What does social intelligence mean to you?
Social media intelligence is the practice of extracting actionable insights from digital conversations, online behaviors, and platform-specific data to inform decision-making. It encompasses understanding where and how relevant information is generated across social channels, and developing a strategy to analyze and utilize this data effectively. With my military background in information operations, I recognize social media intelligence as a critical subset of the broader intelligence framework, ensuring the social piece of the information puzzle is represented. This framework also incorporates Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT), which allows us to broaden our scope by integrating publicly available information from various digital and traditional sources. This combined approach enables us to capture the immediate pulse of online sentiment, identify emerging trends, and contextualize them within broader societal and industry shifts. By leveraging advanced social intelligence tools and OSINT techniques, we connect real-time insights with long-term behavioral analysis to drive impactful results.
What are you doing that no-one else is to drive the social intelligence industry forward?
At NorthStar Solutions Group, we’re pioneering an approach that integrates social intelligence seamlessly across organizational silos and with other data sources. By embedding social insights into operations, product development, consumer insights and customer engagement strategies, we’re ensuring these insights lead to measurable, actionable outcomes. Additionally, we’re advancing the practice of Social Ethnography—analyzing social interactions and cultural nuances at a deeper level to uncover not just trends but the underlying motivations and societal shifts that drive them. We focus on taxonomy development to help reduce noise, a long-standing obstacle to the widespread use of social intelligence as a competitive advantage. This approach amplifies our ability to provide strategic insights while emphasizing ethical practices, ensuring transparency and trust as foundational pillars of social intelligence.
It's the year 2030: What does the practice of social listening look like?
In 2030, social listening will be fully immersive and predictive. AI and advanced analytics will enable real-time trend forecasting, allowing brands to anticipate societal shifts before they happen. Interactive platforms powered by augmented and virtual reality will transform how insights are visualized, making them more accessible and actionable. The practice will also prioritize ethical data use and incorporate greater respect for privacy.
What is the most common question you are helping your clients answer?
“How can we stay ahead of the curve while maintaining authenticity?” Clients are focused on balancing innovation with their brand’s core identity. By analyzing consumer sentiment and emerging trends, we help brands find ways to evolve authentically while fostering deeper connections with their audiences.
Have you got a favourite social intelligence use case or case study from the last year?
A standout use case from the past year was NorthStar's partnership with SportsPro Media to compile the 50 Most Marketable Athletes list, showcasing the power of Social Intelligence in athlete marketing. By leveraging social media data and audience engagement metrics, NorthStar identified unique patterns in fan interaction and sponsorship potential. This data-driven approach analyzed social media engagement, sentiment, and fan demographics, revealing athletes who not only had a strong presence but also resonated with brand values and target audiences. The insights went beyond traditional metrics, highlighting athletes who, despite not being global superstars, had a highly engaged fanbase. Through this partnership, brands gained the ability to make more informed decisions on athlete endorsements, optimizing marketing strategies for increased ROI. NorthStar’s use of Social Intelligence provided deeper insights into fan engagement, empowering brands to invest in athletes with the most genuine and impactful connections to their audiences. This project demonstrated how Social Intelligence can uncover untapped opportunities, revolutionizing how brands approach athlete sponsorships and partnerships.
They say to be great you need to read around your subject – what are you currently reading or your favourite book and what insights have you been able to apply to your work?
My favorite book is "Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done" by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan. It emphasizes fact-based decision-making, accountability, and strategic alignment, which resonate deeply with Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) and Social Media Intelligence (SOCMINT). These tools enhance situational awareness by providing actionable insights from public data and real-time social trends. OSINT analyzes industry trends and competitive movements to inform strategy, while SOCMINT offers real-time feedback on customer sentiment and emerging issues. Together, they support continuous feedback loops, enabling dynamic strategy adjustments and operational alignment with market realities. The book’s focus on measurable performance aligns with SOCMINT’s ability to track metrics and OSINT’s benchmarking capabilities. Leaders must engage these tools actively, ensuring accuracy and ethical use to drive informed decisions. By integrating OSINT and SOCMINT into execution, organizations can stay agile, data-driven, and innovative, embodying the principles of disciplined execution.
If you had to share three emojis that summed up social intelligence, what would they be
🔎 (magnifying glass): For uncovering insights.
🗣️ (speech bubble): For amplifying voices.
🔄 (recycle symbol): For driving actionable change.
What advice would you give to a brand who wanted to create an internal social intelligence team?
Start with a clear vision of what social intelligence means for your brand and how it can be leveraged to help attain critical business goals. Organizations must determine whether they want to build these capabilities in-house or partner with external experts. This decision separates the "haves" and "have-nots" in terms of leveraging social intelligence effectively. Build a cross-functional team that includes data analysts, strategists, and storytellers. Invest in robust tools and training, but more importantly, foster a culture of curiosity and collaboration. Social intelligence should not exist in isolation—it should be woven into every aspect of your organization to ensure comprehensive and competitive insights.
What are you looking forward to in social listening for 2025?
I’m excited to see the continued integration of AI and machine learning in social listening. These technologies will enable more nuanced sentiment analysis, uncover hidden patterns, and provide predictive capabilities that empower brands to stay ahead of the curve. While tools are evolving, skilled social intelligence practitioners remain crucial. They know how to leverage these technologies and translate data into actionable strategies. Additionally, I’m looking forward to seeing the industry adopt more ethical data practices, ensuring trust and transparency remain at the forefront.
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