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Social Media Listening Example
December 02, 2011
What exactly is Social Media Listening? You've probably heard the term before, but don't know exactly what it's referring too.
It's a pretty vague term, but Social Media/SEO experts will toss it around like everyone is supposed to know how to apply it - or even it's core definition.
I define Social Media Listening as not only paying attention to what others are saying about you or your industry on social media outlets, but also in more traditional media such as television or radio - then knowing how to use social media to strategically react.
Listening comes in all shapes and forms. It can be something as simple as chiming in on someone else's Twitter post to start a conversation. It can be used to identify opportunities for your company, or generate more followers for your Twitter or Facebook pages, which in turn helps your Search Engine Optimization (SEO). But it all starts with paying attention to what others are doing - not just being self-serving on Social Media.
That - simply, at it's core - is listening. It's important, but easy to forget about or overlook. You've probably heard that social media is a conversation (the cocktail party example). But would you be interested in listening to someone who didn't listen to you? Exactly.
So, you should have a social media plan, to make sure that you schedule times to listen. That said, let's jump into a real life example that happened to me the other day.
Ever see a really cool commercial, but not remember the product or company? Happens all the time, right? Well, it happened to a reporter from NFL Network on Thanksgiving Day.
An avid football fan, I was watching the pre-game show with my five month old daughter. I heard Albert Breer - who has more than 53,000 twitter followers state that a TV ad with Packers QB Aaron Rodgers in it was an Allstate ad, when in fact - I knew it was a State Farm ad - you know, the Discount Double Check. We can sidebar on the issue of marketing brand recognition vs. trying to win an Addy later, but for now, let's focus on the Social Media Listening example.
So - after he made the miscue on national television, I decided to tweet about it. But I did it politely, and I tweeted to him. Now, you never really expect a response, but it's worth trying to get one, because if you do - you've struck gold for your social media reputation. What ensued was a series of tweets from Breer, acknowledging that I was right and thanking me for correcting him, but also mentioning my Twitter handle - @ATIBAmarketing on three separate occasions in front of his more than 53,000 followers on a day - Thanksgiving - when everyone is watching football and following him on Twitter.
Jackpot, right?
I listened, reacted strategically, and reaped the benefits.
But the example is two-fold. He listened. He reacted appropriately, and he corrected his mistake on behalf of himself - and his company - NFL Network. Who knows, State Farm may have been in negotiations with the NFL at the time to come on board as an official sponsor. Would you move forward if one of your potential partner's employees gave credit on national TV to a competitor for an ad you did?
Breer is smart. He listened and he reacted appropriately.
This, my friends, is Social Media Listening 101.
For more information, please feel free to contact me at marketing@atiba.com or follow me on Twitter @ATIBAmarketing
Paul Hickey
Atiba News
