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Why you should ask questions on Twitter

In 2011 I wrote about the Dutch hashtag #durftevragen on Twitter. People used it to make questions visible to a wider network. I suggested posting a specific question about a new blog article, with a link for those who wanted the background.

It was never a guaranteed way to gain visitors. A hashtag helps only if people who want to answer are paying attention. The platform's name and its users' habits have changed since 2011. Treat my example as a dated practice rather than a fixed growth recipe.

Start with a real question

A useful discussion begins with something others can answer from experience. Ask which part of a process often fails, for example, or how people made a particular trade-off. A message that only says “read my new article” asks the network for a click rather than an opinion. It feels more like advertising than an invitation.

If you share a link, explain what the article covers and why someone might want to join in. Reply to answers, including those that disagree. The conversation has value because it gives you another perspective, not only because it sends an extra visitor to your site.

Choose where your audience is

The same approach can work without this particular hashtag. A professional community, your own mailing list or another social channel may be a better place to ask. Find where the relevant people actually exchange questions and adapt your tone to that setting.

My older article connected comments strongly to more page content and reach. That may happen, but it need not be the goal. A question succeeds when it clarifies something for both writer and participants. You can then improve the article with what you learned.

— GijsDiscuss this article