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How to Schedule Tweets [3 Methods + Bonus Tips]

Find out how to schedule Tweets (one at a time or in bulk) so you can save time and focus on creating great content instead.

Hannah Macready September 18, 2023
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Scheduling Tweets (Xeets?) can be a game-changer for your brand.

It’s hard enough coming up with witty one-liners, hot takes on current events, or smart replies on a regular basis–but actually having to log in and post them at the right intervals? Talk about a headache.

By auto-scheduling your content in advance, you can send out viral Tweets for days (or weeks) without lifting a finger.

Here’s how to do it, and why you should.

Bonus: Download the free 30-day plan to grow your Twitter following fast, a daily workbook that will help you establish a Twitter marketing routine and track your growth, so you can show your boss real results after one month.

How to schedule Tweets: 3 methods

There’s more than one way to bake a cake, and the same is true for scheduling Tweets.

Here are some of the best methods for scheduling your Tweets using Hootsuite and Twitter.

1. On X (formerly Twitter)

The native Twitter scheduler lets you quickly and easily schedule Tweets from the platform itself. You can schedule both organic and promoted Tweets up to a year in advance.

The network’s native scheduler is a little basic, and you’ll be limited to scheduling only on Twitter. But, if that’s right for your business, here’s how to get it done.

Step 1. Log into Twitter Ads

To schedule a Tweet using the Twitter platform, start by logging in to ads.twitter.com.

If you don’t already have a Twitter Ads account set up, you’ll need to add a credit card and billing address to get started.

adding credit card info to twitter ads

Step 2. Go to Creatives and then Tweets

Next, choose the Creatives from the drop-down menu at the top of the page, and then choose the Tweets tab.

drop down showing tweets tab in twitter ads main menu

Here, you can see scheduled Tweets and past Tweets.

tweets main screen in twitter ads showing no tweets currently scheduled

Step 3. Schedule a new Tweet

Now, click on New Tweet in the top right corner. You’ll be redirected to the Tweet Composer, where you can create your Tweet. Add your copy, photos, and videos here.

twitter tweet composer showing an image of a yellow magazine cover and some short copy added

Step 4. Choose promoted or organic

At the bottom of the Tweet Composer, you’ll see a box for Promoted only. If you want your Tweet to be seen only by users targeted in a Promoted Ads campaign, select this box. If you want your Tweet to be seen organically, make sure it’s unchecked.

post drafted in twitter composer with arrow pointing to promoted only check box

Step 5. Schedule your Tweet

Once your settings are all set up, click the drop-down next to the Tweet button at the top right of your screen. Choose Schedule, then select the date and time you’d like your Tweet to go live.

chosing date and time for tweet to go live in twitter scheduler

From here, you can either schedule this single Tweet, or click the Create another box to the left of the Schedule button to keep drafting more Tweets.

2. With Hootsuite

For brands looking for a more comprehensive Tweet scheduler, a social media management tool like Hootsuite offers bulk scheduling, best time to post features, plus the ability to post to multiple social media accounts at once. (With Hootsuite, you can also schedule posts to Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, and Pinterest.)

Here’s how to schedule Tweets with Hootsuite.

Step 1: Click on the Composer icon

When you’ve logged into your Hootsuite account, click the pen icon in the left-hand menu. Then, click Post.

hootsuite composer an post icon shown in dashboard

Step 2: Choose your account

You might have multiple Twitter accounts connected to Hootsuite. So, select the one you want to publish to before drafting your post.

arrow showing where to choose twitter account in hootsuite composer

Step 3: Draft your post

Start drafting your post in the composer window.

Here, you can add photos, videos, captivating copy, mentions, hashtags, location data, emojis, and more. You can also shorten links and add UTM parameters to help track the performance of your posts.

post about youtube seo drafted in hootsuite composer

Plus, use Hootsuite’s new OwlyWriter AI feature to create AI-assisted Tweets directly in your Hootsuite Composer.

three AI generated tweets about youtube seo shown in owlywriter AI

Step 4: Schedule your Tweet

Once your Tweet is drafted and ready to schedule, choose the Schedule for later option in the bottom left corner.

Here, you can manually set a date and time for the post to go live. Or, choose from Hootsuite’s best time to post recommendations.

calendar showing dates and times to schedule posts in hootsuite composer

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Then, click Schedule, and you’re done!

3. With Hootsuite Mobile

Wondering how to schedule tweets on mobile? Here’s how to do it with Hootsuite.

Step 1. Log into the Hootsuite App

Download and launch Hootsuite’s mobile app on your iOS or Android device. Then, log in using your existing credentials.

Step 2: Click Compose

Once you’re in, click the Compose icon. This is where you’ll draft your post.

compose icon shown in hootsuite mobile dashboard

Step 3: Choose account and content

Select the Twitter account you’d like to post to, then start drafting your post. Add copy, links, photos, videos, and more.

tweet about youtube seo drafted in hootsuite mobile

Step 4: Schedule your Tweet

When you’re done composing the Tweet, tap on Next in the top right of your screen.

A pop-up will appear. Here, you can either Auto schedule Tweets (meaning Hootsuite will choose the best date and time for your post to go live). Or, you can Custom schedule (meaning you the set date and time manually).

choosing date and time to schedule tweet in hootsuite mobile

Once you’ve made your selection, click Ok, and that’s it! Your Tweet is now scheduled to go live at the specified time.

Benefits of scheduling Tweets

Scheduling Tweets saves you time so you can focus on creating content and engaging with your followers.

Here are a few more reasons you should be scheduling your Tweets.

  1. Time-saving: Social media managers know just how much time it can take to post on Twitter day in and day out. Scheduling Twitter posts helps you avoid those long hours spent manually posting so you can focus on more interesting or creative tasks.
  2. Engagement: Ensure your content reaches the largest audience possible by setting it to post during peak engagement times.
  3. Consistency: Scheduling Tweets is a great way to establish trust with followers and maintain consistency in your brand.
  4. Targeting: Got a large, global audience? Tweet scheduling is key for targeting customers in different time zones and countries.
  5. Productivity: It’s easier to stay inspired, organized, and productive with a batch-scheduling system that lets you work on Tweets in advance and let them post at the optimal times.

6 tips for scheduling Tweets

Now that you know the ins and outs of scheduling Tweets, here are some bonus tips to make sure you get the most out of your Twitter presence.

1. Post at the best time

Different brands have different audiences who are active at different times. Using a Twitter scheduling tool to line up your Tweets in advance lets you test the waters and find out what times of day bring you the most engagement.

Then, you can use those insights to optimize your posting schedule and get the most out of every Tweet.

best time to post on twitter shown in hootsuite dashboard

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2. Give yourself time to edit

Social media moves fast, and sometimes, the Tweets you scheduled days ago can be out of touch by the time they go live.

That’s why giving yourself some leeway is important when scheduling Tweets. With Hootsuite, you can edit Tweets even after they’ve been scheduled, so you can keep your content up-to-date even when it’s on autopilot.

Set aside time each week to review any scheduled Tweets and make any necessary edits—this way, you can be sure that your content is always as accurate and fresh as possible.

3. Send to your team for approval

Collaboration is a cornerstone of effective social media management. This is especially true for large teams, or those working in highly regulated industries.

Tweet schedulers like Hootsuite let you easily send Tweets to teammates, stakeholders or other decision-makers for approval before they go live.

You can even set up custom user roles for different permissions based on your team structure.

Learn more about social media for healthcare, legal, education, and banking teams here.

4. Link it up

Want to drive even more traffic back to your website? Or see how popular your latest influencer-driven Twitter campaign is with new fans?

Use trackable URL shorteners like Hootsuite’s Ow.ly link shortener in your Tweets so you can see how many people are clicking through.

Plus, with clean, shortened links, you’ll have more character count to work with when crafting your Tweet copy.

5. Turn off scheduled posts during emergencies

Social media crises happen, even to the best-intentioned brands. Thankfully, Hootsuite’s Pause Scheduling button lets you pause all scheduled Tweets with one click so you can manage your social media crisis effectively.

This way, you won’t have to worry about outdated or irrelevant content going out during a difficult time—giving you one less thing to worry about in an emergency.

6. Track, analyze, and optimize

Tweet scheduling platforms like Hootsuite also offer integrated analytics tools so you can track the performance of your Tweets, monitor what’s trending in your industry, and gain insights for future campaigns.

hootsuite analytics showing engagement metrics across multiple social media platforms

Social listening tools like Hootsuite Insights also let you track mentions of keywords, brands, and hashtags over time, giving you an even deeper look into what’s working and what isn’t.

Use these insights to optimize your future Tweets and stay on top of industry trends.

hootsuite insights data for twitter

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FAQs about scheduling Tweets

Does Twitter allow you to schedule tweets?

Yes, you can schedule Tweets directly in Twitter (now X) using the Twitter Ads Manager. Keep in mind, you won’t be able to post to multiple accounts from one place.

What is the best app to schedule tweets?

Hootsuite is the best app to schedule Tweets, with its industry-leading bulk uploads, the best time to post feature, and the ability to post to multiple social media accounts at once. Not to mention, AI Tweet-writing features, advanced analytics and reporting, and the one-click Pause Scheduling button for emergencies.

Use Hootsuite to execute your Twitter marketing plan alongside all your other social media activity. From a single dashboard you can monitor your competitors, grow your followers, schedule Tweets, and analyze your performance.

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By Hannah Macready

Hannah Macready is a freelance writer with 12 years of experience in social media and digital marketing. Her work has appeared in publications such as Fast Company and The Globe & Mail, and has been used in global social media campaigns for brands like Grosvenor Americas and Intuit Mailchimp. In her spare time, Hannah likes exploring the outdoors with her two dogs, Soup and Salad.

Read more by Hannah Macready

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