Should you use all 280 characters?

Does twice the length really equate two times the power?

A new update on Twitter allows you to tweet double the original 140-character limit, leaving more room to share hashtags, links, photos, and commentary. Yet, is there a compelling reason to add more words?

Brevity used to be the key feature of the platform, which contributed to its real-time discussion. Bursts of many short tweets spark conversations, Twitter chats, responses and side conversations, similar to conversing via text message.

Short and snappy statements were intrinsically part of the real-time nature of Twitter; unlike Facebook, where you might share only a few times per week, Twitter was a place for constant updates.

Constraints make for better writing

Shorter tweets force you to be a better writer by honing your skills to create succinct messages. It may take more time to draft, but the exercise makes you a better writer.

Being able to write longer tweets may diminish the thought you put into them. Instead of being forced to choose your words carefully to fit the strict limit, you can write rambling sentences and press “send” without taking a second look with an editor’s eye. Longer tweets remove this useful practice. Do 140 additional characters add that much more value to the message you’re conveying?