• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, May 4, 2009

Lyris, which offers a suite of tools to help maximize ROI for email and other digital campaigns, said Monday it is upgrading its Lyris HQ system to allow marketers to gauge the effectiveness of communications on Twitter. Lyris HQ can already track and measure campaigns across a slew of other social media sites, including Facebook, LinkedIn and MySpace. The announcement came at MediaPost's Email Insider Summit, which is being held this week on Captiva Island.

Lyris HQ allows for monitoring of multiple aspects of interactive marketing campaigns -- including email but also stretching to social, mobile and search engine marketing. The company says the HQ system now "allows marketers to leverage Twitter as part of their integrated marketing repertoire, expanding their ability to reach and engage with customers, prospects and followers in real-time."

The new Twitter functionality offers an option on the HQ dashboard for marketers to follow Twitter feeds, based on key search terms, and perhaps respond to discussions in real time.

Another new feature allows marketers to meld Twitter widgets or icons into email marketing and e-newsletters. When recipients click on one, it takes them to that marketer's Twitter page.

Thirdly, marketers can then gauge traffic that travels from a Twitter page to their Web sites. And HQ can provide details on what customers are doing on the site.

"This level of insight enables marketers to better assess the business impact and effectiveness of messages posted on Twitter -- whether originating from their own company or spread virally throughout the Twitter community," Lyris said.