How can you use media monitoring tools to improve your small business's reputation?

The most expensive tool isn't always the best fit. Some smaller platforms might have the perfect niche functionality for our specific needs. Don't be afraid to research, compare, and even take some test drives before committing.

There are many media monitoring platforms available - all do largely the similar things, but on differing scales and at wildly different price points. Think about what you want to monitor - is it mentions in the media? Is it social media engagement and sentiment? If you're a small business dipping your toes into PR and media relations and expect a relatively low number of mentions, then setting up Google Alerts for your brand could be enough. If you're regularly mentioned in the media, need print coverage clippings, social listening, or like the idea of automated reporting and dashboards, then a larger provider may be better. Shop around before you commit to a subscription - lots of platforms offer free trials you can take advantage of.

Selecting the right media monitoring tool is like choosing the perfect tool for your craft. The best examples is restaurants using monitoring tools to track customer feedback i.e. Goggle Alerts and Reputology. By choosing tools aligned with your goals, you can stay on top of conversations about your business.

Any media monitoring tool, is your best bet to deeply understand how people are interacting with your business. Even if you do not want to have any third party tools, Meta and Google offers there for you to use. In my opinion they offer you everything you would need to make any significant decision about your business.

La mejor herramienta de monitoreo de medios es la que nos permite alcanzar nuestro objetivo asociado a una de estas categorías: relaciones públicas, recopilación de noticias o análisis de tendencias. Para cada categoría hay herramientas específicas tremendamente útiles. Prueba varias opciones y después decide la que encaja más con tus objetivos.

Alerts are your allies, keeping tabs on the activities involving your business' online presence. Define relevant keywords, including your brand name, products, and key personnel, to set up alerts.

Alerts and filters act like your personal assistants. Setting up alerts to instantly know when your brand is mentioned is a great strategy. These notifications help you keep a finger on the pulse and respond swiftly.

Mastering alerts and filters, we'll turn our media monitoring tool into a precision guided weapon, delivering the insights we need to make informed decisions and conquer our PR goals.

Filters- the key here. When setting up alerts make sure you filter well. You don’t want to wake up to find 193,937,393 mentions of your issues in your inbox. There may only be six, but when your heart stops racing, and your palms stop sweating - you can miss those six because you didn’t filter well enough!

There are simple and complex tools available to set up alerts and filters for your clients or business. For small businesses, google alerts is one such free tool and there are social media and brand tracking tools available such as mention available. You can choose tools based on your budget.

Data analysis is where the real magic happens. Think about how Dollar Shave Club analyzed social media data to understand customer preferences. By diving into the data, you can uncover insights that inform your business decisions.

All the data that you capture against your business activities, can help you forecast and make better decisions. Analysing data can also help you understand the market needs, help you identify deficiencies in your product or services, and eventually enabling you to rectify the issues.

Data is only as valuable as the insights we extract from it. By digging deeper and connecting the dots, we can transform raw numbers into powerful narratives that shape our PR strategies and propel our brands forward.

Data can be used in Press Releases to add credibility to an angle or story. Research works well and is often picked up by the media. Data rich content is one of the trends that we will be seeing in PR in 2024.

Don't overdo it. Reputation monitoring should not become an analysis of all the data and information collected. Sort out the information you need to be proactive, and the information that will require further analysis - for example, a series of reviews containing elements that need to be corrected (or not), because we also need to take into account our customers' target audience.

In the realm of responsive actions, it is imperative to acknowledge and engage with those who exhibit loyalty towards your brand. Cultivating a connection with loyal customers not only encourages them to vocalize your strengths but also empowers them to bolster your reputation through their own testimonials.

Engagement is the name of the game. Look at how Wendy's Twitter account became famous for witty responses. When you engage with your audience, you humanize your brand and build trust.

Whether positive or negative, never overlook the opinions and comments left by customers. They've taken the time to write, so it's up to us to take the time to respond and sometimes take the time to contact certain customers in more detail. We mustn't lose this connection with customers, to avoid making strategic choices that are out of touch with the market.

Algo primordial, si una relación, amistad, colaboración no se cuida y se alimenta termina muriendo, pues tu audiencia es eso, no dejes de alimentarla. Un saludo.

El poder de la participación activa puede convertir a los clientes satisfechos en defensores entusiastas de tu marca, amplificando positivamente tu reputación en línea.

Adaptation is your growth strategy. Consider how hotels adjust their strategy based on guest's feedback. By evolving your approach based on insights from monitoring tools, you can continuously improve your business's reputation.

Always be open and read to pivot. When one hook or angle isn’t working, try another. Small businesses need to be dynamic and flexible when it comes to strategy.

A strategy is like a French road. Sometimes it's a straight line, but you also have to know how to take the bends and adapt. Data collected, sales figures, customer opinions, the press... all help to anticipate changes or maintain them.

La flexibilidad es clave en la mejora continua de la estrategia. Realiza análisis periódicos para evaluar el impacto de tus acciones y estar preparado para ajustar tu enfoque según las tendencias cambiantes y las respuestas de la audiencia. Incorporar retroalimentación en tiempo real te permitirá adaptarte ágilmente a las necesidades y expectativas en evolución, asegurando una estrategia de relaciones públicas dinámica y efectiva.

Analysis of the obtained data is very important. Sometimes the messages sent by public relations are not clear and misunderstand the audience. Receiving these feedbacks or even audience reactions to published content on social media can help in modifying the message or sending additional messages by PR specialists.

El hecho de ser uno mismo, de ser normal y natural, nos ayudará a ser más creíble, con nuestros defectos y virtudes. Sigue trabajando y mejorando.