How can you identify industry trends with social listening?

1 Choose the right tools

To identify industry trends with social listening, you need to use tools that can collect, filter, and analyze data from various online sources, such as social media platforms, blogs, forums, news sites, and review sites. Some examples of social listening tools are Hootsuite, Sprout Social, Mention, and Brandwatch. These tools can help you set up keywords, hashtags, phrases, and queries related to your industry, and track their volume, sentiment, reach, and engagement over time. They can also help you identify influencers, hashtags, topics, and content that are trending in your industry.

2 Segment and compare the data

Once you have the data from your social listening tools, you need to segment and compare it to identify the patterns, shifts, and gaps that indicate industry trends. You can segment the data by different criteria, such as source, location, audience, sentiment, or topic. For example, you can compare the data from different social media platforms to see which ones have more conversations and engagement about your industry. You can also compare the data from different regions or countries to see how the trends vary by geography. You can also compare the data from different time periods to see how the trends evolve over time.

3 Validate and contextualize the trends

After you have identified the potential trends from your social listening data, you need to validate and contextualize them to make sure they are relevant and meaningful for your business. You can validate the trends by cross-checking them with other sources of information, such as industry reports, surveys, research papers, or expert opinions. You can also validate the trends by testing them with your own audience, such as asking them for feedback, conducting polls, or launching campaigns. You can contextualize the trends by understanding the drivers, implications, and opportunities behind them. You can also contextualize the trends by relating them to your business goals, challenges, and strengths.

4 Adapt and optimize your strategy

Finally, you need to use the insights from your social listening to adapt and optimize your marketing strategy according to the industry trends. You can use the trends to inform your decisions on product development, content creation, distribution channels, messaging, positioning, and promotion. You can also use the trends to anticipate your customers' needs, expectations, and behaviors, and to deliver value and solutions that match them. You can also use the trends to differentiate yourself from your competitors, and to establish yourself as a leader and innovator in your industry.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?