Since we launched keyword targeting in timeline, we’ve learned some useful techniques from advertisers who use it to reach the right people in the right moment. Here are five ways to use this feature to make your Twitter campaigns more effective.
Tip 1: Use what you’ve learned from search, but don’t stop there.
If you’re familiar with search marketing, many Twitter keyword targeting best practices won’t surprise you. For example, you can match keywords as a phrase, as a series of words in any order, or with broadening to similar terms. And it’s best to set up multiple campaigns that target tightly-themed groups of keywords.
When people enter a query into a search engine, they know they’re talking to a machine. In contrast, when they Tweet a keyword, they know they’re talking to people. So, while you should test keywords from your search campaigns on Twitter, you’ll probably also need to identify some keywords especially for use on Twitter.
Suppose your company sells baby clothes. Your phrase-matched “boy infant clothes” keyword from your search campaigns is unlikely to reach many users on Twitter, because people don’t Tweet that way. Why not instead reach an interested audience by trying a keyword like it’s a boy? Eight thousand Tweets per week contain it’s a boy; almost zero contain “boy infant clothes.”
Tip 2: Identify when users will be most open to your message.
Every Tweet sends signals about what a person is thinking, feeling and experiencing in the moment. It’s often intuitive which keywords will signal that a user is in a moment of brand receptiveness and growing purchase intent. For example, Adidas Poland targeted keywords related to pro soccer players and sports footwear. This tactic contributed to the 900% increase in engagement rate @AdidasPL saw on its Promoted Tweets.
