The social-media related aspects of TV engagement are starting to gain some significance in the television landscape: According to SocialGuide, 32 million unique people in the U.S. tweeted about TV in 2012. And Nielsen said that networks and advertisers should be paying attention.

By analyzing Tweets about live TV, a study from the two measurement companies confirmed a relationship between Twitter (News - Alert) and TV ratings. But how well does Twitter align with TV program ratings? The survey confirmed that increases in Twitter volume correlate to increases in TV ratings for varying age groups, revealing a stronger correlation for younger audiences.

Specifically, the study found that for 18-34 year olds, an 8.5 percent increase in Twitter volume corresponds to a one percent increase in TV ratings for premiere episodes, while a 4.2 percent increase in Twitter volume corresponds with a one percent increase in ratings for midseason episodes.

Additionally, a 14 percent increase in Twitter volume is associated with a one percent increase in TV program ratings for 35-49 year olds, reflecting a stronger relationship between Twitter and TV for younger audiences.

The study also identified Twitter as one of three statistically significant variables (in addition to prior-year rating and advertising spend) to align with TV ratings.

“While prior-year rating accounts for the lion’s share of the variability in TV ratings, Twitter’s presence as a top three influencer tells us that Tweeting about live TV may affect program engagement,” said Andrew Somosi, CEO of SocialGuide. “We expected to see a correlation between Twitter and TV ratings, but this study quantifies the strength of that relationship.”

Much of the overall correlation is being driven by the rise in media consumption across multiple device screens, Nielsen added, in a company blog. “We know that 80 percent of U.S. tablet and smartphone owners who watch TV use their device while watching at least several times a month. We also know that 40 percent of U.S. tablet and smartphone users visit a social network while watching TV.”