The Art of Filter Rules
The difference between a campaign that generates leads and one that generates noise comes down to your filter rules. Here’s how to write great ones.
Must-Know Operators
| Operator | Example | What it does |
|---|
"exact phrase" | "looking for a CRM" | Matches the exact phrase |
OR | CRM OR ERP | Matches either term |
AND | CRM AND pricing | Both must be present |
-word | CRM -spam | Excludes tweets with “spam” |
from:user | from:elonmusk | Tweets by specific user |
@mention | @HubSpot | Tweets mentioning this account |
lang:xx | lang:en | Only this language |
Advanced Operators
| Operator | Example | What it does |
|---|
(group) | (CRM OR ERP) AND pricing | Group conditions |
min_replies:N | min_replies:5 | Only tweets with 5+ replies |
min_likes:N | min_likes:10 | Only popular tweets |
is:reply | is:reply | Only replies (not original tweets) |
-is:retweet | -is:retweet | Exclude retweets |
Real-World Examples
Lead Generation (SEO Agency)
("need SEO" OR "looking for SEO" OR "SEO agency" OR "help with SEO") (Mumbai OR Bangalore OR India) lang:en -is:retweet
Competitor Monitoring
(@CompetitorA OR @CompetitorB) ("doesn't work" OR "bad experience" OR "looking for alternative" OR "switched from")
Industry Conversations
("AI tools" OR "AI for marketing") ("anyone recommend" OR "what do you use" OR "best tool") lang:en
Brand Mentions
GenX OR @genxzone OR genx.zone -from:genxzone
Trending Topics
("voice AI" OR "AI assistant" OR "personal assistant") lang:en -is:retweet
Common Mistakes
Too broad: SEO alone will match thousands of irrelevant tweets. Always combine with context words.Too narrow: "best SEO agency in Mumbai for e-commerce startups founded in 2024" will match zero tweets. Simplify.Missing language filter: Without lang:en, you’ll get tweets in every language. Add a language filter unless you want multilingual results.
The 3-Rule Strategy
For most businesses, we recommend starting with three campaigns:
-
Intent signals — People actively looking for what you offer
("looking for" OR "need" OR "recommend") ("your product category")
-
Competitor mentions — People talking about alternatives
(@competitor1 OR @competitor2) ("problem" OR "alternative" OR "switching")
-
Industry conversations — Broader discussions in your niche
("your industry topic") ("anyone" OR "what do you" OR "thoughts on")
This gives you a mix of high-intent leads, competitive opportunities, and brand awareness.
