Over the past several months, my Twitter following has seen a lot of growth. I started COM 427: “Social Media for Communicators,” with just 16 followers. I am finishing the class with 91 followers and gaining every day. My Klout score increased from 16.11 to 34.95. I think this is due to a number of reasons. Firstly, I was fairly new to Twitter when the class started so I spent the class finding my voice on the platform and discovering what kind of content did well. I also think the growth could come as a result of simply tweeting more.
Here are some of my most successful tweets from the semester and why I think they worked.
Rapidly gaining followers. When I hit fifty, should I get verified? #NHsmc
— Rachel Gilbert (@rachel_cgilbert) February 10, 2016
| Total engagements | 28 | |
| Detail expands | 13 | |
| Profile clicks | 8 | |
| Likes | 5 | |
| Replies | 2 | |
This was a quick spur of the moment tweet. I think this was successful because it is a snapshot of me making fun of myself. At the time, most of my followers were my friends and they all knew I was new to social media. Therefore, I think this probably gave them a bit of a chuckle, laughing at me and my lack of understanding of Twitter.
Trying to recreate that Friday feeling on #humpday @ri_bunch for best actress in a gif #NHsmc #Oscars2016 pic.twitter.com/F1ox9nqCXp
— Rachel Gilbert (@rachel_cgilbert) February 10, 2016
| Total engagements | 24 | |
| Detail expands | 10 | |
| Media engagements | 7 | |
| Likes | 4 | |
| Retweets | 2 | |
| Profile clicks | 1 | |
This succeeded for a number of reasons. I think people still find Gifs a novelty when they aren’t being posted by Buzzfeed or a different media outlet. It features a friend of mine that works at the DO. At the time of posting most of my followers worked for the DO only so they retweeted a Gif of a friend.
Had too much fun playing ponies tonight. So much that I had to cover up my riding with this filter. #horses #filter pic.twitter.com/jWd47vWQ7o
— Rachel Gilbert (@rachel_cgilbert) February 20, 2016
| Total engagements | 5 | |
| Likes | 3 | |
| Media engagements | 2 | |
One of my earlier horsey tweets. I think this did well because tweets with media of some sort are always more successful than those without.The generic #horses has worked for me on Instagram in the past so I tried it here and I think it helped.
Newspaper killed the radio star. #nhsmc at #mediacup @theRealLoganR @michaelburke47 @annierpalmer pic.twitter.com/WftPVwonJG
— Rachel Gilbert (@rachel_cgilbert) February 20, 2016
| Total engagements | 39 | |
| Detail expands | 14 | |
| Media engagements | 12 | |
| Likes | 6 | |
| Hashtag clicks | 3 | |
| Link clicks | 2 | |
| Replies | 1 | |
| Retweets | 1 | |
I think this tweet worked because I tweeted it as so many people. The picture itself is pretty cool because it is in the dome. This did well because it was seen by DO alumni and reminded them of a fun event they went to when at SU.
Foetsy and her new best friend, @theRealLoganR #horses #sweaty #superstar pic.twitter.com/SVSEABq3ap
— Rachel Gilbert (@rachel_cgilbert) February 26, 2016
| Total engagements | 24 | |
| Media engagements | 11 | |
| Profile clicks | 4 | |
| Likes | 3 | |
| Detail expands | 3 | |
| Retweets | 2 | |
| Link clicks | 1 | |
This did well because it is a cool picture. Nearly every time I tweet a decent picture of the horses, tweet it at someone and use a hashtag, I get a few likes or retweets. This furthers my point that good media always works and the more people or hashtags you involve, the more likely it is to get attention.
Where will you move if #Trump becomes president? #NHsmc
— Rachel Gilbert (@rachel_cgilbert) March 21, 2016
| Total engagements | 16 | |
| Votes | 11 | |
| Detail expands | 3 | |
| Hashtag clicks | 1 | |
| Profile clicks | 1 | |
This poll was not as large as I had hoped but it still reached 10 voters. The current event theme of the election meant that it was timely and people had an opinion. Then the question was simple with a hint of humor so people didn’t have to think about their answer, they could vote and scroll onwards.
Evergreen tweet. @jmgrygiel did I do it right? #nhsmc #trees pic.twitter.com/s6kOv7wavW
— Rachel Gilbert (@rachel_cgilbert) March 23, 2016
| Total engagements | 20 | |
| Detail expands | 10 | |
| Media engagements | 4 | |
| Likes | 3 | |
| Profile clicks | 2 | |
| Replies | 1 | |
I think this tweet got a few likes because it was a silly pun and bad jokes always sell. This tweet reminds me that I should tweet more jokes because they usually do quite well.
It was worth flying to @GCT_events Miami if just for this picture of the master John Whitaker. #LGCTMiamiBeach pic.twitter.com/VsvRDL4dY5
— Rachel Gilbert (@rachel_cgilbert) April 8, 2016
| Total engagements | 220 | |
| Media engagements | 89 | |
| Detail expands | 77 | |
| Likes | 27 | |
| Profile clicks | 14 | |
| Retweets | 9 | |
| Replies | 1 | |
| Follows | 1 | |
| Link clicks | 1 | |
| Hashtag clicks | 1 | |
This is my most successful tweet ever. This worked for a number of reasons. Firstly, it is a really cool picture of a very famous rider. The picture is unique in that no one else was able to get the exact angle and lighting I had. I tweeted it at the organizers of the event who then retweeted it. Following that, many more people retweeted and quote tweeted it, creating a large reach. It was even retweeted in Australia. This tweet grew my follower base white a bit and carried a bit of buzz over to my next tweet.
. @EdwinaAlexander deserved that win. Looking forward to the rest of the @GCT_events season. #LGCTMiamiBeach pic.twitter.com/2VtqimSjNR
— Rachel Gilbert (@rachel_cgilbert) April 10, 2016
| Total engagements | 111 | |
| Media engagements | 69 | |
| Detail expands | 29 | |
| Likes | 8 | |
| Profile clicks | 3 | |
| Replies | 1 | |
| Retweets | 1 | |
This tweet was successful following the one before it that generated a lot of buzz. A few of the same users liked and retweeted this one, showing me how carrying a theme often works. This gained me several new followers when the subject of the photo retweeted it. The event in Miami grew my horsey follower base. This was important to me because I want to work with horses after I graduate so it is creating connections for me.
Wish I was at @GCT_events in Mexico capturing more moments like this of @ArtemisFarms1 Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum. pic.twitter.com/RPmoqXxcPH
— Rachel Gilbert (@rachel_cgilbert) April 14, 2016
| Total engagements | 13 | |
| Detail expands | 5 | |
| Media engagements | 4 | |
| Retweets | 2 | |
| Likes | 2 | |
This tweet took a long time to get any attention but after several days, the subject of the video retweeted it. She doesn’t log into twitter often but once she shared it, it got a little more interest. I contacted by a riding company that is starting a website about whether they can use some of my images from Miami based of this tweet.