Understanding how people feel about your brand is the difference between a thriving business and one blindsided by a PR crisis. Measuring brand sentiment allows you to move beyond basic metrics like 'likes' and 'shares' to understand the emotional context behind the conversations happening about your Brisbane-based business online.
Why Brand Sentiment Matters
In the Australian market, word-of-mouth is king. Whether it’s a review on a local Facebook group or a mention on LinkedIn, the tone of the conversation dictates your brand’s reputation. By measuring sentiment, you can identify unhappy customers before they leave a negative review, discover what your fans love about your service, and keep a close eye on your competitors.---
Prerequisites: What You’ll Need
Before you start, ensure you have the following:- Access to your social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.).
- A Social Listening Tool: While you can do this manually, tools like Awario, Brandwatch, or even the free version of Google Alerts are essential for scale.
- A List of Keywords: Your business name, key staff members, and specific product names.
- Time: Set aside at least 60 minutes for the initial setup.
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Step 1: Define Your Keywords and Phrases
To listen effectively, you need to know what you’re listening for. Start by listing your brand name, but don't stop there. Include common misspellings (e.g., if your business is "Brisbane Brews," also track "Brisbane Brues"). What to track:- Your brand name and website URL.
- Key personnel (e.g., the CEO or Founder).
- Specific product names.
- Your main competitors’ names.
- Industry-specific terms (e.g., "Brisbane plumbing services").
Step 2: Choose Your Social Listening Tool
Manual searching is time-consuming. For Australian small businesses, we recommend starting with a tool that covers the platforms where your customers hang out.- Google Alerts (Free): Good for mentions on blogs and news sites.
- AnswerThePublic: Great for seeing what questions people are asking.
- Hootsuite or Sprout Social: Excellent for integrated social media management and sentiment analysis.
Screenshot Description: You should see a dashboard with a search bar or a "New Alert" button. This is where you will input the keywords defined in Step 1.
Step 3: Set Up Your Monitoring Streams
Input your keywords into your chosen tool. Most tools allow you to filter by region. Pro Tip: Set your location filter to "Australia" to avoid noise from international brands with similar names.If you are using a tool like Hootsuite, you can set up "Search Streams" that update in real-time. This allows you to see every mention of your brand as it happens on X (Twitter) or Instagram.
Step 4: Categorise the Sentiment (The 'Mood' Check)
Most modern tools will automatically categorise mentions as Positive, Neutral, or Negative. However, AI isn't perfect—especially with Aussie sarcasm!Spend 15 minutes reviewing a sample of mentions.
- Positive: Praise, recommendations, or excitement.
- Neutral: Simple mentions, address enquiries, or news sharing.
- Negative: Complaints, frustrations, or comparisons to competitors.
Step 5: Look for Themes in Negative Feedback
Don't just look at the number of negative mentions; look for the why. Are people complaining about your shipping times? Is there a specific staff member mentioned? Is your pricing being compared unfavourably to a local Brisbane competitor?Categorise these into themes like "Customer Service," "Product Quality," or "Price." This makes the data actionable for your business operations.
Step 6: Analyse the 'Share of Voice'
Brand sentiment is more powerful when compared to your competitors. Use your tool to track your competitors' sentiment alongside your own.If your competitor has a higher volume of mentions but 40% are negative, and you have a lower volume but 90% are positive, you are winning the reputation game. This is your "Share of Sentiment."
Step 7: Identify Your Brand Advocates
Social listening isn't just about spotting fires; it's about finding your fans. Look for users who consistently post positive content about your brand. These are your "Brand Advocates." Action Item: Reach out to them. A simple "Thanks for the support!" or a small discount code can turn a happy customer into a lifelong promoter.Step 8: Set Up Real-Time Alerts for Crisis Management
Configure your tool to send you an email or mobile notification if there is a sudden spike in negative sentiment. In the digital age, a small complaint can go viral in hours. Early detection allows you to respond professionally before the situation escalates in local community groups.Step 9: Create a Sentiment Report
Once a month, compile your findings into a simple report. Include:- Total mentions vs. previous month.
- Sentiment breakdown (Percentage of Positive/Neutral/Negative).
- Top three themes for negative mentions.
- A screenshot of the "best" and "worst" mention of the month.
Step 10: Adjust Your Strategy Based on Findings
The final and most important step is taking action. If sentiment is dropping because customers feel ignored on social media, increase your community management hours. If people love a specific service, feature it in your next Brisbane-targeted Facebook ad campaign.---
Pro Tips for Success
- Watch for Sarcasm: Australians are known for dry wit. Automated tools often flag "This coffee is deadly!" as negative, even though in Australian slang, it can mean it's fantastic. Always spot-check your data.
- Monitor Local Groups: Many Australian conversations happen in private Facebook groups (like "Brisbane Small Business" or local suburb groups). While tools can't always crawl these, manual check-ins are vital.
- Include your ABN or specific location: If your business has a generic name, include your city (e.g., "Sunshine Coast") in your search queries to filter out irrelevant global results.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Ignoring Neutral Mentions: Neutral mentions are opportunities to move someone into the "Positive" category with a helpful interaction.
- Only Listening to Yourself: If you don't monitor competitors, you lack the context to know if your sentiment score is actually good for your industry.
- Being Defensive: When you find negative sentiment, never argue. Use it as data to improve.
Troubleshooting
- "I'm getting too much 'noise' (irrelevant results)": Use Boolean operators. For example, use "Brand Name" NOT "US City" to exclude results from overseas.
- "The tool isn't picking up Facebook mentions": Due to privacy settings, many tools struggle with Facebook. You may need to manually monitor your own page and public local groups.
- "My sentiment score is always 100% neutral": This usually means your keywords are too broad or the tool isn't configured to scan for emotive language. Re-check your keyword settings.
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Next Steps
Now that you've mastered brand sentiment, it’s time to put that data to work. Use your insights to refine your content strategy or improve your customer service response times.If you need help setting up advanced social listening dashboards or managing your online reputation, the team at Local Marketing Group is here to help. Contact us today to see how we can help your Brisbane business grow.