The social media available on the net is a core component of many viral campaigns these days. Their function as the ‘town squares’ of the internet means that they are the place to be for public announcements. The increasing popularity of Twitter, which is still growing, has led to many companies targeting the micro-blogging site for their viral campaigns.

The way that viral campaigns work on Twitter is very different from any other social media networks. The restrictions on posts and the way posts are shared means that Twitter works in a unique way. Different strategies are needed for Twitter, but the number of people reached by a successful and simple campaign can be amazing.

The main aim is to get your content re-tweeted. This means that users will read your 140-character-or-less post, and forward it verbatim. This is what most businesses aim for; because it means that they have the most control over the content as it spreads throughout the net. There are five things to keep in mind when you want to go viral on Twitter.

• Value for users. A user will not re-tweet if they aren’t getting anything out of the post. Whether it’s because the post appeals to their sense of charity, to their need for information or their sense of humour, the post needs to provide them with something before they’ll even consider passing it on. Humorous content is the most common form passed on, commonly followed by informative content, but both need to reach a certain quality level

• Instruction. A call to action will be a familiar concept for any site owner that has dealt with marketing. Users are more likely to re-tweet your post if you ask them to. A simple ‘please RT’ can be the difference between your post staying as is or travelling. Questions are also popular for re-tweets, as it invites the user to make a contribution

• Links. Including links is important as a part of your search engine optimisation plan, and you should talk to us at SEO Consult about using SEO with Twitter. Links are also more attractive to users. Ensure that your links are appropriate for the content you’ve posted, not just your home page. It is also important to become familiar with the URL-shortening software offered by Twitter, such as TinyURL. Remember you have less than 140 characters

• Time of day. The time and the day you post your tweet counts toward its re-tweetability. This seems strange until you think about it for a moment. Everyone has moments during the day in which it is permissible to procrastinate, and others during which their mind is set on work. Studies have also shown that some days of the week are more generally productive than others. Earlier on in the week is better for viral material, as people have a tendency to put the work of the week off until later. People also tend to tweet more frequently during work hours and less during social hours

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