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The precious lessons to be learned from your Twitter analytics

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Twitter relatively recently introduced analytics for all. Now, whether or not you buy ads, you can take a peek at what tweets are getting the digital version of a high five, and which ones are falling flat.

After obsessively combing over my analytics like any good social media editor/mild recluse, there are a few things I was able to glean. According to this very subjective research, here are the things that get me – and could maybe get you – an increase in Twitter love.

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1. It’s true – pictures work.

Recent research shows that those precious retweets and faves can be yours for the low, low price of attaching an image. If you use Twitter’s native client, your tweet will get the most attention, but photos pushed from elsewhere – like Instagram – also attract more eyeballs (and since there’s now a way to embed those images using IFTTT, I say go for it – but don’t pull a me and keep also selecting “push photos to Twitter” inside Instagram; nobody wants doubles of your day).

My tweets with Instagram links and other images were far more like to get retweeted for favorited, and had a much higher reach on average. I guess what you’re telling me, Twitter followers, if you’d like a non-stop Instagram-documented montage of my life. I hear you, I hear you.

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Image used with permission by copyright holder

2. News on Twitter …. on Twitter …

This obviously has a lot to do with the type of people following me on Twitter (i.e., other tech-digital-minded folk) so any stories I tweet out regarding Twitter (and Facebook and Instagram for that matter) get a lot of love.

It’s no secret, though, that despite my own narrow niche that Twitter is dominated by people in tech or who like to talk about it. So if all else fails, you can always shoot off something like “Twitter totally needs a better system for creating lists, amirite? Am I though … seriously? Someone tell me.”

twitter
Image used with permission by copyright holder

3. Everybody loves a sarcastic jerk.

… Which works in my interest, because I am one of these. If I’m not tweeting about tech, football, or basketball (or food), I’m just making sarcastic, mean comments. I’m like that kid with no friends who muttered things to herself at assemblies that were sort of scary yet hilarious. I honestly thought no one was paying much attention to my borderline bag lady ramblings, but turns out, Twitter approves. I get better reach and faves with some of these gems.

jerk
Image used with permission by copyright holder

4. Self-deprecation is an attractive quality.

When I’m not making fun of other people or things, I’m making fun of myself – and apparently, you like that Twitter. Some gentle fun at my own expense generally gets more interaction that other tweets do, and the fact that I’m prone toward the SWUG humor genre likely doesn’t hurt since Twitter is becoming a weird, digital Dystopian universe of 15-20 somethings who enjoy this brand of “my life is shambles” nonsense.

totoro
Image used with permission by copyright holder

5. Space rules.

I recently had the opportunity to attend a NASA Social event, the Antares Cygnus launch, where myself and other media types were encouraged to tweet away. And tweet we did – and as it turns out, people are definitely into this democratized source of space news.

nasa
Image used with permission by copyright holder

6. … As does Taco Bell.

What else gets big interaction points? Taco Bell. There are a few general rules that seem to hold true if you are an active Internet and social media user: You have more than enough knowledge of Grumpy Cat, you are up to date on all Reddit AMAs, you have binge-watched Orange is the New Black and/or House of Cards, and you like Taco Bell. This isn’t universally so (or remotely tested), but it seems to hold relatively true. Plus, it’s one of the most active, engaging brands on various platforms. Thus, my frequent talk of Fourth Meal is Twitter-approved.

taco bell
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Molly McHugh
Molly McHugh
Former Social Media/Web Editor
Before coming to Digital Trends, Molly worked as a freelance writer, occasional photographer, and general technical lackey…
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