Twitter, now known as X, is one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. The platform continues to grow in users, especially in the Gulf countries, which makes Twitter Ads an essential marketing tool for digital marketers.

In this article, we will explain how to understand Twitter advertising properly so you can reach your target customers more effectively. We will also walk you through the steps of creating a successful promoted ad on Twitter.

Types of Twitter Ads

Twitter Ads consist of 9 main types that you can choose from depending on your marketing objective:

Reach
Increase the exposure of your ad and reach the largest possible number of targeted users.

Video Views
Drive more views for your advertising videos.

Pre-Roll Views
Show your ad before premium video content to increase quick engagement.

App Installs
Encourage users to install your application directly.

Website Traffic
Increase visits to your website.

Engagements
Boost interactions with your tweets such as likes, comments, and retweets.

App Re-Engagements
Encourage existing users to return and interact with your application again.

Sales
Drive users to complete purchases through your website.

Keywords Targeting
Target users with high purchase intent using relevant keywords.

Steps to Create a Twitter Engagement Ad

Let’s start with one of the most common ad types: Engagement Ads.

1. Campaign Name
Choose a clear name so you can easily recognize the campaign.
Example: Saudi Digital Marketing ENG

2. Budget Settings
Set a daily budget (for example $50 per day) and a total campaign budget (for example $200 per campaign).

3. Campaign Schedule
Select the campaign start and end dates from the Budget & Schedule section.

4. Audience Targeting

Using the Demographics settings, define:

• Geographic location (country or city)

• Mobile networks (such as STC or Zain)

• Target language

• Devices (Android, iOS, or Desktop)

5. Interests and Keywords

• Select the main interests of your target audience.

• Add relevant keywords your audience may search for (up to 30 keywords).

6. Followers Look-Alikes

You can target users similar to followers of specific accounts (up to 30 accounts).

7. Ad Creative Setup

• Ad Name: Internal name for easier tracking.

• Product Category: Select the category that fits your ad.

• Destination: Choose where users will go (for example your website).

• Creative Type: Choose between a single image/video or a carousel to showcase multiple products.

• Ad Copy & Media: Write compelling ad text and upload high-quality images or videos.

8. Ad Review

Review all campaign settings before launching the ad. Twitter offers a detailed preview so you can confirm everything before publishing.

Important Tips

• Do not combine keywords targeting and Followers Look-Alikes in the same ad to avoid weak performance.

• High-quality ad creatives have the biggest impact on campaign success.

• Always monitor your campaign performance regularly to improve your marketing strategy and achieve better results.