What is your job title? How do you use social listening in your work?
As the Director of Social Intelligence, I lead a team of analysts who possess natural curiosity, adeptness in monitoring and reporting, and social media expertise. Using social listening, we provide insights that enable our clients to make data-driven decisions at the speed of culture.
What’s your background? How did you get into social listening?
I graduated from the University of North Texas with a degree in Journalism, focusing on Public Relations. Early on, my roles and internships introduced me to the captivating world of social listening, igniting my passion for pursuing it as a career. With over a decade of experience in social listening, servicing clients among the Fortune 500, I am thankful for the journey that has brought me to where I am today.
What’s been the project you’ve been most proud to work on?
Choosing just one project as my proudest moment is challenging, but a particularly memorable experience was a monitoring initiative for a client during Hurricane Harvey in 2017. We employed social listening tools to identify and locate essential resources such as fuel, food, and public transportation for Houston residents impacted by rising floodwaters. It's not often social listening directly impacts lives or has life-saving potential, but this was a unique and rewarding exception.
What’s the biggest misconception about your work?
Friends and acquaintances who run small businesses frequently seek my assistance with social media content creation. While I'm always eager to help and have some experience in developing social content from the early days of my career, they often find that the social intelligence capabilities I offer are a more complex solution than anticipated. While I can usually provide valuable insights to get them started, a social media strategist, who specializes in content strategies tailored for engagement and growth, would likely be the ideal partner for their specific needs.
Any nightmare clients? Why? (No names)
I've been fortunate to collaborate with incredibly kind clients throughout my career and haven't had any I would necessarily classify as nightmare clients. The biggest client-related challenges I've encountered have arisen from misunderstandings regarding the level of support my team will need to provide for a given task. Crafting valuable insights is often a meticulous process that demands a considerable investment of time and effort.
Is there anything that you’re doing with social data that you don’t see others doing? Any missed opportunities?
I'm incredibly proud of my team's comprehensive approach to analyzing a brand's owned performance, earned social conversation, and audience insights. Our cross-platform methodology allows us to uncover nuanced user behaviors and emerging trends that might otherwise be overlooked. Moreover, we've integrated state-of-the-art tools and refined processes that greatly enhance our agility. This enables us not only to react promptly to the dynamic social media landscape but also to foresee shifts, ensuring our strategies remain ahead of the curve.
Who has made a lasting impression on you? Any SI heroes?
I've been fortunate to work with a number of Social Intelligence Heroes who have profoundly influenced my professional journey. I owe a debt of gratitude to Ryan Smith, my first boss post-college, and Mario Quiñones, who patiently guided me through the intricacies of using my first social listening tool Radian6 during my first agency internship. Additionally, esteemed leaders and mentors including Brian Carr, Sandy Diaz-Haley, and Jeff Semones have each played a pivotal role in shaping my career. These exceptional leaders not only placed their trust in me, but also opened doors to countless growth opportunities, and I am deeply appreciative of the impact they've had on my life.
How do you think the social intelligence industry will evolve in the next few years?
While it may sound cliché, AI holds immense potential in the social intelligence industry. It has streamlined data analysis across many of our tools and accelerated numerous previously time-consuming tasks, allowing time for more sophisticated research. Although AI has lightened the workload for social intelligence professionals in some areas, I'm confident it will also unveil new and thrilling capabilities in the not-so-distant future.
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