What is your job title? How do you use social listening in your work?
I’m Senior Client Lead of Search and Social Media Intelligence at Oracle Life Sciences. I oversee market research projects involving social media and Google search data for Life Sciences companies on a global level.
We carry out standalone research projects and combine data with other techniques in our studies. Our work supports pharmaceutical companies throughout the entire process of developing and marketing medical treatments. This includes both market-focused research, which looks at consumer demand, competition, and strategies to succeed in the market, as well as Real-World Evidence (RWE) research. RWE research helps us understand how effective treatments are in real life and identifies areas in healthcare that need improvement.
What’s your background? How did you get into social listening?
I've been working in social media intelligence for nearly six years now. Before my current position, I worked at an agency at the forefront of developing methods and tools for analysing social media data. We collaborated directly with social media platforms and assisted companies in the tech, finance, and pharmaceutical sectors who were beginning to explore social media listening.
Originally, I trained as a journalist. As the media industry evolved, I chose to pivot to social media work. I'm pleased that I've been able to transfer my skills in analysis and writing to this newer field of social media listening, adapting to its unique demands and opportunities.
What’s been the project you’ve been most proud to work on?
I'm particularly proud of my work in women's health, an area I've been passionate about long before my journey in pharma began. The traditional underfunding of women's health research has always concerned me, so being able to contribute meaningfully to this field has been very rewarding.
What’s the biggest misconception about your work?
That it’s easy! I think because we deliver work quickly compared to other research methods, there is a misconception that the research process is easy. Having been in this area for six years now, it takes great skill and training to be able to turn around quality work at speed.
Any nightmare clients? Why? (No names)
I'm fortunate to work with some fantastic clients. Occasionally, I meet clients who are initially skeptical about the value of social media data. It's part of my role to educate them on the methodology and establish its credibility. I embrace the chance to introduce this approach to those who are doubtful, and it's incredibly rewarding to witness their positive experiences with a research method they were initially unsure about.
Is there anything that you’re doing with social data that you don’t see others doing? Any missed opportunities?
Our methodologies are tailored exclusively to the healthcare sector, with a specific emphasis on data from patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers. I consider our expertise in query building to be a distinguishing feature. We excel at crafting queries that pinpoint patients with precision, and we continually refine these queries through experience and testing.
There seems to be a limited focus on leveraging social media data within academic research settings. We are working on this in medical research specifically, but I believe our industry should commit to publishing more research and establish more consistent frameworks, to ensure rigor in the publication of social media research in academic journals.
Who has made a lasting impression on you? Any SI heroes?
My team has the biggest impact on me. My colleagues, Sara Boretti and Pippa Brown, are at the forefront of innovation in our field, always willing to explore new solutions. We've tackled some demanding client requests, adapting to a range of challenges—from projects with scarce data in rare diseases to navigating misinformation in vaccine work to technically complex fields like oncology.
How do you think the social intelligence industry will evolve in the next few years?
I believe AI enhancements will streamline manual processes, but the value of human expertise will remain crucial for crafting top-quality queries and achieving superior results. I anticipate wider acceptance and usage of social media listening, leading to the establishment of standards that will address and reduce inconsistencies in methodologies across the field.
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