Templates · Thread
How-to thread template
The how-to thread is the most saved format on X for a reason: it solves a problem in the feed. This template walks a reader from goal to result.
The template
- 1
How to [achieve a specific result] in [time or number of steps], even if [common obstacle]. Step by step:
- 2
What you need: - [Tool, input or prerequisite 1] - [Tool, input or prerequisite 2] - [Time it takes]
- 3
Step 1: [Action]. [How to do it, in one or two sentences. Include a specific detail.]
- 4
Step 2: [Action]. [How to do it.]
- 5
Step 3: [Action]. [How to do it.]
- 6
Step 4: [Action]. [How to do it, and what the result looks like.]
- 7
The mistake most people make: [common mistake]. [What to do instead.]
- 8
Recap: 1. [Step 1] 2. [Step 2] 3. [Step 3] 4. [Step 4] Save this for the next time you [situation].
When to use it
- You know how to do something your audience wants to learn and can explain it in five or six steps.
- You keep answering the same question in DMs or replies.
- You want a post people bookmark and come back to.
Why it works
The promise
A specific result plus a time frame tells readers exactly what they'll get. Naming the obstacle ("even if you've never...") includes the people most likely to need it.
What you need
Listing the inputs first stops readers from hitting step 3 and realizing they're missing something.
One step per tweet
Each tweet is one action, starting with a verb. A reader can follow along with the thread open next to them.
The common mistake
This is where your experience shows. Anyone can list steps; knowing where people go wrong is what earns the follow.
The recap
A compact summary is the tweet people screenshot. It also helps readers who skimmed.
Examples
- Y
Your name@you1/8
How to build a home workout routine in 20 minutes, even if you own zero equipment. Step by step:
- Y
Your name@you2/8
What you need: - A floor and a wall - A timer on your phone - 20 minutes, 3 days a week
- Y
Your name@you3/8
Step 1: Pick one move per pattern. A squat, a push (push-ups or incline push-ups on the wall), a hinge (glute bridge) and a core move (plank). That's the whole menu.
- Y
Your name@you4/8
Step 2: Set the timer for 40 seconds on, 20 off. Go through all four moves, rest one minute, and repeat 3 times.
- Y
Your name@you5/8
Step 3: Write down your reps. One line per session in your notes app. Without it you can't tell if you're improving.
- Y
Your name@you6/8
Step 4: Add difficulty every second week. Slow the lowering phase to 3 seconds, or switch to a harder version of one move.
- Y
Your name@you7/8
The mistake most people make: changing the routine every week. You only get stronger at what you repeat. Keep the same four moves for at least six weeks.
- Y
Your name@you8/8
Recap: 1. One move per pattern 2. 40 on, 20 off, 3 rounds 3. Log your reps 4. Add difficulty every 2 weeks Save this for the next time you can't get to the gym.
- Y
Your name@you1/8
How to write a cold email that gets replies in 15 minutes, even if you hate selling. Step by step:
- Y
Your name@you2/8
What you need: - One specific person, not a list - One thing you noticed about their business - 15 minutes
- Y
Your name@you3/8
Step 1: Write the subject line as a plain question. "Question about your onboarding emails" beats anything clever.
- Y
Your name@you4/8
Step 2: Open with what you noticed. One sentence about their business that proves you looked. Not a compliment, an observation.
- Y
Your name@you5/8
Step 3: Offer one idea, for free. A concrete suggestion they could act on without you. This is the part that gets replies.
- Y
Your name@you6/8
Step 4: Ask a small question. "Worth a 15-minute call?" is a big ask. "Want me to send the example I mentioned?" is easy to say yes to.
- Y
Your name@you7/8
The mistake most people make: writing about themselves. If your name and company appear more than once, cut until they don't.
- Y
Your name@you8/8
Recap: 1. Plain question as the subject 2. Open with an observation 3. Give one free idea 4. Ask a small question Save this for your next outreach day.
Tips
- Start every step with a verb. "Pick", "set", "write" are easier to follow than "The next thing to consider is".
- Add an image to the trickiest step. A screenshot does more than a second paragraph.
- If a step needs more than 280 characters, it's two steps. The thread splitter breaks long text into tweets at sentence boundaries.
- Test the steps on someone else before posting. If they get stuck, the thread has a gap.
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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