@mentions and cc: Other ways to engage on Twitter
Think of @mentions and cc as ways of snagging attention on Twitter.
They serve the same purpose as a “carbon copy” on e-mails: You are want to make sure certain people are aware of the information/thought in the tweet, even if the message is not directly intended for them.
In some cases, the “cc” is redundant. For most users, @mentions — replies that appear anywhere else but the beginning of the tweet — already seize their attention. I’ve used them to connect with people while live-tweeting events.
It is a form of engagement, as most people usually want to figure out why someone has mentioned them directly in a tweet. And Twitter makes them easy to find, grouping @mentions with @replies under the @mentions tab in the Home view.
But “cc” has its uses.
Though it’s not needed here — the @mention would be enough to solicit a glance — the “Cc:” adds an air of formality, which can be important when including someone who doesn’t know you, especially if he or she is a celebrity.
I’ve also seen tweeters use this as a way to showcase connections between individuals and their organizational affiliations.
In this case, @christophhess manages social media for the Biovision Foundation (@FutureForAll), a Swiss group dedicated to promoting sustainability in Africa. This cc: draws group members’ attention to the link.
The most effective use of the “cc” abbreviation creates layered connections within a tweet.
Recently, Esquire Style (@ESQStyle) posted a comment about a Wall Street Journal article regarding velvet slippers.
The link actually goes to a post on Esquire‘s “The Style Blog,” which urges readers to shun the velvet-slipper trend. The “cc:” here is used as a way to layer in sources from the Wall Street Journal‘s original article (@rayalexsmith is a WSJ style writer, while @bordonez is a velvet-slipper aficionado profiled in the piece). The notation may draw the attention of @rayalexsmith and @bordonez, but it also points to them as deeper references for tweet readers.
As with any Twitter convention, these uses are mere guidelines. The Twitterverse has a way of spontaneously spawning new applications of conventions that go well beyond what their creators intended.
Related posts:
- Twitter favorites: Pesky little stars with multiple meanings
- RT, MT, HT, via: The importance of giving credit on Twitter
- Twitter in 2010: A media force to be reckoned with
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