Social listening is the key to understanding your audience

By Emily Boland

In today’s digital age, understanding your audience is more crucial than ever. Social listening, defined as collecting and analyzing social conversations across different platforms, is a strategic tool for healthcare and health tech companies looking to transform customer and patient interactions and empower company-wide decision-making. Over 60% of businesses today deploy social listening strategies, with 82% of marketers noting it as a crucial part of their marketing plan.

Over 60% of businesses today deploy social listening strategies, with 82% of marketers noting it as a crucial part of their marketing plan.

Here’s how social listening works, why it matters, and how to leverage it effectively:

How social listening works: it’s as simple as one-two

Social listening is a simple, two-step process that includes monitoring and analysis.

Monitoring requires tracking brand, product, competitor, and industry mentions across numerous social media platforms and online channels. Subscriptions and tools, such as Sprout Social, Brandwatch, Meltwater, and Hootsuite, start as low as $75 / month and automatically monitor omnichannel activities based on keywords and produce automated reports for easy analysis.

Analyzing this collected data is just as equally critical as monitoring. It is the key to extracting meaningful, actionable insights and revealing valuable information related to brand performance, customer sentiment, and industry trends.

This two-step process equips businesses with a comprehensive understanding of their market position and online presence, leading to more informed, strategic business decisions.

Why social listening matters

Unfiltered insights

• Social listening provides real-time, unfiltered access to what current and prospective customers are saying about your brand, industry, and competitors. This raw feedback is invaluable for understanding customer sentiment and preferences.

Proactive problem-solving

• Social listening allows you to monitor online conversations to detect growing or tending issues before they escalate into a full-blown crisis. This early warning system allows you to address concerns promptly and maintain brand trust.

Competitive edge

• Social listening helps both marketers and media relations representatives understand what customers love (or dislike) about your competitors, giving you a strategic advantage. You can use this intelligence to highlight product or service differentiators and capture a larger market share.

How to use social listening effectively

01. Define your objectives.

Before diving in, clearly state your purpose for social listening. Are you aiming to measure brand reputation, track industry trends, or conduct competitive analysis?

02. Choose the proper channels.

Focus on platforms where your target audience is most active. Different demographics prefer different social media channels, so tailor your approach accordingly.

03. Select appropriate tools.

Invest in social listening tools that can handle large volumes of data and provide actionable insights. Look for features like sentiment analysis, demographic details, reporting capabilities, and AI-powered insight summaries.

04. Act on insights.

Transform your findings into action. Use the insights gathered to:

• Improve products or services based on customer feedback.
• Tailor your marketing strategies to align with audience interests.
• Engage in relevant conversations to build brand presence.
• Identify potential brand ambassadors or influencers for collaboration.

05. Continuous monitoring and adjustment.

Social listening is an ongoing process. Regularly review and adjust your strategy based on the insights you gather.

Worth the buzz

Social listening is more than just a buzzword - it's a critical tool for healthcare and health tech companies looking to stay relevant and responsive in the digital landscape. By tapping into the wealth of information available through online conversations, you can gain a deeper understanding of your audience, anticipate market trends, and make data-driven decisions that propel your brand forward.

Remember, in the world of social media, your customers are already talking. It's time to start listening.