The world of social media and monitoring what is being said about your brand can be confusing and daunting.

There is so much to keep in mind and so many different online platforms to monitor. Social media monitoring is also known as online analytics, social media measurement, social media management, buzz analysis, and the lists goes on.

Firstly, social media monitoring is the act of using an online tool to monitor what is being said about your brand (or a competitor for that matter) on the World Wide Web. It includes the monitoring of social media and other online platforms like blogs to determine the sentiment of an online conversation about a brand or topic.

One of the benefits of social media monitoring is that it can help marketers determine what impact their online marketing or advertising campaigns have on the public. Once the impact is determined, the marketer can identify opportunities for engagement. Social media monitoring can also provide valuable information about emerging trends and what consumers think about a specific brand or product.

There are many different online tools businesses can use to monitor a variety of social media channels. These tools allow companies to track what consumers are saying about their brand, product or actions. Companies can then react to interact with people through the social media platforms where these conversations are taking place. We will discuss the different social media monitoring tools in detail in an upcoming blog post.

Why is social media monitoring important?

• You know where you stand: Monitoring conversaionts will let you know what consumers think of your product as they will tell the truth on social media as they have nothing to lose. It can also provide valuable information about what your competitors are offering.
• Crisis control: Social media can quickly turn on you if you don’t pay close attention to it. By keeping your finger on the pulse, you can quickly respond to negative comments to ensure that disturbed customers are attended to.
• Identify influencers: With social media monitoring you can identify those consumers whose opinions are respected among their peers. You want these people in you good books so find ways to attract and engage with them, once you have identified them.
• Learn what works: You can learn from other companies’ mistakes. Keep an eye on your competitors and you will soon learn what works and what doesn’t.

How should brands handle negative comments on social media?

It is important to always be kind in your response to consumers. The old saying “the customer is always right” applies here, no matter how wrong he is! When faced with a complaint, don’t get defensive. It is best to be accommodating, polite and try to truly listen to the comment. If your business made a mistake, own up to it and apologise. Mistakes happen, and if you deal with them head-on consumers will respect that.

If you want to find out more about monitoring what is being said about your brand online, feel free to contact us to see how we can help.