What does MT mean on Twitter?
Ever seen ‘MT’ in the initial position of someone’s tweet and thought: ‘is that a typo?’
Actually no, it isn’t.
Rather, it is a signifier of the fact that the poster has kindly added a little value of their own to the tweet in republishing it by modifying it.
‘MT‘ means ‘modified tweet‘.
‘Why would you want to modify a tweet?’ you may not unreasonably ask.
As it happens, there are a plethora of reasons why an admiring user may wish to tweak the content of a tweet in order to boost the value it delivers whilst still ensuring a respectful attribution to the original poster.
These could include:
- Changing a hashtag in order to share the content with another Twitter chat community
- Indicating that you have added (or perhaps deleted) an element of the tweet, usually indicated by placing the altered element in [square brackets] to offer another angle, challenge an assertion, or confer approval.
- Correcting a typo or factual error (be sure it is actually an error; again, flag up the change you’ve made)
- As part of a broader exercise in content curation
Regarding the question of respectful attribution: you may ask ‘isn’t it rude to modify someone’s tweet?’ Ultimately, this is a matter of personal opinion. For my own part, I’m delighted to see someone MT a tweet that I have posted on the basis that it indicates to me that the original publication triggered a chain of thought, a pattern of association, or a new conversation.
For me, the MT encapsulates the benefits and virtues of social business in two letters.
Need help with social business development or content-driven communication programmes? Click on the @ sign in the right hand column to email me, use the Twitter link, or feel free to reach out via any of the other social networks listed above. I look forward to hearing from you 
I use MT a fair amount, especially when cross-pollinating between communities. This means (for me) modifying an interesting tweet written for a particular audience to suit another audience. When I think people in my community would be interested in a tweet (or more likely the link in a tweet) but a tweak to the original message will grab their attention more effectively, I make a modification.
Modifying tweets and using MT is respectful to the author and shows that you know your communities and that you are listening. It is good practice of a connector.
Thanks for sharing Andrew!
I MO you are right on the mark!
Another Gem of knowledge Andrew. thank you.
“I also think cross -pollinating between communities” @Colleen Young is a good idea. While my intentions have been an attempt for a positive result I was not aware of the goal of a MT. Upon further reflection a person would add another audience # that goes in direct opposition to the goal of the first Tweet.
Could you help me with this point of clarification: So each time I agree with a point another has made and want to add another comment I should be placing a MT instead of RT before the original authors name?
I do believe we are associated by the company so to focus upon good Twitter Manners not only for ourselves but also the #HCSM community we participant within is an important consideration.
Lisa
P.S. I had to chuckle when I saw this recent post I received in response to your Ink Andrew.
@MT@PracticalWisdom No. MT was not done right.
Hi Lisa
Thanks for the comment
This post picks up crazy amounts of traffic, and I should really thank the wisdom of @blogbrevity and her amazing Letter.li service for giving me the idea in the first place.
Re. Your example – no, that doesn’t sound like an MT to me, rather it’s an RT with your comment added, with the division between the two clearly flagged.
The MT tag – for me, at least – only kicks in when a change (any change) is made in the body of the original tweet.
Andrew,
Thank you for the specific feedback you give #HCSMANZ Tweetchat.
As I think you would agree Feedback is only really valuable when it’s specific.
Lisa
Awesome post Andrew! I was on Twitter for Blackberry late tonight and saw “MT” on this girl’s post. I did a quick google search and viola…found this blog post.
Love getting the inside scoop on the Twit. Will I use MT on my next repost? Heck yea. -R.C.
Hi Rick
I’m glad this post helped you yesterday.
Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a comment.
Thanks for clarifying this! Sometimes I have to modify a tweet because it becomes too long once I add my comment at the front or it’s an article and I want to change the “point pulled” from the article. Now I know how to properly do this! I also got here by searching “What does MT mean on Twitter?”
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment, and I’m pleased to hear that you found this article useful. It’s also good to know how you came across it. Appreciated!
Useful for a newbie. Thanks
Thanks, Joanne. Glad to hear you found the post useful.
Really useful. I’m being a bit daft here I know but how do I MT? Just copy and paste? Or is there a special button on twitter somewhere that I can’t find…
Hi Kate
Thanks for your comment.
Short form answer: take a look at this:
http://stwem.com/2011/11/28/what-does-retweet-mean-on-twitter/
Long form answer: when using the Twitter web interface, all RTs are now automated, precluding the possibility of using MT unless you’re going to copy and paste the text of the tweet you wish to modify.
However, if you use a feed management application such as Tweetdeck, it is possible to set the interface to prompt you to either auto-retweet or to manually retweet.
MTs can then be published using the latter option by simply replacing the ‘R’ with an ‘M’ to make ‘RT’ ‘MT’ and then amend the tweet as you wish, adding such emphasis or modifications as you desire.
All of which makes this sound a lot more complicated than it is
‘You just type ‘MT’ where ‘RT’ is, and change whatever else you want to’ would have been another way of putting it.