Just hear me out. Social listening sounds like another corporate buzzword (kinda like those dreaded icebreakers they make you play 🙄), but I promise it’s not.
And honestly? As someone who wants to show up as a bada**, create raving fans, and build a thriving business on social media, it’s something you need to know about.
In this blog post, I’ll be sharing what social listening is, why it’s important, and how you can start doing it right now!
So, friend, let’s get into it.
WTF is social listening?
Social listening is taking the time to understand what your audience wants to hear.
Because let’s be real, content creation is all about them and what they want (not what you think they want.)
It’s tuning into what your ideal clients are saying about your industry and paying attention to the buzz, the chatter, and the noise – both the good and the bad.
Why is social listening important?
Social listening helps you see what your ideal clients are talking about, struggling with, and desiring so you can create relatable content for them.
Little social media manager secret between you and me . . . THIS is how you create content that engages and converts your audience.
And that’s because it helps you:
- Gather market insights. By analyzing content and conversations, you can learn more about what your ideal audience wants to see.
- Understand industry pain points. When you know what your audience is struggling with, you can create content that positions you and your offer as the solution.
- Build trust with your audience. Content that speaks to your ideal clients helps you gain their trust because they know you “get it” and you can help!
How to level up your content with social listening.
If you spend hourrrsssss creating content that nobody engages with, you can pop a bottle of champagne right now because social listening is here to break that cycle.
Here are a few ways you can use it to create better content:
- Use the question or poll feature in your Stories.
- Use the poll question on your posts.
- Ask engaging questions on your posts.
- Pay attention to recurring topics or questions in your comments section and/or DMs.
- Monitor competitor accounts, look for relevant feedback from their audience, and see how it relates to your brand.
When social listening gets a little dicey.
Sometimes, social listening goes differently than you envisioned.
Your audience may respond to your polls, questions, and content with negative feedback or criticism.
While your instinct is to take it to heart, it’s important to respond in a respectful and inclusive manner.
Everyone has different opinions, and they may vary from yours. That’s okay! It’s just an opportunity to learn more about your audience so you can serve them to the greatest extent possible.
And if it’s something that feels overly personal, you can always hit the block button. 😉
If the thought of social media sends you into a spiral, we’re here to help with our Full Social Media Management. We’ll do the social listening, strategy, content creation, and more so you can focus on what you love most – working in your business. Book a free call to learn more!
