What does social intelligence mean to you?
For me, Social Intelligence is the broader practice of utilizing social listening data, but it also integrates other sources of information to create a more comprehensive understanding of consumer behavior, market trends, and cultural shifts. I view it as an incredibly dynamic, inclusive, and versatile practice—especially within the ever-changing digital landscape we navigate today.
What skills do social listeners need to succeed?
Curiosity and empathy are key—to uncover the "why" behind data and to understand behaviors on a deeper level. Combined with an analytical mindset to connect the dots, these skills are more important than any technical knowledge.
Biggest challenge to social intelligence adoption in brands?
Organizational mindset and understanding are often the biggest challenges, as companies sometimes still see Social Intelligence as a niche function rather than a strategic asset, which can limit leadership buy-in and make the practice seem like a 'nice-to-have.' There's also the challenge of integrating SI into existing workflows, which requires collaboration across teams—something that’s not always easy without strong support or clear ownership within the company.
Favourite use case for social intelligence and what decisions can the insight help support?
I am particularly passionate about collaborating with R&D and Innovation teams, utilizing Social Intelligence to identify emerging trends, consumer needs, and product gaps through real-time conversations, combined with other data sources. It can be highly inspiring and plays a key role in driving innovative product development and strategic market positioning. It’s also exciting to see how the insights can translate into tangible, real-world products.
What piece of advice would you give to those looking to do more with social data than just brand tracking or campaign monitoring?
Start by understanding the business problem you're solving. Social data can be used in many ways, but its value depends on how you apply it. How will you use this data and to what extent? It may not always provide a conclusive answer but can help guide your research, test hypotheses, or bring real, unrequested testimonials to life. The key is to integrate it effectively into your insights process to generate more valuable outcomes across different use cases.
Gen AI in social listening: hype or helpful?
We have seen a huge evolution this past year regarding GenAI, and I am impressed by how quickly Social Listening technologies have responded to it. We have definitely been using it more and more at different stages of our Social Listening process, but the reality is that the technology is not yet advanced enough to stand alone, so it always comes with a disclaimer. Human intervention and social listening expertise are still essential to generating true value from social data. Right now, GenAI is a powerful assistant, but it is not (yet) a replacement for the thoughtful analysis and strategy needed to make sense of the data.
If we could grant you one wish to help your social intelligence practice succeed, what would you ask for?
Magically cleaner data and classification. Although there are workarounds and technologies that support these specific pain points - we've come a long way! – these continue to be brought up as challenges. Achieving ideal results still requires significant investment or effort, depending on the use case.
If you were to start your social intelligence team from scratch what three things would you do first?
I would focus on selecting curious team members with a "detective" mindset and building a collaborative culture as diverse perspectives lead to richer, more innovative solutions. It is also essential to establish clear methodologies and processes aligned with business objectives to ensure our efforts are focused and answering a real demand.
What are you looking forward to in social listening for 2025?
I'm excited to see how AI will continue to evolve and hopefully make our lives easier by solving older problems more efficiently and bringing even greater value to the Social Listening process, including helping to democratize data and make insights more accessible across teams. I am also looking forward to seeing social intelligence further incorporated as an integral practice within the Insights and Analytics framework of companies, to provide a more holistic view and understanding of consumers and market trends.
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