Welcome to the Social Intelligence Lab
We’re a global community dedicated to advancing the value of social and internet data as a source of insight.
What do we mean by social and internet data? As more people interact with each other, build relationships and share ideas online, they leave behind a treasure trove of information that can be used to learn more about humanity. By analysing social media, forums, online review sites, podcasts, blogs and more, we can learn more about how people behave, what they consume and how they communicate with each other.
At The SI Lab, we help social listening professionals at brands and organisations use social and internet data to make strategic business decisions based on a deep understanding of people and society. We guide them in building processes and toolkits to help uncover insight in a thoughtful and responsible way.
Our journey from beginning to now
Falling in love with social data
As a Research Assistant, Jillian works on a project using social and internet data to understand volunteer voices from mega sporting events. The project provides insight for the 2014 Commonwealth Games volunteer recruitment programme and ignites Jillian’s love affair with social data.
Becoming the UK’s first doctor of social media
Her experience with social data cements Jillian’s decision to do a PhD. For this, she explores how people evaluate the credibility of online content and how it impacts purchase decisions. Her research can be used to better understand the influence of individual social content postings.
Putting social intelligence on the map
Following her PhD, Jillian works as a consultant on projects with major brands such as Manchester City Football Club, Vanquis Bank and EAIE. Her focus is on helping marketers optimise their communications by analysing data to learn how their customers make decisions.
The Social Intelligence Lab launches
After years feeling isolated and that her work is misunderstood, Jillian discovers there are other social listening professionals facing similar challenges. This sparks a desire to connect, and she starts the SI Lab as a passion project. The blog and expert panel sessions are launched to bring together professionals from all over the world, and later that year the directory is launched.
The Social Intelligence Lab 2.0
Jillian now works full-time on the SI Lab. As the pandemic strikes, the SI Lab continues to bring the global community together through virtual events. They also launch Tech Demo Day to showcase the latest social listening technology, reaching people from over 40 countries, and introduce the The Social Intelligence Growth Certification.
The SI Lab Membership
This is the year the SI Lab holds its first in-person event. The second edition of Observe Summit takes place in London with more than 200 tickets sold. This is also the year that the community membership is launched, which provides a space where like-minded social intelligence professionals can share ideas and help shape the future of the SI Lab.
Our Core Pillars
Connect
For social intelligence professionals there are few opportunities for mentorship and connection. It can feel like you’re working in isolation. That’s why we created this community. To bring people doing the same work together.
Become A Member
Educate
We know that many social listening professionals lack specialised training. Whatever your experience, you’ll find a wealth of information in our resource centre that will help you use social data analytics in your work.
Become A Member
Grow
As the value of social and internet data is realised within organisations, the demand for specialists is going to grow. The SI Lab is here to help you prepare for each stage of your career, from our Growth Certification to our dedicated jobs board.
Become A MemberThe SI Lab Team
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Dr. Jillian Ney
Sophie Clark
What Does Our Community Say?
We have all sorts of social intelligence professionals in our community. From those who are starting out to seasoned professionals, and those working in small organisations to those at major corporations. They all share a love of social data, and a desire to use it to better understand their customers. Here’s what they have to say about the SI Lab.
Register your interest
The challenge social listening professionals face is that few people do what we do, so our work is often misunderstood. And because there is no roadmap for companies to follow to create a social intelligence function, we’re unsure whether we can embrace our work as a legitimate professional discipline.
The SI Lab community is a space where like-minded professionals can share their experiences and discuss new ideas together via strategy sessions and peer-to-peer learning events. Because our work is too important to wait for others to understand it.