​Twitter introduced keyword targeting in timelines, which helps brands target users based on their recent Tweets or Tweets they have engaged with.

​Twitter advertising gives brands the opportunity to become a greater part of online social chatter. New Twitter Cards released earlier this month gave B2Bs and B2Cs more control over the presentation of their branded content they include in their Tweets.​ ​Now, in this week’s chapter of Twitter marketing upgrades, the social media company introduced a new feature for its Promoted Tweet (PT) product that can help brands improve content targeting.

Because PTs are built into the user experience and target consumers based on demographic and psychographic context, media often leaves a positive impression and generates reactions. Twitter enhanced audience targeting capabilities with its latest update, unveiling “keyword targeting in timelines.”

The promotional option is available in the full Twitter Ads UI and through Ads API, helping advertisers reach audiences based on the keywords in their recent Tweets and the messages they last engaged with on the network. Twitter’s official blog calls keyword targeting in timelines “an important new capability, especially for those advertisers looking for signals of intent, because it lets marketers reach users at the right moment, in the right context.”

Twitter presents an example in its blog post: If a user tweets about an album she enjoys from her favorite band, and the artist is set to play a concert at a nearby venue, the arena could run a Twitter campaign using the keyword tool to encourage the user to buy tickets. (Perhaps this example was inspired by Twitter’s new #music site.)

The company saw nearly 2 million impressions and engagement rates as high as 11 percent on Tweets using the keyword target in timelines tool.

While brands may see varying results from Twitter’s new advertising option, GoPro has already tested out the feature and seen returns on its investment. The company saw nearly 2 million impressions and engagement rates as high as 11 percent on Tweets using the keyword target in timelines tool. Twitter also noted that users won’t see more promoted content in their timelines as a result of the update.

Twitter’s advertising features help businesses engage their audiences online, but brands need quality social media content to take advantage of the network’s promotional tools. Companies wanting to leverage Twitter’s reach must make sure they have the editorial capabilities to get the right ads in front of their prospective and current customers.

Ted Karczewski is an Executive Communications Associate at Brafton. He works to develop his own voice and apply his passions to the evolving world of SEO and content marketing, but he doesn't shy away from writing for fun. After graduating from Suffolk University, Ted used his Communications degree to test out Sports Journalism before Marketing at Brafton.