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Why include your sources Twitter handle in your Tweet?

December 15, 2011

I‘m of the habit of including my source’s Twitter handle in my Tweets which share another’s reports or blog posts. I’ll include the Twitter handle of the reporter or blogger as well as the Twitter handle of the publication or their company/firm, if there is one.

Here’s an example of a Tweet of mine this morning in which I included the source’s Twitter handle.

Twitter handle in Tweets

A person whose twitter handle I included in a Tweet last week asked me why I do so.

  • Etiquette. If I am citing what someone else said or wrote I ought to give them attribution.
  • Shout out. I’d like to think I share things on Twitter that are pretty good. Not everyone offers valuable information or insight in their net contributions. Those who do offer value ought to receive a pat on the back for doing so. It encourages people to continue to do good work.
  • To meet people. If I share someone’s blog post or report on Twitter and I don’t give them attribution via their Twitter handle, how will they know that I shared their content? They won’t. Giving attribution has allowed me to meet and develop relationships with some wonderful people, whether they be influential bloggers, industry leaders, reporters, executives, or association leaders. How? Because they’ll see my tweet and thank me or start to follow me on Twitter.
  • To network. I blog to network so as to build relationships and enhance my reputation. Short form social media ala Twitter allows me to accelerate my networking.
  • To learn. Engaging others like this leads to a community of people with overlapping interests with whom I can collaborate and learn. It’s how I grow professionally so as to serve others.
  • Because others don’t. It’s easy to take the easy way out, it requires no effort. It takes a minute to look up Twitter handles and to insert them in a tweet. Doing things that are harder separates one from the pack.

We also don’t know where Twitter is headed in developing new features allowing people to network. I just noticed that when I clicked on the above Tweet, I went to the below screen which displays the people and companies I mentioned in this Tweet.

Twitter attribution

No doubt Twitter’s algorithms are going to suggest to me and others the subjects and people we may wish to follow on Twitter. Those suggestions are going to emanate from the subjects and people we reference in Tweets.

If for no other reason than proper Internet etiquette, use your source’s Twitter handle in your Tweets. If you start to do so, you’ll find more rewards as well.

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