How to Spy on Your Target Customers With Social Listening

by | May 9, 2023 | Marketing | 0 comments

This post might contain affiliate links meaning we get a small commission if you choose to purchase through those links (without any extra cost to you). Read full disclosure here >>


Imagine you’re talking to a friend.

And.. you just say “Pizza” and boom!

There’s a pizza ad.

Ridiculous, right?

(I bet I’m going to see a Pizza ad as soon as I’m done writing this blog post)

Why do you think that happens?

It’s because the algorithms are listening to you. (Controversial)

Now, of course, we don’t have that power.

What we do have?

A human mind… that can do something similar that would give a feeling of WOW to your target customers.

They’d feel like you’re listening to them.

Which you’d be.

Through social listening.

What is social listening?

Basically, it’s monitoring and analyzing conversations, mentions, and feedback related to a brand, product, or industry.

That too across various social media platforms, forums, blogs, and online communities.

It’s basically being like that neighborhood aunt that knows all the gossip.

Now, you must be wondering…

Why do you do it?

It’s pretty simple.

The goal is to gain valuable insights into customers’ needs, preferences, opinions, and attitudes toward a brand, product, or service.

And use this information in

  • Marketing strategies
  • Product development
  • Customer service,
  • And brand reputation management.

Pretty cool, right?

Now, on to the meaty part.

How do you do social listening?

I have my 4 favorite ways (these are the most important ones anyway) ↓

1// Using social media monitoring tools

There are many tools such as Hootsuite, Sprout Social, etc.

They allow you to monitor and track brand mentions, hashtags, and conversations across multiple social media platforms.

2// Google Alerts or Mention

You can also use Google Alerts or Mention (it’s a tool!) to track specific keywords and hashtags related to your brand, products, or industry.

Mention homepage

Here’s a detailed article that would help you with this.

3// Forums, FB Groups, Subreddits, communities

Penetrate the community.

Blend in.

Listen to the conversations.

Collect information.

(I know it sounds like a military strategy!)

4// Review mining

Continuously monitor reviews on Amazon, own website, and other review websites.

The goal?

Collect feedback about the product, service, or brand.

Once, you have all this information…

What do you do with all the information?

Sentiment analysis.

Analyze the tone of the information and see if it’s positive, negative, or neutral.

Look for the patterns.

The more you do it, the better you get at it.

But know one thing.

Do this for both yourself and your competitors.

Why?

Because it’d help you optimize and make your marketing decisions accordingly and stay one step ahead of the competition.

You do want to stay ahead, don’t you?

Also read: How to influence your target customers to take action (in a constructive way)

Final Thoughts

Social listening is a great way to know what’s happening in your industry and what people are saying about your brand or competitors.

4 Ways to do it:

  • Use tools such as Hootsuite, Sprout Social, etc. to monitor and track brand mentions, hashtags, and conversations across multiple social media platforms.
  • Use tools like Google Alerts, Mention, etc. to track specific keywords and hashtags related to your brand, products, or industry.
  • Hang out in forums, subReddits, FB groups, Communities, etc.
  • Review mining – look at the reviews on your own website and other platforms.

Do this for both yourself and your competitors.

Analyze the sentiment of the conversations and optimize your marketing efforts accordingly.

And voila!


Found this article helpful?

Sign up for The Marketing Fundamentals Newsletter (FREE) & you’ll find more golden nuggets inside on marketing & conversion to make your brand the talk of the town.


Rahul Choudhary

Rahul Choudhary

Founder, Beef Up Media

With almost 6 whole years of experience in the online marketing world, I’ve seen most – the good, the bad, and the downright ugly.

My goal?

Try to share as much of my knowledge & experience as possible.

Don’t forget to connect with me on social media. ↓

FREE Customer Clarity Kit

Discover who your perfect customer truly is and make business decisions with a higher level of confidence.

related posts:

The Science Behind Minimalistic Marketing

The Science Behind Minimalistic Marketing

You've probably faced this once or twice. Opening an email or visiting a website only to find a confusing wall of text. Something that makes interacting with a brand feel more like solving a tricky crossword puzzle. It gets quite exhausting. Isn't it? Know what’s...

5 Things I Wish I Knew About Marketing From Day One

5 Things I Wish I Knew About Marketing From Day One

You're pouring cash into ads, social media posts, and fancy marketing gimmicks. But it feels like throwing confetti into a black hole. Colourful, costly, and utterly pointless. We've all been sold the dream that if you just market hard enough, customers will come...

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *