How to Use Numbers to Get Closer to Your Customers

This past week, I have been reading some interesting information on how to measure your social media impact. "Measure What Matters" by Katie Paine speaks volumes on how to continuously measure effectively. Before taking this class, I didn't really know all the work that goes in to measuring your social media. There's a lot more to it then just simply scrolling down your Facebook or Twitter page. Paine's chapter on how to analyze your market and use that to boost your marketing skills contained some great tips and pointers on how to better your relationship with customers.

One way to understand your market is by setting up a Google alert for whenever your brand and products are mentioned. This is a simple way to monitor what people are talking about in terms with your brand. One important thing to remember though is that you have to consider the information that matters to your business. There will be a plethora of tweets, blog posts, etc., that you will have to read through so remember to only look at the information that matters.


When you set up a Google alert, you want to make sure you use keywords that are relevant to your market. What words are people using when they talk about your brand? This is where you want to focus.


Once you start tracking information, you will want to organize it and input the information in an Excel spreadsheet. Include information like the date, source, author and any other notes about the tracked information. This might be tedious to do but it will make it much easier to analyze your results. After some time has passed, you will start to figure out what channels and outlets frequently talk about your brand. Now you will know exactly who talks about your brand the most and then you can even narrow it down to the people who follow and listen to those accounts to get an even clearer picture.


Finally, it is important to remember to monitor your competition as well. By monitoring and analyzing your competition, you will be able to pick up on what works and doesn't work for them. This is an easy way to boost your brand. Piece of cake.


* All of this information is credited towards Katie Paine.




I found this reading pretty interesting. Although measuring entails more than what you think, this is an efficient way to monitor your brand. We are always searching for ways to find out what people are saying and this seems to be effective. Obviously this method would start being effective after a month or so rather than immediately but the results are going to be more authentic. This would be a real measurement on what people think of your brand.


After reading, there were some thoughts that came to my mind. So what if after collecting all the information, there are different opinions on what the brand should do? What if there are conflicting thoughts from customers? How do you know which way to go in order to move forward? I mean I guess there would be a majority of people thinking a certain way but I feel like there would also be a certain opinion of others that would have validity. Anyways, I think this is a great method but I would want to know what happens in that type of situation.


Continue this week and find out what people are saying! The public's opinion matters. As always, reach for the stars all you high societal souls!


Word of the Day: Tohubohu
Definition: Chaos; disorder; confusion.


All the best