Create the best Moments on Twitter
The best Moments are those that reflect what Twitter is truly about — the place where things happen first, but also where you can find the funniest, weirdest, and most engaging stories. Unlike a thread, which features related Tweets from a single person or account, Moments can encompass Tweets from multiple sources. They are best when they highlight something unique, elevate an interesting or powerful perspective, or inform users about a complex or important story. The best Moments do all of those things at once.
A good Moment includes
A good Moment narrative takes you behind the scenes in a way that is coherent, unbiased, and conversational. It should feel like a flowing story, with each Tweet responding or relating to the one preceding it. Think about providing a rich experience that goes beyond content and reactions. Engaging Moments should be composed of Tweets that:
Summarize the story, beginning with the original or most important Tweet
Provide details and context
Feature great videos or images
Offer commentary or analysis from experts and influencers
Be updated quickly and frequently with breaking information
Express reactions and diverse views from the public in a respectful and substantive way
Contain a “kicker” that sums up the Moment
Titles, descriptions, and covers
People decide whether they will click into a Moment based on the title and cover, so make the covers factual and enticing without appearing to be clickbait. The title, description, and cover should clearly explain the nature and tone of the story and provide context to make it relevant to a wide audience. Anything stated in the title and description should be backed up or illustrated in a Tweet contained within the Moment.
Titles are best when they are:
Less than 10 words or 280 characters long
Conversational (you can use emojis
)A succinct summary of the topic that is simultaneously engaging and informative
Written in active voice (i.e., “Jack climbed the hill,” not “The hill was climbed by Jack”)
Descriptions should be:
Brief; ideally, no more than two sentences long
Written in complete sentences, not bullet points
Include the necessary facts, attribution, and context so readers can quickly get the gist of the story
And lastly, your cover should:
Be eye-catching but relevant
Reflect the mood or content of the Moment
Have clear images, GIFs, or videos where the first frame tells the story
Work with different aspect ratios so they display correctly on any device
Ideas for your next Moments
No matter the industry or niche your content covers, Moments can be a great way to engage with your audience and bring sources from your community together to tell a story. From breaking news to in-depth subjects to behind-the-scenes looks from key players in a space, Moments is a way to highlight the larger story unfolding on Twitter.
You can design a Moment around anything your audience might be interested in and feel engaged with. Opportunities for a Moment can include:
Behind-the-scenes content
Breaking news in your industry
Good-natured human interest stories
Shared experiences and personal narratives that unite people
- Conversations, comments, or reactions on a relevant topic from industry experts, key players, or fandoms
Whatever your topic, bringing together multiple points of view is what will make your Moment shine.
Key perspectives to seek out
The “who” in your Moment will depend on your topic and industry, of course, but you will want to be sure that you’re including important and relevant perspectives. You’ll also want to check and verify the credibility of the accounts behind the Tweets.
For example, if you’re creating a Moment around a sporting event or news in a league, you perhaps would want to include the reactions from athletes, commentators, and major news coverage. You might also consider fan reactions to round out the story. Or, if you’re a news outlet covering a local story, you might want to include your initial coverage of the story, as well as any additional information that emerges from your sources.
Getting creative with Moments
A Moment doesn’t always have to be a serious discussion either. Maybe a new meme you’re enjoying has been getting, well, meme’d a lot, and you want to make a collection of your favorites. Or your favorite movie or show has made a splash on the timeline and you want all those quality reactions in one place.
That kind of #OnlyOnTwitter content makes for a compelling Moment and a fun way to bring people together on the platform.