Before we can dive into the reasons social listening is important, we should probably explain what it is exactly. Social listening is the practice of searching the web and social channels to see what is being said about your brand, industry and even competitors. So why is social listening important?
- You will miss posts: 30% of Tweets about or mentioning your company are tweeted without your brand’s Twitter handle. This is where just monitoring your brand’s accounts for posts won’t cut it. If you aren’t practicing social listening by tracking keywords related to your brand, you can miss posts from potential and current customers.
- Bring in new customers: If you use social listening to track keywords that are related to your product or brand, you have the chance to find new customers by engaging with them. Imagine a pizza brand who just opened, it would be wise for them to “listen” and watch out for keywords including pizza, lunch, dinner, take out, and so on. By tracking these keywords, the brand can engage with potential customers whose wants and needs can be fulfilled by purchasing their product.
- Identify Brand Advocates and Influencers: if your brand has released news or an update about a new product, you should be tracking those announcements. Identifying advocates and influencers for your brand or industry can improve the visibility of your product(s), customer engagement or your online presence. After your brand has pushed out content through social, track the links used in the post to see who is sharing them. The more you learn about them, the more you will learn about how and where to target your audience.
- Improve Customer Service: Make sure you are monitoring you brand name with and without the @ sign, don’t assume everyone interested in your brand is aware of basic social media usage. By expanding your tracking to include your brand name and it’s common misspellings, and your website, you will increase your chances of finding both positive and negative feedback. Customers want to be heard, even if they don’t reach out to you directly, so it is key for any brand to stay on top of feedback.
- Insight on Your Competitors: If you are tracking general keywords that are related to your brand or products, you will also be able to gain insight on what your competition is doing. You don’t have to narrow it down to just a competitor, you could even make it about your industry as a whole, but the more you read and find on the internet, the more insight you will get on how to propel your brand above others in your industry.
So whether you’re a brand just starting out or are years into your business, social listening should be a part of your social strategy to ensure that your business is reaching its full potential.
