The explosive use of social media platforms and the significant role they are playing in catapulting people, products, and companies into the limelight has necessitated the need to observe and study social media activities keenly. This is what is known as social media monitoring. There are technological tools that are being used to actively watch all the discussions and debates happening on social media platforms. These discussions and debates are what is increasing the outreach of issues to the larger population and increasing the brand value of celebrities and products.
Purpose of Social Media Monitoring
It is well known that social media platforms played a significant role in the Arab Spring that resulted in the ouster of the erstwhile Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Social media platforms were the fulcrum in facilitating communication, organizing demonstrations, and shaping public opinion. Social media monitoring has rapidly grown on to become a critical asset for observing, measuring, and improving every piece of information that is being communicated through social media platforms. It helps us to understand if our messages are reaching our target audience, analyze the responses we are getting, and the overall impact that is being created on the larger population.
Social Media Monitoring v/s Social Media Listening
The main objective of social media monitoring is to observe and respond quickly to the target audiences. Social media listening has the overarching objective of deriving actionable insights from the responses and behavior of target audiences and implementing relevant changes in social media activities. Brands invariably start with monitoring and responding to customer requests and complaints, and as the target audience grows, they start listening as well in order to improve their products and customer experience and, more importantly, to show that they are listening to their target audience.
Effective Monitoring of Social Media
Social media monitoring is an important part of the overall social media strategy, which defines the contents of social media posts, the relevant social media channels to be used, and the responsibilities of the social media team. It will also clearly state the goals of using social media and the metrics to be used to measure the outcomes. Such a strategy will require a thorough analysis to understand the target audiences as well as the competitors. Only when social media activities are implemented using a comprehensive strategy will companies be able to monitor social media effectively.
Why is Social Media Monitoring a Complex Task?
The humongous amounts of data being generated from activities on social media have necessitated the need to analyze the data to understand the issues, needs, and aspirations of the target audiences. Social media analytics analyzes available data obtained from social media to review the effectiveness of the social media strategy and to glean actionable insights, which then becomes social media listening. There is more, though. A deeper analysis of data can help forecast customer needs and behavior. This is known as Predictive Analytics. For example, data can be drilled down to the point where it would be able to forecast what would be the best time to post content on social media to get the maximum number of likes and favorable comments.
Benefits of Social Media Management and Analyses
- Helps brands to identify how people feel and perceive their products or services online
- Gather deep insights into what people are looking, feeling, and gravitating towards
- Boosts brand awareness and credibility
- Feedback collected can be incorporated to develop/ improve product or service
- Create an effective marketing strategy
- Keep an eye on the competition and on their current and future plans
Why is it Crucial to Outsource Social Media Management?
Social media teams exist in all companies to create and implement their social media strategies. But with the advent of data and predictive analytics, implementing all of it, including social media monitoring, can be challenging to the point of overwhelming. Moreover, having to license, install and configure all the required technology tools can be challenging at the technical level as well as from the cost perspective. This is where outsourcing social media monitoring can be effective, especially for smaller companies.
Our team of seasoned social media professionals and tech-savvy experts has been providing social media monitoring services to numerous clients from all around the world. We help to create and strategize social media monitoring requirements according to your company’s needs. Do contact us for the best price option and plan, and we will respond within 24 hours.
Tags: Media Monitoring, Social Listening, Social Media Data Analysis, Social Media Management, Social Media Monitoring
