Today, Twitter launched its new tracking feature, where you can receive immediate notification when someone’s tweet contains a particular keyword of your choosing.

You can use this new feature to find and contact other Twitterers who can benefit from your product, service, or blog posts.

First, you’ll want to make sure your Twitter profile has your URL listed and your blurb clearly outlines your area of expertise.

Now, you’ll want to track keywords related to your product or service. For example, if I run a digital photography site, I’d track keywords like “camera” or “pictures” and see what kinds of messages pop up.

Start with lots of keywords and then pare down the list as you learn which are providing valuable leads and which only bog down your incoming SMS list.

Remember to use conversational keywords. Tweets are informal by nature. Think about how you’d tweet on your topic, and enter keywords accordingly.

Now, you’ll be notified each time someone’s tweet contains your keyword.

The key is to use this information *constructively*. Interact with the posters. If someone says they “just bought a digital camera,” send them a message offering help learning a trick or two. If they say they’re “taking pictures tomorrow” ask what sort of pictures they’re taking or where they are. You can then offer more specific information in response. As you prove yourself to be a valuable resource, you gain trust and in turn will gain readership and new business.

To use Twitter’s tracking feature:

SMS (40404) or IM the following to Twitter: track keyword

(Replace keyword with your own keyword.)

Please do not use this strategy to spam people. That’s just not cool.