Comments on: There’s a Better Way to ReTweet!

By: Magic Retweet

Magic Retweet — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 05:50:38 +0000

I know based on my own behavior how I will retweet. I will always prefer the RT @ over the Twitter Retweet button. I read RT @ tweets and will click the links included. I hardly ever click the link on a tweet. I view it as a referral or recommendations by my “neighbors” in my Twitter community.

By: Silver Sol

Silver Sol — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:47:25 +0000

I agree. When I see the RT it stands out from the other tweets populating my home page. I will have to do some split testing to see which has the better conversion.

By: Glenn Sojourner

Glenn Sojourner — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 04:35:53 +0000

I will just stick with RT @. In my mind it isn’t broken…so it doesn’t need a fix. I look for RT’s because I believe it to be a sign of value. Sure it is going to be abused but so is anything else. If you don’t like the RT, quite following…vote with a block.

By: Alyssa Udall

Alyssa Udall — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 15:45:14 +0000

When I use the “via @” trick, it is usually when I find something of interest written by someone on their blog or website. For example, here is what I would tweet about a blog post I found while surfing the web:

“5 Reasons Why RSS Readers Still Rock (via @rww) http://bit.ly/blogurl“.

However, if I found the post through someone I follow on Twitter, I would use the “RT” feature:

“RT @rww: 5 Reasons Why RSS Readers Still Rock: http://bit.ly/blogurl“.

I think the main difference between “RT @” and “via @” is where you found the information. I agree with others above who have said that completely rearranging somebody’s tweet and then tagging their name on the end would a bit confusing and irritating to some twitterers.

Also, I think that the RT method adds value to the tweet. This usually only applies to tweeps that I already know and trust that their content is interesting and useful, but if something is being RT’d, I think it demands attention, no matter how great the content is.

Granted, this is “polluting the twittersphere” in some ways, but since when are we rearranging our twitter-ways according to the methods of spammers and twitter-polluters?! No matter where you go on Twitter, and the entire Internet, there will be spammers and people who will try to ruin everyone else’s fun. This is something we should naturally pay attention to and avoid and not something we can hope to eradicate completely.

By: Flyerboy_uk

Flyerboy_uk — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:07:41 +0000

Understood… I’ll start trying that. – I do usually add some ed to a RT if there’s room – but this logic makes it easier to distinguish. Cheers

By: Php

Php — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 02:06:15 +0000

Great tutorial!!! Thank you

By: Matches Malone

Matches Malone — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:29:29 +0000

As soon as they bring this functionality to TweetDeck, I’ll use it Until the, it’s RT for me….

By: Randy in IL

Randy in IL — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:11:15 +0000

Wow, teh stoopid amazzez. This all assumes that people are just RTing links. Most of the people I follow are actually making intelligent statements and when I retweet them I am essentially expressing my agreement. Even when they do tweet a link they usually make some comment about it that I want to pass along.
The one good thing I can see about using Via @ is that I can take your link and completely disagree with your opinion and spread it. Instead of;
RT @jayrosen_nyu: Via @eric_andersen: Good post on the use of “via” when passing along links. http://jr.ly/kd6c (I very rarely use RT for the reasons given.),
I can
Via @eric_anderson http://jr.ly/kd6c An poorly conceived notion about Retweeting assumes we only RT links.

By: @michaelqtodd

@michaelqtodd — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 23:49:31 +0000

Hi.I am wondering if you guys are using twitter the same way as me .Especially shocked by the person who “ignores” retweets.Surely the fact that something has been retweeted meands that it is more likely to be interesting

I am on Twitter for increasing consciousness about certain issues and about technology and also for fun and stimulating conversation.Firmly believe that around 60% of your tweets should be retweets however you package them.Around 30% conversation,5% links you found yourself and 5% stuff about yourself,your business, what you are doing today etc

I have made a short video on my You Tube channel explaining why I think retweeting is great.
@michaelqtodd

By: Margaret (Nanny Goats)

Margaret (Nanny Goats) — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 22:21:39 +0000

Since I’m probably not the only one who thought (via @name) was the same thing as RT @name, then I’m afraid if I switch to using the “via” method, then my followers will think I’m copying and pasting the whole tweet, rather than using my own pithy comment. Of course, I’d RATHER use my own pithy comment, so maybe it’s just a matter of my “getting over it”.

Great! Now I can be a Twitter snob and pooh-pooh people who use RT… and delete all my previous entries that use it.

But wait, what if you want to quote someone’s tweet word for word because THEY said something fabulous, not because they are merely passing on a URL? Do you still use “via”?