Don’t you wish you heard a ka-ching every time someone clicked on your blog’s retweet button?

Almost every blog has Twitter’s retweet button.

While you don’t get a sale on every click, you can go viral beyond your latest blog post.

Add the retweet button to your pdf documents and let the sharing begin.

Retweet This

I first heard this idea at Mike Stelzner’s White Paper Boot Camp.

I thought it was a great idea and shame on me that I have not done this faithfully.

Recently, I spoke with a client about their white paper and the idea came up again.

Better late than never, right?

Why wouldn’t you add a retweet button?

Here are just a few documents where it works.

• White papers
• Reports
• How-to documents
• Case studies
• Free eBooks
• Any business document worth sharing

Important: You need Adobe Acrobat Pro or another PDF creation software for this to work.

If you don’t have this software, find someone in your organization or an outside contact for assistance.

Now I have to practice what I preach and go back and update my pdf documents.

How to Add the Retweet Button

1. Start With the Retweet Button

You need a graphic for your documents. While they are all over the internet, beware of copywriting rights.

The graphic on this post is from Big Stock Photo. Some offer the graphics for free.

Include the simple instructions: Click here to post this on Twitter.

Copy and paste your graphic throughout your original document —

for example, your Word document – before you create a pdf.

2. Create Your Tweet

The great thing about this process is you create your own message.

• Keep it short – allow room for others to add their comments
• Add your Twitter ID – this increases your visibility and following
• Add a hashtag – it helps you track the retweets
• Use shortened URL– this links back to your pdf document or landing page

There are many URL shorteners. Some Twitter applications, like Hootsuite and Tweetdeck, have them built into the application.

You can look for the retweet results by entering your hashtag on TwitterSearch.

Example for Tweet on case studies pdf

RT@millercathy 9 Ways to Use Case Studies Free tips http://ht.ly/2WGoO #casestudytips

3. Create Your Retweet URL

You want something to happen when the reader clicks on your graphic. That’s where this part comes in.

Here’s the ABCs for creating the retweet URL that makes this all work.

A, Copy this http://twitter.com/home/?status=

B. Add your tweet you created in #2

Example:

http://twitter.com/home/?status=RT @millercathy 9 Ways to Use Case Studies Free tips http://ht.ly/2WGoO #casestudytips

C. Replace spaces with a + sign – hashtag # sign with %23

Example:

http://twitter.com/home/?status=RT+@millercathy+9+Ways+to+Use+Case+Studies+Free+tips+http://ht.ly/2WGoO+%23casestudytips

4. Test Drive Your Retweet URL

Copy and paste the new URL in your browser.

If it doesn’t show up in your Tweet message box, check to make sure you followed all the steps – especially the replacement part.

5. Create Your PDF and Add Hyperlinks

• Right click on the graphic in your original (e.g., Word)
• Select Hyperlink
• Paste in your retweet URL
• Click OK
• Convert the document to pdf

Depending on your pdf converter software, the process for converting may vary.

Wow – that was a trying Thursday Techie Tip.

But, you did it. Now your product or service is ready to go viral.

The opportunities are endless.

Let us know if you have tried this and how it’s worked for you.

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Helping you Keep it simple, clear & uniquely yours – contact me for help with your business writing needs.

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