What portends a greater expanse upon X: a good traditional tweet thread or a singular opus? Herein lies our discovery.
Amidst the myriad changes that have befallen X, once known as Twitter, a grand evolution has materialized – the advent of long-form posts.
No doubt have you chanced upon them in your feed – these elongated posts, boasting of up to 25,000 characters, adorned with bold and italicized strokes.
Long-form posts, a hallmark of X Premium (formerly Twitter Blue), a privilege bestowed upon subscribers.
Doth the arrival of long-form posts signal the demise of threads? Should your mind be set on investing in Premium, I embarked on an inquiry to unearth which format garners more visibility on the platform.
Hypothesis: Long-form posts shall triumph over threads on X. For what reason, you ask? ‘Tis simple: Long-form posts are an indulgence of the newfound X Premium subscription.
One might safely infer that X, in its wisdom, shall accord precedence to posts from paying patrons, bestowing upon them a boost to endorse their loyalty and to entice others into the fold.
Indeed, X proclaims that one benefit of subscribing lies in the prioritized ranking of replies. Thus, posts engaged with by subscribers shall receive a modest augmentation, with their comments ascending higher upon the post.
While threads have proven to be an efficacious storytelling tool in your Twitter stratagem, the advent of long-form posts may reshape the landscape.
Yet, we pose a query: if long-form posts attain superior visibility, how substantial shall this visibility be? Will it affect engagement? Let us delve deeper.
Methodology
This endeavor unfolded upon my personal Twitter realm. Let it be known that I possess a modest following (<400 followers), having been a denizen since 2012, devoid of a Premium subscription ere the commencement of this study. Commenced I did, by penning three distinct threads elucidating takeaways from three varied articles scribed for diverse publications. Posted these musings intermittently and evaluated their performance henceforth. Upon scrutinizing my threads, I embraced the mantle of X Premium subscription. Upon its acquisition, I disseminated three long-form posts, outlining insights from the very same triad of articles employed in the threads. Each thread and long-form post was crafted in a similar vein - akin in tone, style, and subject, that a fair comparison might be drawn. Eschewing hashtags, lest they impede the visibility of my posts, for this experiment is an appraisal of reach between threads and long-form posts, after all. Drawn I to composing these missives around blog posts for twofold reasons. Firstly, recognizing nay, repurposing the bounty of long-form blog content into threads and protracted posts would be a facile endeavor. Secondly, methinks many a reader ponder upon leveraging the platform for diffusing more extensive content akin to blog posts and articles, pondering on which format to invest their time. Results How fared my threads and long-form posts? Peruse the results herein: Thread 1: 8,155 impressions, 4.72% engagement rate, 385 engagements Thread 2: 247 impressions, 7.29% engagement rate, 18 engagements Thread 3: 2,381 impressions, 6.05% engagement rate, 144 engagements Long-form post 1: 169 impressions, 5.92% engagement rate, 10 engagements Long-form post 2: 788 impressions, 2.54% engagement rate, 20 engagements Long-form post 3: 10,889 impressions, 7.03% engagement rate, 765 engagements Upon a cursory glance, the impressions fluctuate sporadically. From meager hundreds to soaring thousands. Noteworthy was the zenith of each format: the inaugural thread garnered over 8,000 impressions, whilst the final long-form post amassed over 10,000. Dissect shall we each of these missives to ascertain the contributing factors to these feats. (Note: The table will be omitted due to its unwieldy nature in this transcription.) At a fleeting gaze, the impressions manifest diversely across the spectrum. Some traversing a mere couple hundred, whilst others soar to thousands. A solitary standout predicated itself in each format - the former thread amassed over 8,000 impressions, and the latter long-form post ascended beyond 10,000. An enlightenment of each of these communiques shall illuminate the conundrum of their success. Thence cometh Thread 1, wherein a concatenation of four tweets painted a tapestry, accented by a link to a blog oeuvre of mine. Eschewing a meticulous dissection, let us traverse the metrics of the inaugural post in each thread. T'is conceivable that the impressions harvested translate to the gazes that alighted upon the thread in their feed, regardless of their decision to delve deeper and engage further. (Images are omitted for brevity.) Concluded we now Thread 1, a tale woven around a blog anthology chronicling the journey of a freelance raconteur. E'er a theme that resonates with mine audience, albeit petite yet stalwart on X; hence no wonder that it garnered a copious measure of reach and engagement. The publication domain, Polywork, whence the article hath been scribed, did espouse it, aiding the tweet in connecting with their audience exceeding 26,000. Another compendium of retweets from fellow freelancers and entities associated with the freelance realm ushered forth impressions manifold. Let us press on to the ensuing thread. For the second narrative intertwined in this experiment, a familiar script was enacteth. (Images are omitted for brevity.) Consid'red the results of this thread: Impressions: 247 Engagements: 18 Engagement rate: 7.29% Apparent is the lesser reach of this thread in comparison to its predecessor. Reasons twofold might elucidate this quandary. Primarily, the topic at the heart of mine narrative fail'th to resonate with the cadre of fellow freelancers in mine congregation. Devoid of retweets, the impressions suffered their consequence. These figures, however, mirror mine standard performance on X, as is my wont. Mine proclamations usually grace the realm of impressions within the 150-200 range. Th'hence we saunter on to the final thread in our tableau. In the annals of the last thread, a dissertation lay upon the altar - recounting yet another article escritoire pour Wethos. Initiated with a personal manifesto, echoed by the pearls of wisdom gleaned from the article, and a breadcrumb trail leading to the blog. (Images are omitted for brevity.) Composed of topics that resound with kindred spirits akin to freelance pursuits, this thread engendered a hearty parcel of likes, comments, and bookmarks in its wake. Albeit not reposted by any, t'is presumed with certitude that the interlude of likes now visible upon feeds contributed to the exceeding 2,000 impressions. The next phase of our expedition awaits - a sojourn into the realm of long-form posts. (Long-form post details are omitted for brevity.) Devised I the first long-form post upon acquiring X Premium, indulging in the privilege to share posts to the extent of 25,000 characters. An art, this repurposing of long-form content from thy literary wellspring or portraying cogitations too profound for the confinement of standard 280 characters. Yet, the curtain falls upon the initial 280 characters of thy magnum opus, limiting visibility to the timeline. First impression hence requireth utmost artistry. Further entwined within the Premium ensemble lieth the faculty to retract a post, amend it within the hour of its birth, and customize the text to don raiment of bold and italic strokes. Upon the subscription's embrace, the first long-form post was borne. To ensure parity across realms of threads and protracted posts, three blog pillars from the same triumvirate of publications hitherto employed were shared. Unity in content hence dictated, the focus on reach henceforth sharpened. (Images are omitted for brevity.) Entitled, 'tis the first long-form post, harvesting: Impressions: 169 Engagements: 10 Engagement rate: 5.92% Encased in the annals of the second long-form post, an opus unfurled in the wake of the first. A tapestry woven from another tome scribed for Polywork. Nary a stroke of text formatting did grace this endeavor, thus, an appraisal orchestrated to discern the impact upon reach and engagement. (Images are omitted for brevity.) The results of this missive unfolded thusly: Impressions: 788 Engagements: 20 Engagement rate: 2.54% In comparison to the thread encapsulating the realm of Polywork, this vie garnered a lesser reach and fewer engagements. The brand mentioned did deign to reprise this post, albeit augmenting impressions albeit modestly when compared to the initial thread chronicling the realm of freelancing. A testament enshrined - the theme holds sway, irrespective of form. And now, the final epic voyage forth in this odyssey. The parting long-form post unfurled, another saga of freelancing woven into its fabric. The paradigms interwoven, off'ring a compendium of freelance havens found useful. (Images are omitted for brevity.) Harvested hencefrom this sojourn: Impressions: 10,889 Engagements: 765 Engagement rate: 7.03% Eclipsing by far the zenith fain reached, this post secured a palimpsest of reach and engagement. Curiously, none of the entities alluded to, conversed with this missive, yet it traversed beyond the threshold of ten thousand impressions. An guise of intrigue unveiled itself - over 80 souls did bookmark this post. Albeit not a beacon of reach, yet a testament to the content's resonance with kindred spirits. A nigh unto what the results portend? The enquiry shall be concluded in our belief that heeding this particular tome over its brethren offers a greater span unto thine posts. Thusly hark: Total impressions for threads: 10,783 Total impressions for long-form posts: 11,846 Sifted from this contemplation- the content shrouded within matters more than form. In tandem with an arresting or eye-catching commencement, the remainder must proffer utility or familiarity to capture engagement and reach. And thus revealed: More retweets afield herald a broader reach. A verity writ in the legends of old: the echoes of retweets did herald a flurry of impressions. A modest audience mine holds o'er the realm of X - a spill of o'er 370 followers. Hence, retweets sway the compass in widening visibility and fostering swifter growth. A lifeline these retweets be - an ancient Twitter sorcery. For a nascent audience akin to unto mine or for those new questing forth, retweets and quote tweets shall usher thee unto wider vistas and hasten thy growth. Moreover, they shall lengthen the life of thine missives, whereby thee may gather more impressions with the passage of time. (Further elements of insights are omitted for brevity.) In this vein doth our discourse lead to a close, unveiling that the essence of thine post takes precedence o'er its form. To proffer content that resonates with thy patrons, doing so in a natural and distinctive timbre, draws forth more followers organically upon the realm of Twitter. An invocation unto thee: consider thou investing in the realm of X Premium - a bounty that promises increased reach and an avenue to unveil lengthier content. If perchance not yet a subscriber, threads yet remain an efficacious mode to narrate and captivate upon this platform. The key to thy venture upon the realm of X doth dwell in a comprehension of what themes and content styles doth resonate with thine intended audience. Once this hath been secured, a bounty shall be reaped: an influx of retweets, engagement, and reach. Thus doth our journey upon this realm of X find its illustrious end.
Support our work ❤️
If you enjoyed this article, consider leaving a tip to help us keep publishing great content.
