It seems like everyone has a Twitter account these days. We have personal accounts, big business accounts, and even celebrity pets send out Tweets! But what’s the point if people aren’t reading? Well, not much. The main idea behind Twitter is to engage readers and gain followers. The only way to attract readers and keep followers is to catch their attention with your 140-characters-or-less blurb-of-speech, so it better be good. If you’re unsure about how to draft the most appealing little collection of words hopefully these tips well help you out. Next time you go to tweet, consider keeping these ideas in mind:

1. Make your headlines useful—people are always looking to learn something new so tell them why they should.

2. Provide a sense of urgency—make sure “Tweeps” need to read the article or post now. Glancing through the Twitter feed is the only chance you will have, so draw them in.

3. Convey the idea that the benefit is unique—if everyone else has posted it, chances are people will skim right over it, so catch attention.

Remember to make your headline compelling. Copyblogger tells us, “on average, 8 out of 10 people will read headline copy, but only 2 out of 10 will read the rest.”

For more info on how to successfully use Twitter, read this post by Copyblogger!