Social listening is often seen as a tool for tracking mentions and monitoring competitors, but as Tina Thompson explored in her session, it can be so much more. Social listening allows businesses to tap into real conversations and cultural shifts that shape customer behaviour—insights that might otherwise go unnoticed through traditional methods.

Key Takeaways:

1. Social Listening Goes Beyond Competitors and Brands Most businesses use social listening to monitor their own brand or track competitors. Tina highlighted that while this is useful, it risks operating within an "echo chamber," where brands end up recycling the same ideas and language. Instead, social listening should focus on what customers are actually saying, uncovering authentic, organic conversations.

2. Cultural Insights Are Powerful Drivers By listening for broader cultural shifts, businesses can connect with audiences on a more meaningful level. Tina shared examples of how emerging conversations on platforms like TikTok can reveal unexpected trends or unmet customer needs. These insights help brands stay relevant and relatable while offering opportunities to innovate.

3. Hashtags as Doorways to Insight Tina explained the importance of hashtags in identifying communities and uncovering shared values or needs. Hashtags aren’t just labels—they're a gateway to organic conversations. By exploring the comments on posts using specific hashtags, brands can uncover gold dust: unfiltered customer opinions and behaviours.

4. Practical Steps to Start Social Listening For those without access to costly social listening tools, Tina recommended starting with a simple manual approach:

• Identify 10 hashtags relevant to your product, service, or industry.
• Dive into the comments on posts using those hashtags.
• Look for patterns, themes, and gaps where your brand can provide solutions.

5. Differentiate Between Trends and Fads A recurring challenge in social listening is distinguishing lasting trends from short-lived fads. Tina suggested monitoring the volume and longevity of posts and comments within specific hashtags to assess whether something is gaining meaningful traction.

Real-World Applications

Tina shared examples from her work, such as helping a cereal brand discover a rising consumer concern about pesticides, which reshaped their messaging. For a dashcam company, she identified a trend around night driving for mental health, offering a new angle for marketing their product. These examples show how social listening can reveal unexpected opportunities and untapped markets.

Why This Matters

Social listening isn’t just about tracking metrics, it’s about understanding people. By tuning into genuine conversations and cultural shifts, businesses can stay ahead of the curve, connect authentically with their audience, and uncover valuable insights that drive growth.

 This session was held by Tina Thomson and is available in the members club