Social listening is a powerful tool that brands can use to manage their reputation online and protect their brand image. Social media is not just a platform for businesses to engage with their customers, but it is also a platform where customers can share their opinions, feedback, and experiences with the world. This is where social listening comes into play.
Social listening is the process of monitoring and analyzing conversations and mentions on social media platforms to understand what people are saying about your brand, products, services, competitors, and industry. Social listening can be a powerful tool for businesses to manage their reputation online and protect their brand image.
Here are some ways that social listening can help brands with reputation management:
Monitor brand mentions
Social listening enables brands to monitor brand mentions and keep track of what people are saying about them online. By analyzing the conversations and mentions related to their brand, brands can get a real-time understanding of their reputation online and identify areas where they need to improve.
Respond to customer feedback
Social listening enables brands to respond to customer feedback in real time. By responding promptly to customer inquiries and complaints, brands can demonstrate their commitment to customer service and improve customer loyalty. Responding to customer feedback can also help brands address any negative sentiment before it turns into a crisis.
Identify brand advocates
Social listening enables brands to identify brand advocates who are sharing positive experiences and opinions about their brand online. By engaging with brand advocates, brands can build relationships with their most loyal customers and leverage their influence to reach a wider audience.
Identify potential crises
Social listening enables brands to identify potential crises before they escalate. By monitoring conversations and mentions related to their brand and industry, brands can stay ahead of the curve and take proactive measures to address any issues before they become a crisis.
Measure brand sentiment
Social listening enables brands to measure their brand sentiment and understand how customers perceive them. By analyzing the tone and language in conversations and mentions, brands can get a sense of how their customers feel about them and identify areas where they need to improve.
Here's an example of how social listening has been used successfully for reputation management:
In 2017, United Airlines faced a public relations crisis when a passenger was forcibly removed from an overbooked flight. A video about the incident quickly went viral on social media, sparking outrage and condemnation from customers and the public. United Airlines responded by releasing a statement apologizing for the incident and promising to review its policies and procedures. However, the negative sentiment toward United Airlines continued to grow on social media.
To manage the crisis, United Airlines used social listening to monitor conversations and mentions related to the incident. By analyzing the conversations and mentions, United Airlines identified the key issues and concerns that were driving the negative sentiment toward the brand. Then, United Airlines responded to the negative sentiment by addressing the concerns and issues that were driving the negative sentiment. The airline also engaged with customers and the public on social media, responding to inquiries and complaints in real time.
As a result of United Airlines' proactive response and engagement, the negative sentiment towards the brand began to dissipate, and the brand was able to recover from the crisis.
Social listening is a powerful tool that brands can use to manage their reputation online and protect their brand image. By monitoring brand mentions, responding to customer feedback, identifying brand advocates, identifying potential crises, and measuring brand sentiment, brands can stay ahead of the curve and take proactive measures to address any issues before they become a crisis. The United Airlines crisis is an excellent example of how social listening can be used successfully for reputation management.
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