Social listening, which is also called “social media listening,” is the process of reading what people are saying about your business and your industry online in order to learn more about your audience. It means monitoring your social media accounts to see when people talk about your business or give you feedback. To better your marketing, think of social listening as constantly listening to a lot of your customers and figuring out how they feel about what you are marketing.
Here are some thoughtful questions to guide your social listening:
- What’s your audience really feeling about your brand?
- How do they perceive your competitors?
- What emotions come up around topics related to your products or services?
- Which conversations and interests are showing up most online?
- What are their main needs, desires, and goals?
- What common challenges do they face?
- What questions keep popping up in response to your social media posts?
- What’s the most effective way to engage your target audience on various platforms?
Benefits of Social Listening
Hootsuite’s 2025 Social Media Trends survey found that 62% of marketers are using social listening tools, making social listening the second top priority in their social media strategies.
But social listening is more than just following the buzz—it helps you truly understand your customers and make smarter marketing choices. On top of that, it brings real benefits to your business, like:
- Getting insider insights on your industry and competitors—straight from your audience and prospects.
- Gauging how customers experience your products in the real world.
- Spotting potential PR issues early so you can address or avoid them altogether.
- Creating chances to partner with other brands or influencers.
How To Build Your Social Listening Strategy
Now, let’s go into creating your social listening strategy. Just follow the steps below to simplify the process and get started with ease.
1. Set specific social listening business goals and KPIs.
An effective social listening strategy begins with defining clear goals and tracking the right performance indicators (KPIs).
Some common goals you might aim for:
- Understanding competitors and industry trends to make your brand stand out.
- Catching PR challenges early or managing negative sentiment before it escalates.
- Fueling fresh content ideas that align with what your audience cares about.
- Identifying niche markets that could be a perfect match for your products.
Once you know your goals, choose KPIs that matter. Here are a few key ones to consider:
- Sentiment: Are people talking about your brand positively, negatively, or staying neutral?
- Influencers: Which social accounts mention you, and who follows them?
- Mentions: How often does your brand, product, or topics related to you pop up in social conversations?
- Engagement: Which of your brand-related posts are getting the most likes, comments, and shares?
By aligning your goals with specific KPIs, you can actually make sense of the noise and adapt your strategy based on what people care about.
2. Choose a social listening tool
Choosing the right social listening tool starts with knowing what your business really needs—whether it’s tracking sentiment, monitoring hashtags, or spotting influencers. Think through your must-have features, set a realistic budget, and ask: how easy is it to get up and running?
Use the comparison table above to guide your research, and don’t hesitate to sign up for free trials—these are often the best way to get a hands-on feel before committing.
3. Investigate your audience more deeply
Go beyond surface-level stats and dig into real conversations happening around your brand. Take time to listen—what are your customers asking about the most? What do they genuinely love about your product or service? What concerns matter most to them, and how do they talk about those issues in their own words? These insights can help you connect with your audience in a more meaningful way.
4. Make a list of what to listen for
To get real value from social listening, you need to tune in to the right things. Start by making a list of keywords and phrases that matter most to your brand and audience. This helps your social listening tool pick up the most useful insights, not just noise.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Your brand name and social media handles
- Hashtags and phrases commonly linked to your brand
- Topics your audience cares about
- Industry buzzwords and trending conversations
- Your product names and categories
- Taglines or slogans you’ve used in the past
- Any audience insights you’ve already discovered?
Think of it as building a radar that’s focused on what truly matters to your business.
5. Identify the channels for gathering data
Remember, people can talk about your brand or products anywhere online—on forums, blogs, social media, or even in comment sections you didn’t expect. That’s why it’s smart to keep an eye on as many platforms as you can. Start with the ones your audience uses the most, then gradually expand to others as your strategy grows.
6. Filter your data
To get the most relevant insights, set up filters in your social listening tool. Use your keyword list, look at sentiment (positive, negative, or neutral), and choose the types of interactions you want to track, like shares, likes, or comments. This helps you focus on what really matters.
7. Measure results
Make time in your workflow to check how your social listening efforts are performing. Use your KPIs to guide you—look at brand sentiment, trending topics, number of mentions, and more. Then use that info to decide your next steps and keep fine-tuning your strategy as you go.
Social Listening Best Practices
Remember: Social listening isn’t just a buzzword; it’s actually a powerful way to fine-tune your marketing by paying close attention to what your customers are saying. As you roll out your social listening strategy, here are a few tips to help you get the most out of it:
- Keep an eye on your competitors to spot gaps you can fill or ways to stand out with your messaging.
- Look out for genuine influencers who can share your brand with their audience in a real, relatable way.
- Stay in the loop with industry trends and pay attention to what your audience is posting—this will help you stay proactive and relevant with your approach.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is social listening in 2025?
Social listening in 2025 is the process of tracking online conversations across social media platforms, blogs, forums, and news sites to understand what people are saying about a brand, industry, or topic. It’s more advanced now with AI-powered tools that can detect sentiment, predict trends, and recommend actions in real-time.
2. How is social listening different from social monitoring?
Social monitoring checks for direct mentions, tags, and comments about your brand. Social listening goes deeper — analyzing broader conversations, competitor mentions, customer sentiment, trending topics, and brand perception across platforms, even when you’re not tagged.
3. Why is social listening important for businesses in 2025?
Because consumers are talking — and they expect brands to listen. Social listening helps businesses:
- Spot trends early
- Understand customer needs
- Improve products or services
- Manage brand reputation
- Respond to crises faster
- Drive better marketing campaigns
Final Thoughts
Social listening is more than just keeping tabs on brand mentions—it’s about truly understanding the heartbeat of your audience. When done right, it becomes your direct line to what your customers care about, fear, love, or want more of. It reveals blind spots, sparks content ideas, and helps you respond with intention rather than just reaction.
In a world overflowing with online noise, businesses that listen are the ones that connect. So, whether you’re a startup trying to find your voice or an established brand refining your message, social listening gives you the clarity to move forward with confidence.