Media monitoring is aimed at checking, measuring and conducting research concerning image of a product, brand, person or phenomenon present in the media. The monitoring and analysis of activities taken by the Internet users as well as published contents have many applications in every sector and various forms of market activity. It mainly consists in gathering information about a certain subject or product in the Internet (i.a. by dedicated applications), which were published by others and then devising of a report prepared on the basis of a gathered material.
In order to conduct an efficient media analysis, it is necessary to choose a proper application. Badly chosen one may have a negative impact on a company's image. It is crucial to choose a good application to avoid all inconveniences related to bad monitoring of the Internet. First and foremost, a proper application should allow us to constantly monitor the unlimited number of key words. Secondly, it should not limit the number of mentions gathered during the monitoring – emphasizes Łukasz Jadaś, Senior Expert for Research and Products, Institute for Media Monitoring.
What exactly is important?
An important issue is to avoid spam during the process of media monitoring. Only then we will be able to work on clear results, not wasting our time on segregating and filtrating them with our own fair hands – explains Łukasz Jadaś. A properly conducted analysis of media should result in creation of a full company's image thanks to the Internet and social media. Its limitation to several declensioned key words is often not enough. The reason is constantly evolving language, which is used by the Internauts. It concerns proper names, brands or even surnames of concrete people. It is also worth mentioning the number of key words, which may be monitored. We changed the limits in IMM in such a way that it was possible to check all versions of a certain word as well as different definitions, for instance, slangy ones within one package – enumerates Łukasz Jadaś. In the Internet, we often do not buy in Biedronka, but in Biedra. We do not say that we went to a concert of Iron Maiden, but Irons – explains.
Set a goal
Another important thing is to set a goal in media monitoring. It may be useful for long-lasting analysis, which shows e.g. frequency or contents of comments as well as publications concerning a certain company and it may be a tool for a quick reaction in social media. If we want to use monitoring to a current pro-active customer service, the fact of speed will be the most important for us, that is how fast a mention about our brand, company or product appears on our platform in results – claims Jadaś.
Quick information concerning discussion about a company in the Internet allows to establish a contact with future clients as well as reaction for critics. The newest solutions enable sending a text message to a client in case of appearance of any negative comments about their organization in the Internet. It will also allow to response quickly and prove the Internauts that their opinion is extremely important.
Dedicated solutions
The application aimed at searching for mentions about a certain company should be constantly used. However, the frequency of appearance of searched definitions will be different in some industries, for instance, due to a season. The intensity of mentions is very dependent on a season in a year in many industries. As an example, we checked that right now we have some mentions about diseases, colds and the flu – claims Jadaś. There is a period of colds and thus it is a good occasion for pharmaceutic companies to check who complains on their cough on Twitter – adds Jadaś.
Media monitoring is crucial from the point of view of a company's activity. It may bring rational benefits, e.g. in the form of new clients as well as increased sales of goods and services. However, it is important to properly choose all tools which are going to help in conducting an efficient analysis of media.