Before you continue any further, retweet this post. Please. Pretty please? I’ll be your best friend!
Ok, maybe I have to speak your language… “Plz RT!” Did that work?
How about if I retweet all of your posts? Wow, that’s a great idea – I’ll just guilt you into reciprocating!
Argh… what is it going to take for you to retweet this post?!?!
We all have to freely admit that we’d like our blog posts to reach as many people as possible. We do our best to create compelling content, bring forth new ideas and promote engaging discussion. We, hopefully, do so in a way that inspires our followers to spread the word and bring other people into the conversation. But what happens if this alone is not enough?
We think to ourselves “I’ll just politely ask people to retweet it” to give a gentle nudge. Viewing it internally, we remember all the times we’ve retweeted a post just because a person asked. “There are so many nice folks on Twitter. I’m sure someone will have a kind heart and help me out.”
Barely altering our normal routine, we just add “please RT” to our next tweet and see how many others believe in karma. Skeptical in the actual effect of this simple addition, we sit for the next few minutes waiting anxiously for the results. “Maybe today is the day one of my posts goes viral!”
Like a hurricane’s resulting storm surge, the @mentions overflow onto your screen. Some from the usual suspects, the few connections you’ve developed over time, but others from those whose names seem barely recognizable. “Am I even following that guy?”
The traffic on our blog spikes like we’ve never seen before. Rushing to load up Google Analytics for the 37th time today while still trying to juggle replying to the never-ending stream of comments, this overwhelming sense of excitement permeates through our body. “Finally, success!”
As the day approaches its end, we tally up the damage ensued. Retweets, visitors and comments, all triple the previous highs. We sit back in awe of the display and can only laugh to ourselves. “Wow, I could have never imagined how much difference two simple words would be!”
A light bulb goes off in our heads as we stare at our upcoming scheduled blog posts. “Maybe I should ask people to retweet more often”, we think, rationalizing it down to a sound marketing strategy. So we try it out again.
And again. And again. And again. And again.
And once more again. As the cycle continues, we notice the results not being as fruitful as they once were. Less and less we see others pass things along and widen our reach. Even the usual suspects have failed to oblige retweeting us the past few times. “I thought we built up a connection, so why are you guys now ignoring my polite requests?”
The @mentions seem to dry up completely at some point, unless we count the few spam-bots who blindly echo our thoughts to an empty room. Our blog traffic eventually returns to a stable figure, quite possibly even lower than the previous average before we spawned this brilliant idea. “What went wrong?” we ask to ourselves, “Why is it now even harder for me to inspire others to share?”
We have taken advantage of other’s kindness for our own purposes too many times.
We have damaged a relationship with our close allies, using them as a tool, not as an equal.
We have bitten the hand that retweets us.
@PocketInfonet
Yep – you see dozens of these minute.
I only did it once and realised – WTF!
Will never do it again.
Good Post
@david_j_parsons
interesting thoughts, I will be sure to think about them myself. I feel that it is best to not expect too much from people, but at the same time not to underestimate their kindness.
@nhangen
You rock the text as well as the video man. Nice job.
I’ve learned that if my post doesn’t get RT’d…I just need to write better.
@dkferm
I know I am less likely to RT if someone asks. It seems a little pitiful.
@fmpundit
I think that this subject is not set in stone, there is a debate that could be had here.
I must admit that I am guilty of such a crime of asking people to please ReTweet. It is part of my added text on twitterfeed. But it is more of a call to action button. I would hope that people would ReTweet my content because they have clicked and read what it is about. They have a trust built up that what I have done is of a standard that would be helpful not only to themselves but friends as well.
It is a little reminder that maybe if you want share with other, just like the tweetmeme button and different.
Research that I have seen down at copyblogger.com does show that asking people to RT does work and adding please to that improves sharing even more so.
I think the most importantt thing is that you are using a whole arsenal of tactics in the whole strategy and as always the content still need to be quality and you still need to keep up with valuable quality interaction.
I am not sure if I am ready to believe that asking people to RT alone is enough to damage your ability in the long run. As long as quality is kept up.
@nicchick
Hi, I read this post about 15 mins about and saw that it had touching on 40 RTs. But then I came back to see how many comments there are – just 1! I am wondering how many of those RTs were with comment/opinon or just an unedited RT because someone asked them to?
Its certainly an interesting experiment which touches on new RTs Vs old RTs.
The way I see it, my twitter stream is a reflection on me. Like a magazine about me and my opinions. Too many RTs in a person’s stream is like a magazine overstuffed with adverts. Little or no content.
Now, here’s a thought. Wouldnt it be nice if, instead of a thank you for my RT and comment, that if the author of a blog genuinely liked the comment, they would then RT their own blog back to their own followers, highlighting the comment!
@CindyKimPR
Interesting post on the etiquette of Retweeting. I would highly recommend not asking people to RT your stuff. First and foremost, have great content and post it 3 times in a day. When people RT – say “Thank you for the RT on [blog topic and link]. If you receive good comments on the blog, I’d highlight the comment and add a link to your blog for people to check it out. If they have a Twitter handle, @ them and tweet “Thank you for the comment” and add a link to your blog. There are ways to do this to promote your blog content without being obnoxious. Also, search twitter for your blog content. People might not necessarily mention you when they’re tweeting your blog. So check it and reply back to those who tweeted about your blog and thank them [insert blog link and title]. Asking people to RT is like begging people to come to your party. Sign of desperation. If you are confident in your content, there are other ways to promote it versus simply relying on Twitter to syndicate your content.
http://twitter.com/cindykimpr
http://cindykimblog.wordpress.com
http://www.linkedin.com/myprofile?trk=hb_side_pro
http://bit.ly/womenofweb
@sunshinemug
Great post. I agree that this urge to get everyone to RT can burn up goodwill really fast. I also think it takes some of the fun out of the whole Twitter experience. When I get retweeted it’s a surprise and a pleasure. It’s also a great way to learn about how I’m doing as a blogger. If I write something that gets RTed spontaneously, then I have a sense of what is working for people. I take up a similar issue in a recent post–How do I get more followers? Step one: forget about it! http://sunshinemug.blogspot.com/2010/01/how-do-i-get-more-followers-step-one.html. Not to retweet or anything…
@flashtweetapp
Agreed! Too often we forget the value of our friends and followers. It is easy to get stuck into the mindset of quantity over quality tweets.
For more twitter tips and social media news, check out our blog: http://flashtweet.com/blog/
@onviolence
This is how marketing works. totally agree.
@LandauDesign
EXCELLENT post! It’s amazing to me the one-way street so much RT’s have become. I’d love to hear your opinion on thanking for RT. I like Nicky’s idea of RT somebody’s tweet as a means of thanks.
@virtualvip
Reminds me of a conversation that was floating around the blogosphere a few months ago: are LinkedIn recommendations worth soliciting (for that matter, are they actually BAD)?
Everything (EVERYTHING) on the Internet has an incredibly short half-life, and it seems that unlike the way marketing used to work (think Coca Cola and McDonalds—the game was making sure you thought of them by default), you now need to just keep delivering more and more NEW content . . . a game that precious few of us are actually able to play to any effect.
Keep talking. Keep listening. Keep talking. Keep listening . . .
Jeff Yablon
President & CEO
Answer Guy and Virtual VIP Computer Support, Business Change Coaching and Virtual Assistant Services
@youarewb
Nathan is right. If there are not enough tweets we should reaccess the qualitiy of our content.
Social Network is quiete a good thing but to be lost in karma and the statistics avoided unique content I guess.
@krmcguire
Excellent post. I actually do not retweet a lot of posts, but I may just have to do so for this one! Ironic, no?
@ptcearner
Defnitely an important point. Since using of twitter is increased in order to get more exposure many of them ask to retweet a post of theirs.I must accept that even i do use the same thing.But i guess i should stop it now….
@Iconic88
great post mate!
There are other factors too that come into it, time of day, day of the week, major global news event ie Haiti, your tweet history etc
If you ask people to “PLZ RT” too often, you have ask yourself, how much have you given in return to the Twitterverse?
Give more than you expect and the rest will follow.
@hightouchweb
Retweet only if you feel inspired too! My son use to say “I’ll be your best friend” whenever he wanted something. I said I don’t have to be your best friend I am your mother. We should all take our retweets the same. I usually don’t retweet if I am asked too.. I have to feel moved. I think it is really nice when someone thanks me for retweeting their article, but then I really don’t expect that either. I found the article interesting enough to share it with the people who follow me.
@brucewagner
I usually only add “Pls RT” if it’s something I feel very strongly about, or that I feel is VERY important an urgent. At the same time, I rarely RT others, unless its great… I do, however, thank every single person for every single RT…
@Marksherrick
I’ve been guilty of asking for retweets many a time. Many, many, many a time.
As cheap as it makes me feel, it seems like that’s the only way I get reads. So I’m torn a lot. Beg for readers or get none.
@davidrisley
Jordan, you’re such a natural. Reminded why I’m a fan.
@GanderCo
Ok, I just left a comment, but the only thing that showed up was “Anonymous – @GanderCo”.
I did not do this on purpose. Just FYI.
Gary.
@kolibrix
I don’t think there is anything wrong in requesting for a RT once in a while, combined wiht the magic word. But try this instead: Seek out a great post, by your retweeter instead of checking your stats and google analytics, and RT that. A much better way than to just saying thank for another chance of mentioning your link.. Don’t forget to add RT please on the post you are retweeting, if you really like it. This will work as magic, and next time…you won’t even have to ask for a RT. Credit when credit is due: John Haydon of http://www.JohnHaydon.com taught me this! Great guy. Definitely worth following, and currently running a 31 day social media challange with some awesome content. Too good to be missed.
@kunjal23
Great Post. Hope you don’t mind if RT this Post….
@BLOGERCISE
And a retweet for the sake of it isn’t necessarily worth so much, I think going for the natural retweets work better – although of course this happens less easily. Ultimately you need people to engage with your content and continue to come back. A spike is only useful if you can convert those new visitors to long term readers or to buyers, or whatever your goal is.
@NotAProBlog
@nhangen: You always come up with the best quotes, dude. “I’ve learned that if my post doesn’t get RT’d…I just need to write better.” I couldn’t agree more. Instead of worrying about what others are doing, create content that is so awesome, people can’t help RT’ing it.
@nicchick: That’s an interesting way of looking at it… but if the blog author was known to do just that, wouldn’t that just promote others to comment just for the RT? (which then becomes a vicious cycle causing even more noise in your Twitter stream)
@LandauDesign: Bonnie, you probably wouldn’t like my opinion about thanking for RT’s… but I think for the most part, they’re a waste if you’re going to do so for *EVERY* retweet. To me, that just smacks of inauthenticity (even if you really are thankful). Sure, I definitely thank people all the time… but I do it sparsely so my words really mean something. I never want to appear like an automaton thanking *everybody* any time they do anything… then the whole point of showing gratitude goes out the window because your “thanks” doesn’t have much value anymore.
@brucewagner: Bruce, you say you thank every single person for every single RT…. what is your take on the opinion above?
I appreciate all the comments on the post… it’s more than I expected.
I love you all! (except for David Risley, of course, for these obvious reasons)
@jadecraven
All of my retweets are natural. I rarely ask for a retweet. The only time I have is when someone requested I tell them when a project is done, because they wanted to tell others about it.
I’ve had posts that have received 6-800 retweets and usually, don’t even tell my own twitter network until after he post has gone wild. I still haven’t figured out why but its a lot of fun.
Now – Jordan, don’t you owe em a few retweets? I’ll retweet this for ya. Come on, its how social media works. (Jordan and I were joking about this – its not serious
)
@HeyLiane
Retweets for me are like little thumbs up signs. The more I get, the more I get inspired. I never had someone though directly ask me for an RT. I think that’s a good sign
@sandymcmullen
I have had a few of these that are self promotional and i realized after reading your post that I have been treating these just like chain letters – I simply ignore them. It was interesting to read this post and all the comments. The thing I appreciate most about Social Media is the instant feedback loop. if you are doing something out of line you can see pretty quickly that it doesn’t work.
Ask me to RT if you are saving the world but not if it is self serving. If you have inspired me, informed me or made me laugh I will RT automatically
@WorkWithIllness
When I have a new blog post (once a week) I dm a small network whom I know will RT & whom I always RT. Some do it – others forget. Those who don’t do it regularly, I stop. Some now do the same for me. I typically don’t put RT on a tweet -but when I do, it usually gets some results.
I’ve figured out that no one knows what works here since it’s always changing and so random. So I just keep changing tactics with my overall goal in mind – to get people to my blog, then my website & finally to use my coaching services. So far so good !
@brucewagner
@notaproblog I thank every single person, every single time, for every single RT. I do so with sincere appreciation, and they know it. I love my “peeps”, as I call them, and I tell them all OFTEN. The result seems to be that they are encouraged to, and remember to, RT anything I say which grabs them. They don’t even SEE my @ replies thanking others, usually. But even if they do, Good! I let no good deed go UN thanked!
On the other hand, it takes a lot to get me to RT something. I never RT as a favour!
For me to RT something, I am now lending MY NAME to it – which means, IT BETTER BE GOOD! Adding the original author’s name is only to give him credit. MN NAME and my credibility is on the line, the moat I RT. Something.
@maxicom
Think thanking everyone who retweets you is a dangerous waste of everyone’s time. More info on my three big reasons for this here, would love to hear from the people who believe otherwise:
http://j.mp/nothanks
@JohnAguiar
Little late to the show, but I made it..lol
I agree that asking for the RT is not the way to go, and when I see a post with “Please RT” I get super turned off, and I’m sure this is how most people feel.
As for me, each person get’s a ” Thanks for the RT” I think it’s polite to thank them since their RT can lead to a new sale, new list signup, new reg reader.
@taylormarek
Exactly. Nuff said.
@TwtrCoach
Don’t bash our RT plz…
Remember it was the official Retweet guru Dan Zarrella that initially told us that is actually Ok to ask for a retweet.
Now I agree it is total turn off if you do it every time.
This actually illustrate some of the issues that Twitter struggles a little with. You find something that works on Twitter – and then someone just kills it.. Then suddenly everyone oppose this.
I think Jeff Yablon’s comments here said it very well. I could not agree more..
Retweets and mentions is great Twitter assets that most of us use in a great way. We can’t let the minority that abuse it dictate how to use it.
Remember Twitter is still young, and we all still is in a learning process.
The beauty of Twitter is when I see someone that I believe is abusing the purpose of retweet and mentions, well I just unfollow them.
Like Jade I do all my retweets myself, and also rarely ask. But I ask…
And hopefully I want be a douche-bag if I ask…
I think it is great that you bring up this kind of discussion. It allows us to put our Social Media actions in better perspective.
Cheers.. Are
@dawntrenee
This post really caught my attention. This is such an ongoing debate – the old adage of if you write great content and they will come. I have on 1 occasion sent DM’s to friends and request a RT, but not truly my tatic of choice.
I choose to use the idea that if I RT other great information, I will get the same in return when I provide quality information. I’m not totally against asking (with a plz) but it does seem to get over used by many.
But don’t get me started on the DM”s that ask for RT’s in their thanks for following me spam….
@brucewagner
I, for one, totally disagree.
It’s a simple matter of manners.
But, beyond that, just as you had that tinge feeling of gratitude…. it’s about recognition.
When I thank someone for an RT, what I’m really saying is…
“Hey! I noticed that you did that! Even though I may have 8000+ followers, I noticed that YOU did that and I appreciate YOU!”
No one ever gets tired of being appreciated.
It doesn’t clutter anything because, by default, you don’t see @ replies to others (unless you follow them too, which is rarely the case).
Being “worthy” is true. But it certainly doesn’t mean you shouldn’t express gratitude.
I sincerely thank every follower for any and every thing they do which I’m grateful for.
For me, it’s not a success formula. It’s a much higher principal for living than some mechanical rule to try to win some imaginary game.
ADD VALUE.
IT’S NOT A GAME.
BE SINCERE.
EXPRESS GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION ALWAYS.
TELL YOURS PEEPS YOU LOVE THEM!
I do. And my peeps know it.
Tpu do too.
@AVGibby
I hope this comment goes through this time… browser keeps messing up on me so hope it doesn’t get confused as spam
===================================
This post kind of made me laugh a little, because I found myself doing exactly this, except without the resulting visitors. After I did like my 5th tweet with the oh so subtle words “RT Please” and also adding relevant hash tags, I realized that there was no use of adding those words to my tweets. I am a newcomer to entire web universe and other then my personal and online friends people could care less of what I have to say. I realized that the “RT Please” only comes from respect and being a subject matter expect, but when you have those you don’t have to ask for RT’s because people will do automatically. In addition to that I also realized that if you provided “quality content” (don’t know how many times I have read those two words together) people will visit my site and, if have have on your blog, click the retweet button. It can start with just one person to go viral. So all in all, I will still tweet my post and use hash tags, but I won’t ask for RT’s anymore, I’m just going to try to provide some quality content.
Thanks,
Anthony V. Gibby
http://avgibby.posterous.com
@chriswhiteley
I know my comment misses the purpose of the post which is about biting the hand that retweets you, but I think what people in situations described is look to see if the tweet went viral for another reason besides adding ‘pls RT’ at the end. I mean if you are adding ‘pls RT’ to the end of everything and one post goes viral, it would leave me believe that the post went viral for a reason other than the RT request. I would look at how the tweet was formed, what content it pointed to, and try to recreate that aspect again without the RT request and see if things go viral again. This way you can learn what kind of content your followers find engaging and worthy of the RT.
If you want people to RT you gotta have an interesting topic so your readers can discuss it then RT it. and begging doesn’t help. . . really, it doesn’t XD.
you night even lose your neighbors in twitter land if you beg an RT.
@mach1mtbiker
I figure if your content, music, blog etc is good and compelling it will spread like crazy even if only a few people see it to start with. I never beg for attention online because it annoys me when people ask me to listen to their music or read thier blog. I take it more seriously when a third party recommends something. Also huge spams that take up your whole wall on myspace, give me a break it’s a showcase for my talent, not yours. Am i just anal? lol