There are many lists out there with a myriad of reasons why you should monitor social media. Here’s our round-up.
Identify influencers, in order to bring your message directly to them.
An influencer is a blog, Twitter, user, forum, individual, or other social media entity that is shaping the conversation that you are monitoring. They usually have a relatively high authority level and have plenty to say about the topics that affect your organization, products, and industry. Opinions will be influenced by what these people say.
Once you’ve identified the influencers in your circle of relevance, you can begin to cultivate a relationship with them which will help to ensure that your messages are propagated correctly and quickly to your audience.
Social media conversations are an essential resource to identify, target, and connect with your key audience.
You may have a picture in mind of your target audience for your products and services – but are you sure that it is accurate, and that you’re not missing another potential customer group? By listening to WHO is discussing your products, competitors, and industry, you may discover a new potential audience. Having access to demographic data (age, gender, geography, etc.) about those participating in conversations relevant to you will open up new avenues for customer acquisition. You’ll be able to better craft your message to reach those who are actually listening.
Let your customers tell you where they want your products and services to go.
Think of the social media space as a gigantic suggestion box. Customer complaints, wish-lists, and even compliments are rampant on Twitter, blogs, and forums. By listening, you’ll quickly learn what you (and your competitors) are doing well, what the public would like to see in your industry, and where you can improve on what’s already out there. Harness the power of crowdsourcing to influence your product development programs.
Social Media is the new frontier for competitive intelligence.
Your competitors are already using and monitoring social media. You need to be aware of what your competitors are doing in this space. What messages are they using? Monitor what they’re saying, and learn how can you differentiate yourself.
And don’t forget: they’re monitoring YOU.
Today, people trust the opinions of others MORE than brand advertisements.
Recommendations from personal acquaintances or opinions posted by consumers online are the most trusted forms of advertising. Make sure those opinions are on-point. If they’re not, you need to correct misinformation.
The conversation is happening, with or without you.
Your customers expect you to be there – and it will affect your reputation if you’re not listening. Many organizations are nervous about getting involved as they’re worried about saying the “wrong thing.” But silence is the worst answer you can give on social media. And you won’t be aware that someone is awaiting a response from you if you’re not monitoring social media.
