How Social Video Data Can Reveal More About Your Brand

For the last decade, social analytics revolved around text. Platforms, audiences, and topics were mapped, categorized, and used to drive data-driven decisions. Brands and agencies relied on this framework to understand conversations and sentiment.

But then came Instagram’s video push. And TikTok? It changed everything.

Jane Quigley, President of ViralMoment, used to break down platform dynamics like this:

• Twitter (RIP X!) – The home of immediacy, live events, and customer care.
• Reddit – Where deep-dive discussions and tight-knit communities thrive.
• Instagram – A space for aspiration, aesthetics, and “once-I-win-the-lottery” vibes.
• Facebook – A hub for family updates and group conversations.

That playbook worked - until it didn’t. Now, social video dominates. TikTok has reshaped user behavior so dramatically that every platform is in catch-up mode, shifting their strategies to mimic its success. If your business is still operating under a text-first social intelligence model, you’re missing the bigger picture.

It’s All About Visual Speed

We’re wired to process visuals faster than words. It’s how we connect emotionally - deeply, intuitively, and in a way that feels natural.

A post from The Media Education Center cites research from 3M shows that humans process visuals 60,000 times faster than text. Further studies confirm that our brains decipher images all at once, while language requires a slower, step-by-step decoding process.

That speed-to-understanding is exactly why social video is so powerful. In 2025, consumers aren’t just passively scrolling - they’re making active choices about what resonates. With an overwhelming amount of content available, people engage with what speaks to them, what feels relevant, and what connects to their interests or emotions.

This is why social video isn’t just another format - it’s a dominant force in how people discover, learn, and make decisions:

• Need a gluten-free cookie recipe for a class party? TikTok has it in two minutes.
• Searching for wedding outfit inspiration? The algorithm already knows your vibe.
• Want to gauge the success of a product launch? The comment section is a goldmine of unfiltered, organic feedback.

Visual speed drives connection. Connection drives engagement. And engagement fuels real consumer decisions. If your brand isn’t factoring this into its intelligence strategy, you’re missing out on where real conversations and cultural shifts are happening.

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Let’s Talk Algorithms

Before the 10-hour TikTok ban, we got a rare glimpse into just how much social video fuels the U.S. economy, especially for small and medium businesses. With other platforms having tried and failed at Social Media Shopping, why is it that TikTok was winning this war?

The answer: Their algorithm.

TikTok’s “For You Page” (FYP) isn’t just personalized - it’s self-curated. Users train the algorithm based on what they engage with, creating a near-flawless match between content and interest. This means that the ads, influencers, and brands they discover aren’t random, they’re deeply relevant.

And that relevance drives results:

• By 2026, over 40 million people in the U.S. are expected to make a purchase on TikTok (given it doesn’t go away again)
• TikTok’s Creator Fund built an ecosystem where creators, communities, and businesses fuel each other’s growth—a model that’s nearly impossible to replicate.
• Brands that understand and lean into the algorithm win bigger, because they’re not fighting for attention—they’re fitting seamlessly into what their audience already wants to see.

Traditional text-based platforms can’t compete. They lack the layers of insight that social video provides; tone of voice, visual storytelling, community reactions - all of which help TikTok (and businesses using it) deliver more relevant, high-impact content.

But here’s the thing. This isn’t just an advantage for TikTok. It’s an opportunity for your business. Social video analysis allows brands to tap into these same insights - helping them understand their audience better, refine their messaging, and create content that resonates before they even hit publish.

If your team isn’t leveraging this level of intelligence, you’re not just missing a trend - you’re missing how modern consumers make decisions.

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The Layers of Additional Social Video Metrics

Traditional social media metrics are limited. Text-based platforms measure engagement through likes, shares, sentiment, and share of voice are all useful, but flat. They tell you what’s happening, but not why or how it’s shaping consumer behavior.

Social video changes the game. It doesn’t just measure engagement; it adds layers of context and cultural relevance. With video, brands can see how they’re showing up - even when they’re not explicitly mentioned.

Here’s what makes social video intelligence different:

• Contextual Visibility – Identify brand placements in videos without a direct tag or mention.
• Behavioral Insights – Analyze not just what consumers say, but how they interact, react, and engage.
• Cultural Relevance – Understand the deeper significance behind content—trends, aesthetics, and communities driving conversations.

These are insights that don’t exist in text-based social media. Every piece of video content carries multiple layers of information:

• The visuals - what’s being shown on screen, including logos and products.
• The audio - spoken words, background music, and sound cues.
• The text - captions, on-screen overlays, and comment conversations.
• The engagement metrics - likes, shares, and comments in reaction to the video.

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With AI-powered video analysis, brands can break down these layers at scale:

• Logo & Object Recognition – See where your brand is appearing, even without direct tags.
• Voice & Text Transcription – Extract insights from what’s actually being said.
• Trend & Theme Detection – Identify emerging narratives before they go mainstream.

This isn’t just about better data - it’s about better decisions. When brands use social video intelligence, their social teams, analysts, and leadership aren’t just tracking numbers - they’re unlocking actionable insights that impact revenue, brand positioning, and long-term strategy.

If you’re still relying on text-based social listening, you’re missing the bigger picture. Social video isn’t just content - it’s intelligence.

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Warning! Social Video is Not a Fad!

Social video didn’t start with TikTok. The platform simply capitalized on what had been building for years - an evolution that made video the most powerful form of content online.

Think about it:

• 12 seconds Video (2008) was an early attempt at micro-video content.
• Vine (2013) proved that short-form video could dominate culture.
• Instagram Stories (2016) showed how ephemeral video keeps audiences engaged.

TikTok took the best of these ideas and built an algorithm that helped users discover content that truly resonated with them. The result? An ecosystem where people naturally find and connect with communities, trends, and brands.

But here’s what matters for your business: Social video isn’t stopping. It’s expanding.

• New platforms like RedNote are emerging with video-first models.
• Traditional platforms like LinkedIn are making steep investments in video content.
• Consumer behavior has shifted - people now expect to find products, brands, and communities through social video.

Empowering your social intelligence team with social video analytics places your brand at the forefront. It’s not just about keeping up - it’s about gaining an unmatched competitive advantage in understanding how your brand, competitors, and consumers show up in this new era of digital engagement.

The Future of Social Intelligence Is Video

To drive your brand toward future success, investing in social video analytics isn’t optional—it’s essential. Giving your social intelligence teams, marketers, and analysts access to social video data gives your brand the upper hand.

It’s how you’ll:

• Understand the impact of cultural moments - before they shape consumer behavior.
• Tap into your audience’s wants and desires - aligning your brand with what matters to them.
• Be the first brand they think of - when they need what you offer.

NOW is the time. Social video isn’t just where conversations happen - it’s where cultural influence begins. Make sure your brand is part of it.

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Jane Quigley, President of ViralMoment, recently moved from the world of text mentions  to social video analytics. In this post, she walks through that shift, and why the social video landscape is so important in terms of cultural relevance. Find out more about ViralMoment in The SI Tech Directory.

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