Social listening- what is it, and why does it matter? You’re probably already doing some sort of social monitoring- meaning that you’re monitoring your social media channels for direct mentions of your brand, customer feedback, or discussions pertaining to your brand. But social media listening is different from social media monitoring. You’re still collecting all of that important information, but in this 2-step process, you then analyze that data and use it to take action.

Social listening provides the most comprehensive information about your audience. It tells you what they love about your brand, and it also shows you areas that could use improvement. Social listening allows you to get an inside look at the things that really matter to your followers so you can create content that’s guaranteed to appeal to them and draw them to your brand.

If you’re not already using social listening strategies, here are 5 reasons you should start:

1. Increase your customer engagement

When someone mentions your company favorably, take the opportunity to tell them thanks! You’ll notice that the biggest, most successful companies do this all the time. Customers like it when brands respond, and when you interact directly with your customers, you build the trust and loyalty that leads to customer retention.

2. Discover new opportunities

Listening to your customers’ comments tells you what they love, but it also gives you insight into problems and situations that they find frustrating. If you can develop a new product or service that solves their problem, you’ve potentially gained new customers, and ensured lasting loyalty from existing ones.

3. Fix small problems before they become big ones

Hopefully, most of your customers are thoroughly satisfied with your brand, but every business gets a complaint here and there. One or two negative comments probably aren’t a big deal, but if you notice a significant increase in complaints or negative reviews, you could have a major problem on your hands. Social listening allows you to identify issues and course correct before things get out of hand.

4. Keep an eye on the competition

Social listening isn’t just about your customers, it’s also about keeping close tabs on your competition. If they’re developing a new product or marketing campaign, you want to be the first to know about it!

5. Boost customer acquisition

Social listening is the most effective way to learn what your customers value. Check out your top customers’ social media profiles. Scroll through their photos to see what they love. Use their hashtags to learn what causes they support and what social media conversations they’re involved in. Discovering what your customers post and share helps you develop content that is customized to their tastes and sure to draw them to your brand.

Social listening should be a key part of your customer strategy. The social media managers at SophieZo can help you discover exactly what your customers want and how to create customized content that they’ll love. Book a call today!