What Is Re-Tweet on Twitter?
If you're not familiar with it, Twitter terminology can seem overwhelming and confusing. Between tweets, retweets, replies, mentions, trends and hashtags, you might feel like you need a Twitter dictionary to get a grasp on using this popular social networking service. To start simple, the 140-character-or-less status updates you post to Twitter are called "tweets." If you tend to tweet about interesting, funny or relevant topics, your tweets might get "retweeted" and passed along to new Twitter users.
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Retweet Overview
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The retweet function on Twitter essentially lets anyone repost your tweet to his or her Twitter stream. This is common when someone finds your tweet particularly interesting and wants to share it. When your tweet is retweeted, anyone who follows the person who retweeted will be able to see your tweet. The only way to prevent your tweets from being retweeted is to protect your Twitter profile by making it private.
Benefits of Retweet
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When someone retweets your tweet on Twitter, your username appears in the retweet. If a very popular user retweets one of your tweets, you can acquire new followers and increase your popularity on Twitter. Many popular users on Twitter consistently have their tweets retweeted, which contributes to their popularity even further. Retweeting is also particularly beneficial if you post links from your blog or website to Twitter, as these links are included in the retweet.
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Recognizing Retweets
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Retweets are distinguished from other tweets in two different ways. First, you may see the letters "RT" followed by the user's name and the tweet to signify a retweet. You may also see a logo that uses two arrows to make a square; this also signifies a retweet. You can view general retweets and your tweets that have been retweeted on your Twitter profile by clicking the "Retweets" tab.
Retweeting a Tweet
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You can retweet a tweet that you find interesting by moving your mouse over the tweet and clicking the "Retweet" link that appears underneath. Click the "Retweet" button again when prompted by Twitter to confirm you want to retweet. You can also copy the tweet and paste it into your update form, and then add "RT" in front of it. Keep in mind that if your profile is public, anyone will be able to view your retweet, and if your profile is protected, all of your followers will be able to see your retweet.
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