Cracking the code on viral threads:
You've seen them, but how do you write them?
Here are 5 elements you need to write a viral thread:
You've seen them, but how do you write them?
Here are 5 elements you need to write a viral thread:
In February 2022, I wrote a viral thread about books.
But, it starts a week before.
I had a book thread break 1,000 likes and was ecstatic!
But a friends comment stopped me.
“imagine how well it would have done if it didn’t have links.”
But, it starts a week before.
I had a book thread break 1,000 likes and was ecstatic!
But a friends comment stopped me.
“imagine how well it would have done if it didn’t have links.”
It made me mad.
But, I knew he was right.
You see, links make it hard for content to gain traction.
Twitter deprioritizes it and people click the links and forget to interact with the post.
So, I took another crack at it:
But, I knew he was right.
You see, links make it hard for content to gain traction.
Twitter deprioritizes it and people click the links and forget to interact with the post.
So, I took another crack at it:
• The hook
A good or bad hook can make or break a thread.
You HAVE to give people a reason to scroll down the thread. This definitely accomplished it.
A good or bad hook can make or break a thread.
You HAVE to give people a reason to scroll down the thread. This definitely accomplished it.
This hook did well because:
1. Reading every year assigns a high value to the books
2. People scoff saying “surely he doesn’t read these every year”
3. Book threads are “hot” on Twitter; people want to see how they “stack up”
1. Reading every year assigns a high value to the books
2. People scoff saying “surely he doesn’t read these every year”
3. Book threads are “hot” on Twitter; people want to see how they “stack up”
• The structure
This makes it skimmable. Truth is, most people aren’t reading, just skimming.
â–¸ Use bullets
â–¸ Space out sentences
▸ Give them clear value (as I did by labeling it “Lessons”)
This makes it skimmable. Truth is, most people aren’t reading, just skimming.
â–¸ Use bullets
â–¸ Space out sentences
▸ Give them clear value (as I did by labeling it “Lessons”)
• The format
I chose the book cover with a quote because no one had done it before.
I thought it offered more value than links, which is what most had done before.
Turns out I was right.
This won’t always work, but don’t be afraid to try something new.
I chose the book cover with a quote because no one had done it before.
I thought it offered more value than links, which is what most had done before.
Turns out I was right.
This won’t always work, but don’t be afraid to try something new.
• The 2nd tweet
Get to the point.
Do one lead in tweet (if any at all), not 3 or 4. People want value immediately.
My 2nd tweet is the first book.
I chose Think Again because it was popular, but not so popular that everyone includes it.
When they recognize, they relate.
Get to the point.
Do one lead in tweet (if any at all), not 3 or 4. People want value immediately.
My 2nd tweet is the first book.
I chose Think Again because it was popular, but not so popular that everyone includes it.
When they recognize, they relate.
• The order
Most don’t realize this, but the order was intentional.
When people go down the thread and like a tweet, it signals to Twitter that people are loving the content.
Most don’t realize this, but the order was intentional.
When people go down the thread and like a tweet, it signals to Twitter that people are loving the content.
The Psychology of Money & Atomic Habits are extremely popular books.
By putting them lower, I knew it’d increase engagement down the thread.
By putting them lower, I knew it’d increase engagement down the thread.
There are many more things I could call out, but we’ll leave it there.
Writing viral tweets is both an art & science.
The biggest hack? Write more threads.
I wrote 50+ threads before one went viral.
Writing viral tweets is both an art & science.
The biggest hack? Write more threads.
I wrote 50+ threads before one went viral.
If you enjoyed this thread, I’d appreciate a follow (@KurtisHanni) and RT of the first tweet:
Loading suggestions...