Those who know Twitter know what the magic number is: 140. That’s the maximum number of characters Twitter allows in a tweet. So when you’re posting big news to the world on Twitter, your entire tweeted message must squeeze uncomfortably into a thimble sized container before Twitter will let you pull the pour lever.
There are tomes of Twitter strategy white papers and Twittter books out there telling old fashioned writers how to evolve their craft into a 140 character nugget of yum. BUT if you want to use Twitter successfully, cast  the 140 limit out of your thinking.
A better Twitter character goal to keep in mind might even be less than 80 characters. No, not just to be super thrifty, but to think beyond the ego. If you’re coming close to hitting the 140 limit on every tweet, you’re most likely engaging in broadcast communication. Whether you know it or not, this style of Twitter use doesn’t leave room for any social re-tweet love. Even if it’s engaging readers with a questions or some interesting fact, who has room to comment on it without going in to edit first (which won’t usually happen).
If you have any intention of socializing with others, which is how value is created best using Twitter, then you need to shorten your message so others can join the conversation. Check out these examples:
1) 140 Character Tweet: FastPivot offers Yahoo Store Design, Mobile Design 4 Yahoo Stores, Social Media Design, Social Media Management, FastPivot Software #toolong <<<<No one can re-tweet this, nor is it engaging.
2) 92 Character Tweet: TorF? Mobile stats. say e-merchants will lose profit in 2011 without mobile-friendly website
2a.) 139 Character Tweet: 2 Tru, that’s why we’re mobile RT: @fastpivot: TorF? Mobile stats. say e-merchants will lose profit in 2011 without mobile-friendly website
Even the example of the 92 character tweet in #2, followed by the 139 re-tweet with a message in 2a. demonstrates how important it is to keep tweets under 80 or so characters. But you might say, there was plenty of re-tweet room in #2, but that limits the conversation to two tweeple; ideally, you want as many tweeple as possible in the conversation.
If you want to keep the social in social media, it’s time to cut your thimble-sized measuring container in half.
Questions about this article? Contact Jonathan Poston at [email protected]
Since 1997, FastPivot‚Ñ¢ , a leader in Yahoo! Store solutions, has challenged Yahoo! merchants to increase profitability through strategic initiatives that include: Yahoo! Store design, FastPivot-Mobile Friendly Yahoo! Store Design, Social Media Design, Social Media Education, Social Media Management, SEO & Site Health Analysis Consulting, and FastPivot Software Solutions. FastPivot’s strategic, development, creative and now mobile and social media departments tailor their extensive knowledge of online commerce to each customer’s specific needs.
While I definitely think it’s important to leave room for retweeting, I think a tweet less than 80 characters is a little extreme. You can barely get a message across in that small amount of characters. Even if you do manage to fit you message in, is anyone going to understand it. I think limiting your message to 120 characters is much more realistic.
Thanks for commenting Allison. If there’s not enough room for a tweet to be re-tweeted at least a couple of times, it defeats the point of trying to be social on this platform. But there can be many exceptions–For example: If you’re not trying to get “tweeple” back to a landing page via link drops, then sure, using more characters that 80 should be fine. There definitely has to be a balance and deciding how many characters should be partly determined by context.
Again, thanks for opening this discussion; great reminder of how important context is in determining Twitter strategy.
Good points Jonathan! I am enjoying using twitter and re-tweeting and it drives me nuts when there is a really good tweet in my thread but I can’t re-tweet it without taking several minutes to shorten the tweet. You brought up some good rules of thumb to remember when trying to get the word out about your product/business or something that could be shared with others – keep those tweets short! I know I am completely guilty of filling up the twitter box to the max. Will practice being brief and 2 the point. 🙂 Thanks!