article first and make sure that it's "Retweet" worthy. Remember, your reputation is always on the line, so send great things, from great people:).
Tiff- @virtualpartner
Sean O
· 7 months ago
If you're using the web interface through Firefox, I wrote a lightweight Greasemonkey script that add an "RT" option when you mouseover any tweet, for one-click retweeting: http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/43910
And be sure to poke around Userscripts for other great Twitter-esque scripts people have created.
Talk about updated content, I had just made the "How to revise an email..." tweet a favorite before I read this... Now have made this tweet a favorite for the newbs as they come along (which was me a week ago)
richrecruiter
· 7 months ago
Not a fan of retweets. Unoriginal, high-tech a** kissing.
Veebeep
· 4 months ago
Not one of us can be everywhere or know everything (except Mashable-Pete) and not everyone follows every original poster. The originals need us RTers to "advertise" our favorites using the tweets we think represent them well to help build their following. It's also painfully obvious that not every tweeter is a clever, well-spoken, original writer. I think hearing nothing but one person's "originality" misses out on a lot of good news and information that needs to be networked. To me, that's what both Twitter and Facebook are all about. Too much is happening too quickly to take time to compose every post from scratch.
Stretsh
· 7 months ago
I disagree. If you found something interesting through someone else, it's a courtesy to give credit to that person for bringing that info to your attention. You're just saying "@xyz pointed me to this information that I found useful and want to share with the rest of you".
Lots of people I follow constantly tweet, but I only retweet stuff that I find interesting enough to share. Then, it doesn't matter if you're @richrecruiter or the guy with only 10 followers!
On the other hand, I do believe that it IS being abused by many for ass kissing. But that doesn't mean it is.
Ow, by the way, IMO, about 75 - 90% of what's being spread around the web is unoriginal. I, for instance, find your name very unoriginal. But... taste differs.
virtualpartner
· 7 months ago
I agree, but would add - Only if you're not being authentic:). If you found it valuable - why not not share? Besides, is anyone really that original anyway:-). Tiff-
sizemattic
· 2 months ago
RT is the highest form of a compliment in the world of Tweet :)
virtualpartner
· 2 months ago
Agreed:).
Oli4k
· 7 months ago
Retweeting seems rather pointless to me. I follow tweeps because of what they have to say and share. Not for how they copy other tweep's stuff and re-post it.
And what I still don't get is why it's cool to re-post someone's tweets, but if I'd (hypothetically) copy the same person's blog post everybody goes berserk.
Digital Jedi
· 4 months ago
It's sharing information. It's impossible to network if you don't, you know, network.
Good use of visual aids and descriptions in your article! This may be off topic, but if a tweet with a link won't fit as a retweet, or if I want to use my own words, I'll use (via @username) at the end to give them credit.
marj aka thriver
· 7 months ago
I'm a Twitter newbie and I am so appreciating these Twitter tips. Thanks!
Craig
· 7 months ago
Guy Kawasaki had some great advice about how to get retweeted here: http://bit.ly/1a8D2N
Katie York
· 7 months ago
woohoo representing in @jbruin's screenshot!
Television SPY
· 7 months ago
coouldn't you just link to the original tweet msg ..lol retweeting is so redundant.
Digital Jedi
· 4 months ago
Tweets don't have permalinks, so no.
sarahspy
· 7 months ago
gonna send this to all my newbie twitter friends :)
Sana
· 7 months ago
thanks :) very helpful.
Maria Ferguson
· 7 months ago
GREAT article! As a newbie, I was really wanting to understand and learn what RT's were all about and Pa-DOW...this pops up from mashable! He's so "All-Knowing" and informative! He should change his name to "Twitter Maven"! :)
Abraham
· 7 months ago
A lot of times when I view a link that was tweeted, I find the that text describing or leading to the link does not do a good job of hooking or promoting the link's content. If you liked the link, then use the RT as an opportunity to promote the link.
- Will Ferrell to drink his own urine on TV. Seriously. No, I'm not kidding. http://tinyurl.com/c3usko
One thing to keep in mind about Twitter is that everything you post is a reflection of who you are, what you find funny, entertaining, interesting, stimulating. All your posts, collectively, paint a picture that describes you. When you RT, don't feel constrained to maintain the original text that was posted - especially if it's not clear. Incorporate your style; just remember to make it work for you.
Veebeep
· 4 months ago
I agree about some headlines not giving item reason to be read. I believe that's what comes of using the two-click services. The services just grab the first so-many characters and stop. Not good. What's the point of speed if no one wants to read the tweet?
Anthony
· 7 months ago
RT is the best way to show respect to the Tweeter who sent the message...
Twitter.com/AntSjP
Kevin Mohr
· 7 months ago
Question: Should the retweet be "in reply to" the user's tweet? Or a brand new tweet from the RTing user?
This is from a developer's standpoint. As whether or not the status id of the original user's tweet should be included in the RTing user's tweet.
Thanks.
Linda L
· 7 months ago
I'm hoping folks will adopt a RT-w-comments approach... so you can echo the original writer/tweet, but add your spin. Just plain "ditto" lacks that extra ooomph that makes it really interesting.
lara cawthra
· 7 months ago
This is a great article especially for those new to twitter which can be a bit confusing for the new comer. I have just tried tweetdeck and love it
Ade
· 7 months ago
RT
mpc
· 7 months ago
I have a problem I try to use tweetmeme but it alwys display the RT @tweetmeme and I want my tweeter nick to be displayed hwo can I manage this ? I tried like this: <script type="text/javascript"> tweetmeme_source = 'mProCreation'; </script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://tweetmeme.com/i/scripts/button.js"></script> but it doesn't work, any idea?
David Jones
· 7 months ago
If you want to retweet all day and night without sitting in front of a compute, check out http://TwitterAutoPoster.net Marketing Software.
DanOnBranding
· 7 months ago
There's nothing wrong with Retweeting. TweetDeck makes it so easy and it's a great way to share content. What's wrong is when you Retweet someone's post and they never Retweet anything you've done. And yes, the content is of value, not "my cat just ate a banana" posts.
Medtipster
· 7 months ago
That's cool! Thanks to Twitter, generic drug search engine Medtipster.com is keeping consumers informed about health care affordability.
@lizziedonnachie
· 7 months ago
Twhirl allows RT's with two clicks as well - very handy
facebook-803683093
· 7 months ago
Thank you for writing the 'how-to' regarding retweeting.
For newbies (and there are now A LOT ), it is important for them to get a quick glimpse of the etiquette involved in Twitter - not just the mechanics.
Ahhh!!! More twitter porn. Twitter this. Twitter that. Twitter here. Twitter there. Do you need to post something about twitter every five minutes?
Goran
· 7 months ago
Wonderful information for a beginner like me. I didn't even know how to Re-Tweet & you have listed a lot of resources to Track Re-Tweets.
Janice Gabrian
· 7 months ago
Now I get it. No I do not get it. Well sort of get it. Will try it one day. At least I know what it is about. I thought it meant return a tweet. So I learned something new today. That is a good thing.
annette aaron
· 7 months ago
TThink I will have to re-read & re-read again and again! I feel so s t u p i d? Could it be my age? my generation, my gender?!!!!
Rob Alexander
· 7 months ago
This is a great guide to retweeting. I trade off between the Seesmic Desktop and TweetDeck Twitter clients and they're both good for retweeting.
ItsAboutTea
· 6 months ago
Thank you for this information. I will definitely be using it to retweet. This helps me understand how the system works. I DEFINITELY appreciate this tip.
sandra sklodowski
· 6 months ago
so how exactly is it done what is cut paste repaste is that an RT?im such a dolt!!!Thanx Sandra
sandra sklodowski
· 6 months ago
how do i get a tweetdeck app? Mahalo sandra
Stella
· 6 months ago
Thanks always handy for beginners like me!
kRIS
· 6 months ago
Thank you for this!! I always need some refreshers when dealing with multiple twitter accounts
WonRyong
· 5 months ago
THANKS FOR GOOD INFO.
haily
· 4 months ago
useful post, thanks
Tash
· 4 months ago
I'm new to Twitter and I have a daft question. How do I get the person's username to hyperlink when I retweet???
ahmed
· 3 months ago
thanx alot
Mike Jone
· 3 months ago
I like how @TJMaxx uses favorite Fridays to retweet versus retweet all praises and accolades of the brand.
Gary Hanson
· 3 months ago
I use Twitter for information,(not Tweeting like I should) mostly just reading posts and urls. I really found this to be an interesting and educational article. I will be passing this on to relatives and friends. I even RT ed this to Facebook friends. Thks Mashable !!!
Peter
· 3 months ago
a good explanation - we'll work hard and begin to retweet
Tove
· 3 months ago
How do I remove the retweeting through my account? It's annoying for me and for others.
sizemattic
· 2 months ago
I retweet a lot of mashables tweets cause they are interesting to me. Keep up the good work!
All Comments
If not because of retweet, I wouldn't be exposed to some great info, or people behind the writings etc. To me, retweet will always be the Wild Thing that serves alot more than just being a info-magnet alone.
@wchingya
Social Media/Blogging
Some additional suggestions for retweeting etiquette & formatting:
- It's better to cut text than eliminate a twitter username from a RT, as it is rude to not credit your source. Maybe obvious, but it gets harder for a RT'd RT.
- Avoid screwing with the wording of the tweet you are RTing, except to strictly reduce the total number of characters. People hate it when you reinterpret their tweet but imply by RTing that it wasn't materially changed. If you feel the need to reinterpret, use a reply or a entirely new tweet instead.
- While tools like TweetDeck's one-click RT are convenient, they can introduce a lot of extra and expensive characters if you are RTing a RT. Better to edit a bit. I've found the most compact syntax I can use that retains usernames in the RT chain and also minimizes the amount of text editing I need to get the RT down to 140, works like this:
"RT @3rdtweep,@2ndtweep,@originaltweep Original message"
Notice I've eliminated redundant "RT"'s and the ":". I've used commas because punctuation effectively delimits the usernames (TweetDeck, etc, won't recognize them as usernames without some kind of delimiting character). I didn't simply use spaces since
"RT @3rdtweep @2ndtweep @originaltweep original message"
would imply that @3rdtweep sent the tweet to @2ndtweep and @originaltweep, so @3rdtweep originated the message, which is exactly backwards.
"RT @3rdtweep,@2ndtweep,@originaltweep Original message [My comment]"
I still don't know!!!!
Must I read 1000 words to maybe find out -if I am very lucky???????
Can someone tell me how to retweet and not how great they and everything is please.
see below - IT DOES NOT TELL ME - OMG OMG OMG.
Retweeting is an integral part of the Twitter experience. The retweet (or “RT”) allows Twitter users to share the best links, tweets, and gems they find from others using the service OMG bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla bla
Tiff-
@virtualpartner
http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/43910
And be sure to poke around Userscripts for other great Twitter-esque scripts people have created.
-- SEAN O
http://twitter.com/seanodotcom
Lots of people I follow constantly tweet, but I only retweet stuff that I find interesting enough to share. Then, it doesn't matter if you're @richrecruiter or the guy with only 10 followers!
On the other hand, I do believe that it IS being abused by many for ass kissing. But that doesn't mean it is.
Ow, by the way, IMO, about 75 - 90% of what's being spread around the web is unoriginal. I, for instance, find your name very unoriginal. But... taste differs.
If you found it valuable - why not not share?
Besides, is anyone really that original anyway:-).
Tiff-
And what I still don't get is why it's cool to re-post someone's tweets, but if I'd (hypothetically) copy the same person's blog post everybody goes berserk.
You can turn this:
- Will Ferrell will join Bear Grylls on TV. http://tinyurl.com/c3usko
To this:
- Will Ferrell to drink his own urine on TV. Seriously. No, I'm not kidding. http://tinyurl.com/c3usko
One thing to keep in mind about Twitter is that everything you post is a reflection of who you are, what you find funny, entertaining, interesting, stimulating. All your posts, collectively, paint a picture that describes you. When you RT, don't feel constrained to maintain the original text that was posted - especially if it's not clear. Incorporate your style; just remember to make it work for you.
Twitter.com/AntSjP
This is from a developer's standpoint. As whether or not the status id of the original user's tweet should be included in the RTing user's tweet.
Thanks.
<script type="text/javascript">
tweetmeme_source = 'mProCreation';
</script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://tweetmeme.com/i/scripts/button.js"></script>
but it doesn't work, any idea?
For newbies (and there are now A LOT ), it is important for them to get a quick glimpse of the etiquette involved in Twitter - not just the mechanics.
My article, Tweetiquette, discusses some of the why behind retweeting, #'s etc,
http://www.thehumanisticstrategist.com/articles...
For newbies (and there are now A LOT ), it is important for them to get a quick glimpse of the etiquette involved in Twitter - not just the mechanics.
@Trevor Rotzien makes several very good points about what to do when RTing
My article, Tweetiquette, discusses some of the why behind retweeting, #'s etc,
http://www.thehumanisticstrategist.com/articles...