Some 15% of online adults use Twitter, with 8% using the social network on a typical day. The figure represents a steady rate of adoption since May 2011, when 13 percent of online adults were tuned in and using the microblogging service.

Those who are using Twitter are doing so more regularly; last May, only 4% of users said Twitter use was a part of their typical day. Late in 2010, that figure was just 2% according to Pew Internet. These new insights into Twitter use and engagement are the results of their Twitter Use 2012 survey, in which they connected with 2,253 U.S. adults between March and April of this year.

Understanding who your audience is on any given network is critical to your success as a marketer in that space. While nothing beats your own experience and data, Pew Internet offers a broad overview of the types of users who are most likely to use Twitter, and use it often. Here are a few takeaways for your social media marketing arsenal.

Black Internet Users Use Twitter at High Rates:

Twenty-eight percent of online African-Americans use Twitter, with 13 percent doing so on a typical day. This is a continuation of Pew Internet’s findings from last year.

Twitter is Attractive to Younger Users:

Twenty-six percent of Internet users ages 18-29 use Twitter, nearly double the rate for those ages 30-49. Among the youngest Internet users (those ages 18-24), fully 31 percent are Twitter users, according to their report.

Urban & Suburban Residents Far More Likely to Use Twitter:

Twitter is popular in Suburbia, if the results of this survey are any indication. 19% of urban residents who use the Internet also use Twitter, while 14% of suburban residents are tuned in. Only 8% of those living in rural areas use Twitter.

Twitter Usage is Highly Correlated With the Use of Mobile Technologies:

Pew Internet reports a high correlation between Twitter usage and the use of technology, especially smartphones. 20% of smartphone owners are Twitter users and 13 percent of those use Twitter on a typical day. Those with plain-Jane cell phones are about half as likely to use Twitter, with 9% reporting they do so. Only 3% of regular cell phone users report using Twitter on a typical day.

Younger Cell Phone Owners More Likely to Use Twitter Mobile:

Mobile phone owners ages 18-24 are more likely than older cell owners to use Twitter within the context of their mobile devices, according to the report. Twenty-two percent of 18-24 year old cell owners use Twitter on their phones and 15 percent do so on a typical day. The report notes that, “African Americans and Latinos (both of whom have high rates of smartphone ownership) also stand out as heavy mobile Twitter users.”

Peter Zmijewski is the founder and CEO at KeywordSpy. His expert knowledge on Internet Marketing practices and techniques has earned him the title “Internet Marketing Guru”. He is also an innovator, investor and entrepreneur widely recognized by the top players in the industry.