The phrases “social media listening” and “social media monitoring” are often deemed as synonyms although there are some subtle differences.
Social media monitoring entails keeping a watch over social media websites for mentions. Social media listening is the process by which a brand is perceived by consumers and the users’ feedback information.
To succeed in social media marketing you need to be doing equally zealously both – social media monitoring and social media listening – as part of your overall social media marketing strategy.
The next obvious question is – why should you be listening and monitoring on social media? With a meticulous listening system, you can see how your brand is viewed by your existing and prospective customers.
Experts opine that social media can be a fabulous tool for testing new product features and launching of new products consistent with customer demands.
Companies using social media monitoring and listening can respond to consumer needs promptly and efficiently and develop bilateral connections with potential clients, which can be a tremendous competitive advantage.
Both listening and monitoring allows you to keep your finger on the pulse of customer experience that, in turn, helps successful social media marketing.
By monitoring and listening, you get real-time feedback from clients, and then you can make the decision on how to improve your sales/products/services. You can thus learn how to automatically target custom audiences without needless experimentation.
After you learn the art of monitoring and listening, you can fit the benefits into your overall social media marketing plans. With the relevant inputs, you will be ready to develop and implement your marketing strategy.
But you must be guarded and scrupulously avoid common social media listening and monitoring hazards.
Never alienate your potential customers because a recent survey has shown that more than 50percent of consumers just do not want sellers to eavesdrop on their conversations, and nearly 42 percent believe that online perception monitoring is an intrusion on their privacy.
The bulk of consumers insists that they want companies to respond to social comments only when spoken to and not otherwise. If a problem arises, you must satisfactorily explain to customers why you are listening.
Evolve a robust listening and monitoring strategy and promptly act on both positive and negative feedback. Find the social media channels where your prospects proliferate and focus your efforts there.
To make your monitoring and listening effective and rewarding, choose only a couple of social channels where your prospects are overwhelmingly present.