Why IT Companies Can't Ignore Social Media Listening

Tracking the employer brand

A strong employer brand is a key asset that directly influences a company's success. In IT, managing this brand is crucial because it affects talent retention and the company’s appeal to new specialists. Social media plays a significant role in shaping this perception. Therefore, IT companies must actively listen to their employer brand across social platforms—not just as a trend, but as a necessary practice that impacts productivity and reputation.

To track the employer brand effectively, use this formula:

Listening focus + relevant tags

Key tags to monitor include:

• Work conditions. Full-time, part-time, remote work, and project-based formats.
• Work environment. The physical and cultural workplace.
• Employee reviews. Feedback from current and former employees.
• Corporate culture. Internal events, external activities like exhibitions and hackathons.
• Compensation. Salary and benefits.
• Career development. Opportunities for growth and advancement.

With Metricom, you can listen to social networks, forums, and review sites to capture relevant content and understand its sentiment. This approach helps you quickly address negative mentions, uncover their causes, and adjust your communication strategy. Additionally, listening reveals what employees appreciate about your company, allowing you to highlight strengths and tailor future events to their preferences.

Social listening also lets you set up alerts for potential crises. For example, disgruntled former employees may post biased reviews on professional forums or social networks. Addressing these issues promptly can help mitigate negative backlash and prevent it from escalating.

Monitoring internal activities, collaborations, and projects

IT companies engage in numerous internal and external communications, especially through educational and charitable projects, courses, and collaborations. Each activity shapes the company’s image and adds value to its social presence. Metricom simplifies the process of managing and evaluating these efforts. You can track the impact of individual events or compare multiple projects to assess their effectiveness. By tagging different components of a project, you can break it down into segments and see which aspects perform better.

Listening also helps you monitor collaborations and joint ventures. By analyzing partnerships with other brands, you can identify which collaborations gain more attention and deliver better results. This insight lets you refine your approach for future partnerships.

Market analytics and analysis

Understanding the market means analyzing your activities, your competitors, and tracking customer behaviors. Social media listening provides a powerful tool for this analysis. It lets you observe and evaluate how your company and competitors perform, identify major market trends, and respond to shifts in consumer demand.

You can assess competitors based on various criteria, such as comparing employer brands, the media activity of CEOs, or the effectiveness of events. Metrics like share of voice, number of mentions, audience reach, and sentiment analysis provide valuable insights into market dynamics. Filters can enhance your analysis by isolating data based on features such as location or source type. This helps streamline data retrieval and allows for targeted analysis, whether you’re focusing on regional media or expanding to an international scope.

Tracking negative mentions for your brand and competitors

Listening to negative mentions on social media is crucial for building and maintaining a strong IT brand. Negative feedback can come from various sources, including dissatisfied customers, former employees, and competitors. Since social media spreads reactions faster than traditional media, keeping an ear out for these mentions is vital for managing your brand’s reputation.

To make this process manageable, set up specific alerts for negative mentions. By choosing relevant keywords, you’ll receive instant notifications whenever negative news appears, allowing for a quick response.

In addition to tracking your brand, it’s also beneficial to monitor negative mentions related to your industry and competitors. This broader perspective keeps you informed about potential threats and trends that could affect your business and helps you anticipate and mitigate negative influences.

Tracking media activity of company representatives

The CEO’s media presence directly influences the company’s brand. Developing a cohesive communication strategy that integrates the CEO's personal brand with the company’s brand helps prevent unexpected issues and enhances overall strategy.

To track the CEO’s media activity, focus on metrics like audience reach, mentions, geographic distribution, and sources. This gives you a clear picture of the CEO’s impact and how it aligns with the company’s goals.

Similarly, the media presence of your team is crucial. Listening to mentions of your employees reveals their successes and potential issues. Set up alerts for specific team members to compare their media activity with the CEO’s and assess its effect on the company’s reputation. This information can also guide strategies for developing personal brands for team members who need it.

Conclusion

Consider complementing your social listening with a survey on brand recognition and trust. For IT companies, this provides a comprehensive view of your media impact and reputation, helping you refine your communication strategies for the future.

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