Social media continues to be a major marketing weapon for brands and companies of all sizes. With the number of active social media users only continuing to grow, having social media profiles and creating interesting content is essential. But you shouldn’t stop there. In order to build a solid reputation and following on social media, it’s more important than ever to know what your audience actually wants to hear from you. That’s where social listening comes in.
As defined by HubSpot, social listening is the monitoring of your brand's social media channels for any customer feedback and direct mentions of your brand or discussions regarding specific keywords, topics, competitors, or industries, followed by an analysis to gain insights and act on those opportunities. By using social listening, you can tailor your content to fit the needs of your followers and learn when it’s time to shift your content strategy.
Here are three reasons why you should be practicing social listening:
- Engage with customers
Your customers want to be heard. Whether they’re reaching out to say how much they love your product or to bring awareness of a product issue, it’s important to respond–quickly. In fact, some brands like Nike and HubSpot even have Twitter support channels created specifically to respond to customer service requests.
- Track competitors
Social listening doesn’t involve only your own brand. You can also perform social listening to discover what users are saying about your competitors as well. Furthermore, you can gain insight into what your competitors are doing in real time by keeping up with their social media activity in real time.
- Identify potential prospects
While a majority of your followers may be your customers, you may be surprised at how many of your followers follow your brand just because they enjoy your content. Share helpful information, make a connection, and develop relationships with potential customers to position your brand top of mind when it’s time to make a purchase decision.
Need help getting started with social listening? Reach out below!
