Templates · Thread
Case study thread template
A case study thread shows your work instead of describing it. Lead with the result, then show the steps that got there so readers can copy them.
The template
- 1
[Who: a client, a project, or you] went from [starting point] to [result] in [time]. Here's exactly what we changed:
- 2
The starting point: [The situation in two or three specifics. What was working, what wasn't.]
- 3
The diagnosis: [the real problem, which is often not the obvious one].
- 4
Change 1: [What you did]. [Why, and what happened.]
- 5
Change 2: [What you did]. [Why, and what happened.]
- 6
Change 3: [What you did]. [Why, and what happened.]
- 7
The result: [result, with the before and after side by side]. The takeaway for you: [the one lesson anyone can apply].
When to use it
- You got a result for a client, a project or yourself and can explain how.
- You sell a service and want proof that doesn't read like an ad.
- You have before and after numbers or screenshots you're allowed to share.
Why it works
Result first
The before and after in tweet one is the hook. Specific numbers and a time frame make it credible.
The starting point
Readers need to recognize themselves in the "before". The more specific it is, the more the result feels within reach.
The diagnosis
Showing that the real problem wasn't the obvious one is what proves expertise. It's also the most interesting part to read.
Changes with reasons
Each change comes with why you made it. Without the why, readers copy the tactic and miss the thinking.
The takeaway
End with something the reader can apply to their own situation, so the thread is useful even to people who'll never hire you.
Examples
- Y
Your name@you1/7
A small skincare shop went from 1.1% to 2.4% checkout conversion in 6 weeks. No redesign. Here's exactly what we changed:
- Y
Your name@you2/7
The starting point: Good traffic, good reviews, a checkout that asked for an account before showing shipping costs. Most visitors left at that step.
- Y
Your name@you3/7
The diagnosis: people weren't leaving because of price. They were leaving because they couldn't see the price until they'd made an account.
- Y
Your name@you4/7
Change 1: Guest checkout. We moved account creation to after the purchase. Drop-off at that step was cut roughly in half.
- Y
Your name@you5/7
Change 2: Shipping cost on the product page. One line under the price: "Free shipping over $40, otherwise $5." No surprises at checkout.
- Y
Your name@you6/7
Change 3: One payment page instead of three. Address, shipping and payment on a single screen. Fewer clicks, fewer chances to leave.
- Y
Your name@you7/7
The result: 1.1% to 2.4% in 6 weeks, same traffic. The takeaway for you: before you spend on ads, find the step where people leave and ask what they can't see yet.
- Y
Your name@you1/7
My newsletter went from 31% to 52% open rate in 2 months. Same list, same topic. Here's exactly what I changed:
- Y
Your name@you2/7
The starting point: 3,000 subscribers, a weekly issue sent Sunday night, subject lines like "Issue #47". Opens were sliding every month.
- Y
Your name@you3/7
The diagnosis: the content was fine. The subject lines gave people no reason to open on a Sunday night.
- Y
Your name@you4/7
Change 1: Subject lines that name the one idea. "Issue #47" became "The pricing page mistake I made twice".
- Y
Your name@you5/7
Change 2: Tuesday morning instead of Sunday night. I tested both for four weeks. Tuesday won every time.
- Y
Your name@you6/7
Change 3: Removed 600 inactive subscribers. People who hadn't opened in 6 months. Smaller list, better deliverability.
- Y
Your name@you7/7
The result: 31% to 52% in 2 months. The takeaway for you: a subject line is a promise. Name the one thing the reader gets.
Tips
- Ask permission before naming a client. If you can't, "a small skincare shop" works just as well.
- Attach the before and after as an image on the result tweet.
- Keep each change to one tweet. If a change needs three tweets, it's its own case study.
- Draft case studies when the work wraps up, while details are fresh, and keep them as drafts in a queue to post later.
Go deeper: How to write a thread on X that people read to the end · How to write hooks that make people read the next line
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