Gone are the days when the output of media monitoring was a vast clippings folder, usually padded with superfluous extra pages, that would land on the client or the boss’ desk with a satisfying thud.
Today, media monitoring is more relevant than ever as companies look to find ways to show that coverage equals capital, leads and revenues, and to stay on top of reputational risks in a time of fake news.
Media monitoring trends
There are four main trends in the coming year for media monitoring.
- Social media surges
Social media is where most human conversation takes place today – and the insights you can gain from listening to these conversations can give you valuable pointers as to how to better meet the needs of your customers and stay on top of trends. We’ve seen a massive increase in clients requesting social media monitoring, with interest in channels like TikTok particularly high.
We’re also seeing rapid advances in the way the industry and clients measure return on investment (ROI), identify brand advocates and influencers and analyse trends and keywords for content creation and improve search engine optimisation (SEO).
- Technology takes off
Technology is here – and every agency and client should be using it. Your media monitoring provider should already be using data-driven technology to do the heavy lifting of automating tagging and sentiment, leaving you to apply the insights and refine your strategy accordingly.
There are also plenty of technology tools out there – like mobile apps that help you stay on top of company mentions in real time – to help you reach your audiences and measure the impact of your efforts and spend. Use them wisely and watch your influence in the organisation grow.
- Fake news flourishes
As we’ve seen with certain channels and platforms, there’s no knowing what people will do or say next – and the outcomes generally aren’t very good for brands. Misinformation can be deeply damaging to brands, so it’s critical to be able to monitor the internet for any mention of the brand.
You can’t control what people say, but you can certainly address any issues or crises that may arise – and manage your own narrative – far more effectively if you’re on top of the conversation. In a world where one person’s tweet or bad experience can get picked up by major news outlets, media monitoring is your friend.
- Crisis mode becomes SOP
For the past couple of years, it feels like we’ve been operating in permanent crisis mode. Problem is, far too few companies are prepared for when crisis strikes. As anyone who has been through a crisis will tell you, your most valuable assets when you’re in the eye of the storm are time and information.
The more you know about the crisis, and the longer you have to prepare a meaningful response, the better off you’ll be. And you don’t have many chances to fix the issue: a wider range of stakeholders than ever is watching your every move, and they’re waiting to see whether your actions match your words.
That’s where media monitoring is coming into its own.
You want to know exactly who’s saying what about you, and on what platforms. Measurement tells you the main topics of discussion; which stakeholders are driving the narrative; and critically, how your audiences are reacting. This helps you stay on top of any shifts in the narrative and gives you the insight you need to decide on your next steps.
