social-media-monitoring

Monitoring your business’ social media channels is about more than just listening.

You can use social media monitoring to track mentions of your brand, competitors, product, and any other keywords that are applicable to your business*.

The information you gather can help you make major decisions about your marketing strategy, the products and services you offer, and how people regard your brand. Plus, it can help you identify leads, build relationships, stay on top of trends, learn about your competitors, protect your brand, and more!

Here are five good reasons to monitor your social media channels:

1. To find out what people are saying about your business.

What do you know about your brand’s reputation? You can get an idea by reading your reviews and speaking with customers, but if you’re ignoring social media channels, you’re still missing a wealth of more informal brand or product mentions.

People use social media to discuss topics they care about within the communities they choose. That’s where you need to listen to truly discover how people regard your business, the issues they’re having, and the things they like or don’t like.

Not only do you need to read these messages, but you need to be there to respond! A recent survey found that 89% of social messages go ignored. That’s a problem – and an even bigger missed opportunity

2. To find leads and build relationships.

Are people searching for your products and services?

When you monitor your brand’s keywords or phrases, you can jump in and answer these requests. For example, if someone posts “I want pizza!” you can reply mentioning your restaurant’s 2-for-1 pizza deal.

Or NOT selling anything can be really effective, too. Just being there to interact with people and answer questions can really build your brand loyalty. Be a part of the conversations that are happening online about your industry.

3. To stay on top of trends

When you’re closely monitoring discussions in your niche, you may be able to catch new and evolving trends as they emerge. For example, when Instagram launched its “Stories” product, Snapchat growth took a major hit.

In response to news like this, you may decide to alter your marketing strategy to be one of the first to dive into a new social channel or try a new tactic.

Why is this important? In an over-saturated market, doing the same thing as everyone else can get you lost in the crowd. Finding ways to stand out will help you get noticed and stay relevant in your industry.

4. To research competitors

Has your competition launched a product similar to what you offer, but at a lower price or with a few more bells and whistles? Did they just launch a marketing strategy that your customers are loving? Did they just screw up royally using a tactic you’ve been considering?

Keeping your finger on the social pulse will alert you about these types of scenarios and unforeseen issues that may have huge repercussions for your business.

5. To protect your brand

Building your brand’s reputation takes a lot of time and effort, but it can all be lost in seconds.

Monitoring your social channels allows you to identify any issues customers have and jump on solutions before they blow up.

Stuff happens. It’s inevitable.

It’s how you respond and how quickly you respond that matters. In fact, we’ve found that when a business resolves an issue quickly and efficiently, 95% of unhappy customers will still return to you.

Listening, identifying the issue, and showing your customers you care and are taking steps to resolve the issue is what can turn them from ab rand killer into a champion for your business.

***

Most businesses are aware that they should maintain a presence on social media. What your competitors may not know is how to monitor those channels for maximum leverage for your brand and your reputation.

If you’re not already monitoring social media for mentions related to your brand, your products and services, competitors, and industry, you might be missing some golden opportunities!

*Note: This post outlines organic social media monitoring tips, as opposed to paid social campaigns. Organic social media is more geared toward building brand awareness and connecting with your target audience. Paid social is typically centered on driving targeted actions like content downloads, webinar or appointment signups, and other specific goals.

Want to learn how you can apply these techniques to your own business?

We’d love to help! Call us for a quick chat and no-obligation Snapshot Report

1-877-544-5258

Accelerate your local marketing!

Click here to request your free small business assessment.