As a business owner (and search engine optimization extraordinaire I might humbly add), I blog weekly and constantly tell other business owners to blog. There is huge value in blogging and without going off on a tangent from the point of this blog, because I would never do that, I’ll recommend a few blogs to help you with the value of blogging – 3 Reasons Why You Need to Blog, Content is King and How a Blog Can Benefit your SEO should give you a good start.
Other than blogging, you clearly want other people to read them… but better yet would be to comment on them and share them. However, too often I run across blogs that you have to search to find how to comment or the sharing icons. This shouldn’t be too difficult if you have a WordPress blog because there are tons of plugins that you can use to make the comments easy to do as well as sharing plugins. And while these are so valuable, my point of this blog is a little how to on your Click to Tweet functionality.
What is a Click to Tweet
A Click to Tweet plugin is one that allows you, the blogger and small business owner, the opportunity to shout out specific text and insert the ability for those reading to tweet it. It is similar to a Twitter sharing plugin, however those plugins usually insert the name of the blog and the url. The Click to Tweet plugin gives you additional opportunity to write specific text, call to action, quotes and the like that your readers can use and/or add to… similar to this one below
Add your Twitter handle
One other thing to note in the Click to Tweet or the sharing plugins… PLEASE check the settings and ensure YOUR Twitter handle shows up. If you don’t add your Twitter handle, what happens is two things: 1 – you will never know someone shared your blog and you can’t thank them and create a dialogue and 2 – more than likely your plugin will get the recognition as they have defaulted the Twitter handle to theirs. How nice of them huh? Sure, your followers can add your Twitter handle, but ummm, you think that making your reader seek out is wise? Why would you want to make your reader work to comment or share? Duh!
Which Click to Tweet plugins to use
There are several plugins to use and which you use is completely up to you and likely the compatibility of that plugin to your WordPress site/them/version, etc. However, I have used Better Click to Tweet, but recently found TweetDis Click to Tweet Plugin and got my license. The cool thing about this plugin is that you actually have more control on how the tweet looks. It can be a box, image, quotes and more.
If you have any questions about my sharing plugins, CTT or how to make your blog more reader friendly, comment friendly or sharing friendly, please contact me or leave a comment below with your questions.
Kristen
Great post, Kristen! I used to Click to Tweet plugin for a while and then it stopped working after I did an update (can’t recall if it was WordPress or JetPack or Yoast). It was nice because I could design it so it matched my website. Can you recommend another plugin that I can try? Thanks for sharing.
I would recommend one of the two that I listed in the blog Sabrina. 😉
I’ve been thinking of using a click to tweet but more often than bot it doesn’t fit our style of blog. I prefer our graphics or jewelry images be shared, more than text. Not to say we dont say important things, just we have a visual product we want people to see. What are your thoughts for me?
The later CTT plugin I mentioned actually has a picture option, so you can use that for yours Roz. 😉
How timely that you wrote about this this week, as I was thinking about considering adding Click to Tweet to my blog. In the meantime, this week I actually went back and read my content and highlighted what I considered key points in my post. Because I have so many plugins on my blog now, my web person has advised me not to add any new plugins. I am going to revisit it with him again, although it sounds like I might be able to add it myself. Thanks for suggesting which is the best click to tweet plugin to consider. Your posts are always helpful, to the point and informative, Kristen! Thanks! p.s. I really do wish more people would add their twitter handle into their plugins. I’m one of the people who actually searches them out and adds them. Time consuming, indeed. 🙂
I think it could be very beneficial to your blog Beverley.. and I agree with you 120%… I stopped seeking them out as it is way too time consuming. I have written many blogs about making it easy for consumers and some aren’t interested in helping the readers, so I give.
Hey Kristen, thankfully you’ve taught me all about this and again thanks to you I’ve incorporated click to tweet and my handle is in there!!! and yes you are a search engine optimization extraordinaire! 🙂
Thanks so much Lisa… and glad that you are using it on your own. YAY!
I really need to get organised with Twitter – I still am not using it. I do love the idea of the click to tweet buttons on other sites – seems to make things so easy which is always a good thing.
Yes Tamuria.. and get on it girl.. you’ll see the value!
It’s true the plugin I am using now does not do this. I was using one before that did and then I had issues and not sure what but related to other plugins. I just wish I could find one that did all social media sites and worked as easy as the one you are talking about..gonna try this one again.
Oh, update…just coming back to say it working on my site now..thanks for the nudge!
Oh awesome.. thanks for coming back. Don’t forget to add your Twitter handle Teresa. 😉
I hope you do Teresa.. it provides an easier way to share, but using YOUR words. Score
I haven’t tried to add in tweet boxes on my blogs, but I am pretty much blogging weekly. Brief setback with a move followed by the flu. 🙂 Thanks for the encouragement to keep at it!
Sorry to hear that you haven’t been feeling well… and hope you are feeling better and back on your game Brenda! 😉
I love the way your click to tweets look in your blog. Especially easy AND they look amazing. Must get this added to my new website.
The boxes is a paid license plugin Christy… but I have loaded the free Better Click to Tweet on yours. 😉 Up to you if you want to change.
wonderful, will look into a good plug in so it comes back to my blog post
valuable information thank you
Thanks Caroline.. hope you see the value.
I don’t use WordPress, but I think this is an excellent primer on the proper plugins to use. Do you recommend a maximum word length (counting your handle, etc.)?
Why yes I do Jackie… well under 100 for sure… because with your twitter handle, and url, that right there could be 35 so it doesn’t give a lot of room for RTs.
Kristen – thanks for the info! I love it when bloggers have CTT ready to go – I feel that it’s such a cool, painless way to help them promote their message. This is SO RIDICULOUS – but I never really paid much attention to my own CTT, I guess because I don’t believe there are but a handful of people who would see it. But I guess I won’t benefit from social media if I don’t participate, right? As another person stated above, “Thanks for the nudge!”
YAY Joan, glad to see that you see the value and got the nudge… let me know if I can help.
Hi Kristen,
Awesome share! Thanks for clarifying how to utilize this plug in to better help you. Yes definitely want to make sure that you are using your OWN Twitter handle 😉
Thanks Joan and yes.. not the plugin Twitter handle.. tho I see it all the time.
I have to look but I do have a plugin for tweets. Once something is highlighted it will set it up for a tweet as a pop up to send. I like it a lot. However, I don’t know if it keeps my @tag on it. I need to look at it more closely.
Oh Cheryl! I ALWAYS test mine out after finishing my blog, plus, it helps to verify my handle is there and that my tweet isn’t too long! 😉
I’d love a plug in that says ‘share this’ with an arrow pointing to the share buttons.
Check out the link then.. it is inexpensive and has tons of options to play with.
Great blog, as always, Kristen! I love the click to tweet feature! It is great that you are able to customize it to tweet what you want and to add your twitter handle. I am using Social Warfare and need to remember to use it’s click to tweet feature more often in my blogs!
Yes..Mindy, I try to use at least one if not two. BTW, I notice I get more shares that way! 😉
I am slowly improving my blog. I have seen the click to tweets and have that on my list of things to add. Thanks for the recommendations. Ok, goal: add a click to tweet to my blog by the end of April. will be pinning this. thanks.
It is that easy Karen.. and you can do it… glad you are adding it to yours!
Thanks for reminding me to use a click to tweet plugin and telling me how to use it properly Great information!
You are quite welcome Christie!
I have seen click to tweet on blogs I follow. I think it’s a great idea. Never knew it was a plug in. Thanks!
It sure is Indira and super easy to install, free or paid. 😉
Thanks Kristen, and thanks to you I now remember to put my Twitter handle!!!…as at first II did not think about that.
YAY! Thanks Katarina!
Hi Kristen,
I come back to your blog and I found this amazing post just in time! This week I was considering about tweet plugin but there were some other things that had to be done, so I postponed to check a bit more about it. At least now I know what to do along with following the links you provide. I believe that tweet plugin is a nice way to share captivating content for the audience. Thank you so much for this post. Much appreciated!
Zaria
You are so right Zaria… such a great way to help others share with a click of a tweet, super easy.. hope you can find a way to incorporate and welcome back. 😉 Glad my timing was impeccable. 😉
You got me straightened out on having my Twitter handle built in to my CTT plugin. Now I just need to remember to use it in each blog post!
Work on at least 1 per blog Carol. You’ve got this!
Click to Tweet plugins are great to make sure your content is being shared. Thanks for the reminder to check the Twitter handle so you’re promoting your own profile!
Thanks Stacey… CTT are great and easy to get shares with your words versus just your blog title and url.