Showing posts with label Social Media Monitoring. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Social Media Monitoring. Show all posts

Friday, June 8, 2018

YOUR Online Presence Monitoring Tools?


6 social media monitoring tools for managing your online presence..

Employ these services to help you see what people are saying about your brand online.



Social listening has been a major marketing strategy in the recent years, but primarily for larger brands.

It's not that smaller businesses didn't need it -- the price point just didn't make much sense for what they'd receive.

But today, things have changed. Tools have not only become more affordable, but the number of active social media users has grown tremendously, almost at a faster rate than people getting new mobile phones. The kind of data that is available now is massive and overwhelming.

There are a lot of reasons behind the growth. Facebook and Twitter are getting into the original TV and broadcasting battle. Publishers and media companies have focused heavily on social sharing from their websites. More businesses are getting hip to social media marketing. And, the young are getting older, able now to not only own phones, but also access social media sites.



With this new influx of usage, measuring social activity has become an art as much as a science.

People are using social media so much so that they probably don't realize they're using it to voice an opinion, share news with friends, read reviews on new places, etc.

As a small business owner, you need to see what these conversations are about. Not only do you need to see your brand mentions, but online conversations are a gold mine of new data that could provide valuable insight for future strategies.

Here is a list of some top social media listening tools you can sign up for, all varied in pricing and features.



Google Alerts

We all love free stuff, right? One of Google's most beloved and yet underappreciated tools is Alerts, which sends you an email of automated search results for whatever keyword you're looking for. You can set up alerts for up to 1,000 terms and have the results emailed to you daily, weekly or whenever a new results occurs.

But you get what you pay for. Google Alerts only does searches on sites that get crawled by Google. So, there may not be as many Facebook results, hardly any LinkedIn, Pinterest or Instagram results and a spackling of Twitter results. There's also no sort of data visualization or collection either.



Buzzsumo

This tool is all-around a reliable, inexpensive, feature-packed option for business of all sizes. Starting at only $79/mo for up to 5,000 mentions, you can set up alerts not only for mentions of your brand name, but also your competitors' and other search terms. If you're a soap maker, maybe you'd want to set up alerts for your brand name, a local competitor, local markets accepting new vendors, any mentions of favorite scents and more.

You can also run unlimited content and influencer searches, so you can find ideas for new articles that are related to your business and social media influencers who may make sense for your brand.



Mention

If you're flying solo or just looking for a lower commitment than above, this tool may be for you. Starting at just $29 per month for up to 3,000 mentions, Mention does a lot of what's covered above with BuzzSumo. The higher tier you go, the more features you unlock, like Sentiment Analysis (measure how positively people are talking about your brand online), Automated Reporting (send regular emails and reports to the people who need to know), API access (pipeline information to other compatible programs and tools) and much more.

One interesting feature is Crisis Management. It's for brands who may have an online reputation risk so that you can find and reply to any message that may appear during a certain brand crisis.



Hootsuite

This tool is like the Swiss Army knife of social media tools. Its main feature is scheduling and publishing across multiple social accounts, but it also comes packed with analytical, search and data visualization features that will definitely be of help to anyone handling social media monitoring in your company.

Hootsuite is free to use, but if you want to access all the essential features for monitoring social media, then you'll need to upgrade to at least the Pro or Business tiers. Both are $5.99 per month and $499 per month respectively. If $499 is too much of a commitment, you can opt for the Pro plan and add other features a la carte to your plan. The Pro plan allows you to publish and schedule to 50 accounts, but offers only one Enhanced Analytics report. Below you can see the different features you can add on monthly to your plan.

It's important to note that Hootsuite's customer service is likely what sets it apart from other tools. They're quick to respond and their staff is knowledgeable and friendly.



Keyhole

If your business strategy is to work with influencers, then this tool may be best suited for you. Starting at $179/mo, Keyhole does all the basic reporting and monitoring of social media activity, but it also allows you to not only search for influencers, but pull reports on their activity, too.

As of right now, you can't really get much insight from another person or competitors social media data. But, Keyhole will allow you to attach certain accounts that you want to gain data access to, so you can see how influential these influencers and their campaigns are.



Nuvi

If your marketing needs exceed than what's been mentioned so far, then you'll need a more sophisticated tool like Nuvi. Getting pricing from them depends on your unique needs, as their ethos is that you only pay for what you want. But, rumors around the web state that the tool starts at around $300 per month.

Their key product differentiator is that they're experts at data visualization. It is hard to derive key learnings based on a page with numbers, but this tool makes it easy for you to quickly see how your business is perceived online, how effective your social media is, and to capture negative comments before a crisis gets too big to handle (and if it does get that big, then this tool is equipped to handle that.)

Guest Authored By Rachel Perlmutter. Rachel is Co-Founder at The Art of Online Marketing. Follow Rachel on Twitter.





"Of course, all of this starts with having your own solid social media presence.

If you're unsure if your accounts are up-to-date and optimized, social media audits are available to help you determine where your strengths and weaknesses are.

Did we miss any mentioning tools? Let us know of your favorite ones in the comment section! No matter what tool you decide to use for monitoring your brand online, keep in mind that it's up to you to make data go from informative to actionable.

Look for trends that may inform your next marketing campaign. Find ideas for a new product or service that you can provide.." -RachelPerlmutter


    • Post Crafted By:
      Fred Hansen Br@nd Alchemist at  Millennium 7 Publishing Co. in Loveland, Colorado. I work deep in the trenches of social media strategy, community management and trends.  My interests include; online business educator, social media marketing, new marketing technology, skiing, hunting, fishing and The Rolling Stones..-Not necessarily in that order ;)
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    Location: Loveland, CO 80538, USA

    Sunday, February 18, 2018

    Avoiding The Social Media Minefield?


    Beware of the social media minefield -- With the click of a button, you can instantly share lasting memories and moments that make your life great.

    But with great power, comes great responsibility..



    Social Media Has Defined Our Generation

    Remember, as soon as you sign up for a social media account, you essentially become a publisher and as such, you are held accountable for what is said on your accounts – much the same way a newspaper must adhere to a code of conduct.

    Here's a quick look at 10 do's and don'ts to make your social media experience safer and, above all, legal.

    Do Check Your Privacy Settings Regularly

    While social media is all about sharing your life, criminals can use the information you unwittingly share to rob you blind.

    Take a look at the privacy settings on your accounts, and make sure you are only sharing your personal information with those you trust.



    Do Screen Your Friends And Followers

    The internet has provided Grade A creeps with the perfect mask of anonymity – so have a look at whose friend request you are accepting and regularly browse through your "followers" to make sure who they are.

    You wouldn't allow a stranger to stand at your window and stare into your house, would you?

    Do Post Things You Can Say Out Loud

    While you can delete a post at ny time, there are always some eagle-eyed social media users out there who screenshot something they think is defamatory or racist faster than you can say 'wasn't me.'

    A simple guideline to follow: If you wouldn't feel comfortable saying what you are about to post to a room full of people, or to the person you are posting about, don't post it.

    No one needs to read your racist/sexist remarks anyway. We have enough negativity in our lives.



    Ask Penny Sparrow

    Do Understand And Respect That Your Opinion Is Just That -- Yours

    Never expect that everyone online is going to have the same opinion as you do.

    Sure, you are more than welcome to share your opinion, but never get caught up in an argument online just because someone called you out on something they don't agree with.

    A comment written in anger can easily come back to haunt you.

    Do Make Sure Your Information Is Reliable And In The Public Interest

    Be especially careful sharing info if you are not sure where it came from.

    The internet is a massively useful tool for gathering and disseminating information, but be warned – some people purposefully post incorrect info to get a reaction.



    Most social apps have a "Reporting" option, so if you spot a page sharing malicious stories, report it, so that the lawmen and women of social media can shut it down.

    Don't Spread Hate Speech Or Propaganda

    The South African press code dictates that news services can only repeat hate speech or propaganda when reporting it is in the public interest.

    You are a publisher, and should adhere to the same rules.

    The media is never allowed to incite violence, spread propaganda or promote hate speech, and neither are you.

    Don't Share Too Much Information

    It might seem like a good idea to have your phone number visible, or your email.



    It is also tempting to share your every move – for example checking in at your favorite chill spot.

    But don't overdo it.

    Tech savvy criminals can use this info to steal your identity or even worse – build a timetable of your movements to hijack you or rob your house when they know you are away.

    Take care when posting, and make sure you are not giving opportunists a back door key to your life.

    Don't Plagiarize

    If you share something you did not write, or even a photo or video you did not take, be sure to credit the author.



    Journalists for example make a living sifting through masses of information to give you the legitimate and necessary lowdown.

    It's hard work, so always make sure you credit appropriately.

    After all, plagiarism is illegal.

    Don't Share Unverified Information

    A post on social media can reach hundreds, thousands and even millions of people in a very short time.

    Posting or sharing false information is a crime, and can be treated as such.

    Always check with your local police or newspaper to verify information before posting it. People have been charged criminally for spreading false information, as it can cause mass panic which can lead to the injury or even death of innocent people.



    Don't Forget To Check The Comments

    So you shared a political, topical or controversial story that caught your attention.

    Your friends and your friends' friends see it and they start commenting, and pretty soon a healthy debate develops.

    But there is always at least one person who will drop a comment that is crass, damaging or often equates to slander.

    Comments posted on your pages, even if it is by another individual, are your problem.

    If you cannot prove in a court of law you showed due care to at least attempt to remove the offending comment, you are liable. In other words, delete the comments you see to be defamatory or rude immediately and drop the friend in question an inbox explaining why.

    Guest Authored By Laurie Smith. Laurie is News Editor at Zulu Land Observer. She is also a Mom and fellow Insomniac. Follow Laurie on Twitter.




    "Remember, as soon as you sign up for a social media account, you essentially become a publisher and as such, you are held accountable for what is said on your accounts. Much the same way a newspaper must adhere to a code of conduct." -LaurieSmith


      • Post Crafted By:
        Fred Hansen Pied Piper of Social Media Marketing at YourWorldBrand.com & CEO of Millennium 7 Publishing Co. in Loveland, CO  where I work deep in the trenches of social media strategy, community management and trends.  My interests include; online business educator, social media marketing, new marketing technology, skiing, hunting, fishing and The Rolling Stones..-Not necessarily in that order ;)
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      Location: Loveland, CO 80538, USA
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