When Bobby Day sang about it in 1958, “Rockin’ Robin” was the only one tweeting. In 2015, more than 200 million users “tweet” every day.
A tweetable quote is a brief but memorable statement in your article. Highlighting such quotes enables readers to quickly understand the context of your article and easily share your thoughts with others.
For example, a tweetable quote for this article might be:
TWEET THISBy including tweetable quotes in your Web and email content, you can:
- Provide unforgettable stand-alone messages that summarize the larger concept of your post.
- Provide a quicker way for readers to digest the essence of your message.
- Give readers an easy way to share your idea with others.
- Generate more online conversations regarding your views.
- Garner a larger readership for your blog or website.
Here are five tips to help you take advantage of the benefits of tweetable quotes.
1. Be distinct and succinct.
Choose a sentence that is simple, straightforward and unforgettable. Avoid generalities. Instead, use concrete examples, expressions or experiences. Include several quotes throughout your article. By making them brief, but powerful, you can navigate the reader’s eye and attention throughout the article. The reader can then quickly and effectively understand the context of your message without necessarily reading every word.
For example, in his commentary, “Jordanian pilot’s murder parallels lynchings,” Gilbert H. Caldwell encourages readers to study the historical treatment of black Americans for a better understanding of the problem of modern-day terrorism.
One comment from the article states, “It is in looking at ourselves – warts and all – that we begin to understand others.”
Without any explanation, this quote could generate curiosity and encourage readers to join the discussion.
2. Surprise them!
An out-of-the-box statement can encourage your readers to think, get more information and recruit the opinions of other people.
Take, for example, “How Big is Your Jesus?” by William O. “Bud” Reeves. In his blog, Reeves addresses the recent controversy regarding Duke University’s decision to allow Muslims to use the Duke Chapel tower for their Friday worship services. Think about how this quote, taken from Reeves' article, might surprise his Christian audience.
“In a world torn with religious violence, we should encourage faithful, peaceful expressions of any faith.”
It’s hard to read that statement without forming an opinion. Opinions generate online conversations, encouraging people to read and respond to what you say.
3. Emphasize authority.
If you want to promote your ideas and give them greater credibility, add statistics, facts or the endorsement of an authority figure. For example, look at this quote compiled from the article "Everyone Wants to Know: What Is Love?"
“‘What is love?’ was the third-highest-ranked ‘what is’ search on Google in 2014. Do you know the answer?”
If shared during February, that quote may have attracted the attention of more than a few readers who were contemplating whether roses and chocolates are really that important.
4. Be passionate.
Eliciting emotion encourages a reaction. Don’t be afraid to speak passionately about your subject. Try to engage readers by appealing to individuals rather than just promoting an idea.
In “5 ways to increase giving in your church,” author Jeremy Steele addresses a hot topic — money. His aim is to provide church leaders with new ways to help promote giving.
Steele ends his article with this statement: “You don’t have to turn your church service into some sort of religious infomercial. With a couple of simple updates, you can help enable your parishioners to do what they already want to do: give generously to the work of God.”
By rewording and abbreviating this thought, the quote becomes more emotionally charged. “Do we need to turn worship into a religious infomercial, or is there a better way to help people give?”
Another example can be found in the article “American Justice and Locked-Up Nuns” by Mark Lockard. In his blog, Lockard challenges readers to look at a weighty subject of prison ministry. He doesn’t highlight a particular quote for his readers to share, but imagine if he did. By very slightly adjusting the first sentence of his article, he could capture the same sentiment in the character limitation of Twitter.
“At 85, Sister Megan Rice still lives a life of ministry and social justice, but she’s doing it from a surprising place — prison.”
Aren’t you curious?
5. Make it tweetable.
Make it easy for your readers to spread the word. Keep your quote to 140 or fewer characters so readers can post it on Twitter as well as other social media sites such as Facebook and Pinterest. Remember, your quote must also include the URL for your article in order to direct traffic back to your post. So, the actual number of words in your quote will be even fewer.
To add a “Tweet This” quote to your blog:
- Create/choose a quote and copy it.
- Go to Click to Tweet and sign into your Twitter account.
- Paste your message into the dashboard.
- Add the URL address of your blog and any hashtags (such as #UMC).
- Edit the quote, if needed, to make sure it fits into the 140-character limitation.
- Click “Generate New Link” and copy the address.
- Type the words “Tweet This” after your quote; embed the generated link onto the words.
- Draw attention to the quote by putting the words in bold, highlighting them, placing them as a caption under a picture or placing the entire quote in a colored callout box.
- Repeat using quotes throughout your post.
You can also use Share Link Generator, which uses a similar process, to create a link to share on Facebook, Pinterest and other social media sites. Or you can include the Highlighter app on your site, which gives readers the option of highlighting and sharing a quote of his or her choice.
Bloggers write to share ideas. Make sure your ideas are seen. Capitalize on the benefits of tweetable quotes, and watch your audience grow.