7Summits Agency

Mind Your Business- Social Listening in the era of the social brand

According to Econsultancy’s 2012 Online Reputation and Buzz Monitoring Buyer’s Guide, more companies are using some form of reputation monitoring technology. The number of companies that use buzz monitoring technology increased by 7% over the past year.  Even though the percentage of companies that exclusively use a paid or free tool has decreased, the use of a combination of paid and free tools has increased by 11% from 2010 to 2011.  However, just because companies are using these tools it does not mean they are utilizing them to their full potential.

The process of developing a successful brand and reputation monitoring program begins with the specific goals of the organization and the ways in which they plan to use this information.  A monitoring program is as much about tracking your brand as it is about competitive intelligence, market trends, and strategic advantages.  We see a brand’s reputation as the integration of an open social presence (Facebook, Twitter, etc. both managed and created by users), traditional brand and company websites, and public and private communities. With that cohesive brand presence in mind, you must take all of these aspects into consideration when building a monitoring or reputation management program.  This methodology means various tools, measurement capabilities, and processes must be in place for all aspects of a brand’s reputation.

If businesses want to get the most use out of their social listening tools, they need to monitor more than just their own brand. By expanding their monitoring to topics related to their brand, companies can develop a greater understanding of their products and the consumers that use them. Businesses would then be able to tailor their marketing strategy and even branch out into previously unnoticed consumer segments.

Companies must take a holistic approach to online monitoring and crisis management.  The most successful programs monitor all aspects of a brand’s online presence and utilize multiple integrated mediums to combat crises that may arise.  Beyond monitoring, a company must realize the importance of workflow for taking action, advocate for systems and policies to be in place to take insights garnered from the social web to be imported into the organization where they can be collectively brought to the attention of the appropriate employee or team who can then create specific plans of action. Community elements and the right tools make these workflows possible.  Via communities, specific mentions and emerging trends can be brought to the attention of the correct stakeholders to then collaborate around the issues and escalate the proper forms of response. These methods allow for catching crises early when they are easier to solve and have reached the least amount of users.

In the right hands, social listening tools can be as practical as a Swiss Army Knife. Businesses who effectively use social listening can gain an advantage over their competitors, develop a better understanding of their consumers, and minimize damages from any crises that may arise.

 

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