Social Media Analytics: A Detailed Report on the Primer

This report provides a comprehensive overview of social media analytics, highlighting its significance in modern business practices. It delves into the functions of social media analytics in marketing and brand building, emphasizing the collection and analysis of data from various social media platforms. The report classifies social media data into descriptive, predictive, diagnostic, and prescriptive analytics, while also listing essential analytical tools like Keyhole and Brandwatch. It explains how social media analytics enhances business presence, improves customer service, and allows for effective product feedback. Furthermore, the report addresses ethical considerations, such as privacy and data security, and concludes by underscoring the critical role of social media analytics for businesses to succeed in today's dynamic environment.

Running Head: PRIMER OF SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYTICS
PRIMER OF SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYTICS
Name of the Student
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Executive Summary:
Social media analytics is emerging as a very significant tool in today’s dynamic business
environment. Thus, this report will specifically highlight on what exact function does social
media analytics perform in terms of marketing and brand building along with what further steps
can be undertaken to enhance its usage.

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Discussion........................................................................................................................................4
Broader classification of social media data incorporates its segmentation as:............................4
Name of certain Social Media Analytical Tools:........................................................................5
How Social Media Analytics works for business?......................................................................5
Ethical considerations to be observed while using social media analytics:.................................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................8
References:......................................................................................................................................9

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Introduction
Social Media has significantly emerged as a tool to propagate “social commerce”, and has
increasingly made people involve in extensive buying and selling of products online forming
profitable groups and communities (Wamba,et al.2016). Social Media analytics (SMA) primarily
deals with gathering essential data from social media websites followed by appropriate analysis
of those data using varied analytical tools which finally serve as important data for taking
business decisions. However the first and foremost step in accessing the social media intelligence
is determining exactly which business goals will the gathered data intend to serve, that is whether
the data will be used to benefit the sales figure of the business organization, or improve customer
service, lower the operational cost and help in better brand building activities.

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Discussion
Before assessing the importance of social media analytics and how exactly the business houses
are using the social media analytics it is necessary understand the varied types of social media
data that are available an largely used by business originations.
Broader classification of social media data incorporates its segmentation as:
 Descriptive Analytics- this is considered as one of the simplest form of Social media
analytic where the data is gathered and processed in terms of visualizations, reports and
clustering. This type of analytical data is very easy to comprehend as well as easily used
by varied business organizations.
 Predictive Analytics- this type of analytics very significant yet very difficult to
undertake because it is primarily based on assumptions regarding how the future trends
would shape up rather that analyzing what the present condition is. However these types
of data holds very much significance for business firms as they help in predicting and
analyzing data pertaining to future trends that would help the organization access its
future business performance .
 Diagnostic analytics- this works completely opposite to predictive analytics. As the
former helps in analyzing impact of future events the latter is built around analyzing the
impact of any past incident to help the brand or company known exactly where the
company initiatives went wrong.

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 Prescriptive Analytics- this type of analytical data not only helps in proving the required
vital information but also suggesting useful ways of dealing with the same problem. It
comes extremely handy when one is dealing with a diverse group of social media.
Name of certain Social Media Analytical Tools:
Certain essential social media analytical tools include:
 Keyhole
 AgoraPulse
 Brandwatch
 Reputology
 Meltwater and lots more
These social media analytical tools are largely used for assessing the brand’s market position,
increasing the online visibility of the brand; harnessing the market strategy of its competitors and
helping the brand expand its market performance through appropriate social media
communication
How Social Media Analytics works for business?
Conventional forms of media be it radio, television or newspaper is expected to transmit
information only in one single direction. However social media is one such powerful and
dynamic tool of business communication that enables multi-dimensional communication follow
and increases the interactivity between the business houses and the target market. Thus bigger

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and better brands are trying to increase their online presence as it is considered one of the
primary ways remaining relevant in today’s dynamic business environment. The most common
usage of social media analytics includes:
 Expanding the business presence
 Harnessing the strength of running promotional campaigns through social
media
 Successful reduction of customer service cost through proper Social
Media monitoring process
 Effective utilization of feedback on products and services
 Accessing public opinions on brands who intend to experiment with their
products or services or bring in certain diversification to gauge the real
impact of the same.
Today most business houses have their own social media practice team to access the
strength of the brand’s social media usage techniques in their business operations. It has no doubt
helped brands in better understanding and targeting their consumer segments, increasing
consumer participation and connects with the brand, improving the brand’s visibility
(Hollebeek, Glynn & Brodie, 2014) over the social media and overall strengthening the market
position on the brand. Some brands who have made extensive use of social media analytics in
building up their market presence includes: Domino’s with their innovative social media
campaigns like twwet-to0order then Dove, the women’s’ toiletry brand with their unique brand

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message spreading body positivity like “You are beautiful”, Nike’s just do it campaign which
rose a new storm all over the social media and many more.
Ethical considerations to be observed while using social media analytics:
As the world of social media is much more open and has no just significant gatekeeper to
check the authenticity and credibility of the messages been forwarded and the information been
spread, there are high changes of spreading misinformation or varied other data breach risk
associated with the business as well. Privacy, confidentiality and security are the prime
concerns that the marketers and those who are integrally associated with analyzing and
interpreting online data must be highly concerned about (Reamer, 2013). There are potential
risks involved in every step be it in the data processing, data sharing, data analysis or data usage.
The Facebook Data breach Scandal (Debatin, et al. 2009) can be considered as the greatest and
latest example of how dangerous can social media tools become when it comes to unethical and
illegal usage of persona data and information for business purpose without any prior consent of
the parties involved. Therefore every organization must be aware of these hazards.

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Conclusion
Thus from the above cited discussion it is very clear how social media analytics play a very
integral role in managing social media operations of big and small brands. Today being active of
social media is no more a choice but a compulsion, however the marketers need to be equally
aware of the potential dangers that this platform beholds and essential take steps to control it and
make utmost utilization of the available resources to build its potentials.

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References:
Debatin, B., Lovejoy, J. P., Horn, A. K., & Hughes, B. N. (2009). Facebook and online privacy:
Attitudes, behaviors, and unintended consequences. Journal of computer-mediated
communication, 15(1), 83-108.
https://watermark.silverchair.com/jjcmcom0083.pdf?
token=AQECAHi208BE49Ooan9kkhW_Ercy7Dm3ZL_9Cf3qfKAc485ysgAAAmswggJ
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2CO7oFx7Fv9KhHf9EzssRxqnMfB_tkaNuSxwkl7f_hpiUR57AAw6U9b4LlG6SI123O
WzrX1SmTtARTWIE106slEW4qPzvSA6gtOXOIC8MW0DpLENazzzR5gYb0-8Tn-
YDaUGCEe9fjrvD6heePbIUCz7NlIDiJ3gGw3dJqo_oa_oi61BtZ5gy8tv2a5lB4PzVOQ2
H1kove49QaxkNwLlaev5NY911wtSbgui2lHJMSO2v_BUVu_w0rqhfcMYW_OxLfSkK
FWmzbPdHzrj3s0M0Yn9yC0nX3KtWVX

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Hollebeek, L. D., Glynn, M. S., & Brodie, R. J. (2014). Consumer brand engagement in social
media: Conceptualization, scale development and validation. Journal of interactive
marketing, 28(2), 149-165.
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Reamer, F. G. (2013). Social work in a digital age: Ethical and risk management
challenges. Social work, 58(2), 163-172.
https://digitalcommons.ric.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1394&context=facultypublications
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