Here’s 10 fab (and totally logical) reasons why you should brush up on your social media listening skills.
#10 – Know your target audience
They could be critics or fans. They could be influencers, competitors, or even potential ambassadors. Unless you are listening how will you know who is important to you?
#09 – Know where they live
At the risk of sounding like a stalker, you need to know where your audience hangs out online. Twitter? LinkedIn? Blogs? Listening lets you know where to start connecting first.
#08 – Find angles into the conversation
They could be complaining, complimenting, asking for help, or even looking for you specifically. Listening gives you the power to know how to start responding.
#07 – Build better quality connections
If you are listening, you can reach out and connect to those people who are talking about the stuff you share in common. That’s tons better ROI than hitting the ‘mass follow’ button.
#06 – Become a star!
Searching and listening outside of your own social circle allows you to find valuable new information and pass it back to your own network: positioning you as a bit of a geezer.
#05 – Anticipate fires
Having a list of ‘complaint’ search terms in combination with your brand keywords will help you anticipate and avert potential crises. Don’t let your entry into social media be a baptism of fire.
#04 – Make people warm and fluffy
People feel all warm and fluffy when they are listened to properly. And warm and fluffy people are easier to sell to. Let them know you are listening. Acknowledge them.
#03 – Get people to spread your message for you
When you listen out for what people value, and give them good advice, or even great content, for free) they pass it on, share it, talk about it. Saving you the effort! Bargain.
#02 – Sneakily steal competitor’s customers
If you include listening on your competitors’ keywords, you find out exactly how they are doing. Gently explain how your product or service can help solve their problem and voila!
#01 – It’s free!
At least to get started. A follow up post on how to get started listening coming very soon.
Meanwhile, as the venerable Chris Brogan pointed out waaaay back in time, listening is one of the best PR and marketing investments you can make.
Live long and prosper, Chris.
