6 ways to boost social listening for lead generation
Want to find customers who are already talking about what you offer?
It starts with monitoring the right words.
Keywords act like a treasure map, leading you to the conversations and people that matter most.
But where to start, right?
Monitoring your own brand is easy – just enter your brand name – but what should you enter to find qualified leads that don’t mention your company directly?
Choosing the right keywords is the first step to getting great lead results with social listening.
That way, you can zero in on the right people and connect with leads ready to buy.
Once you know what keywords to track, you can enter up to 10 keywords in buska to catch every qualified lead.
Here are 6 ways to boost social listening for lead generation.
1. Think like your customers
Start by asking: What words would your customers use if they were looking for your service or product?
- Look for phrases like “alternative to [competitor]” or “better than [competitor’s product].”
- Pay attention to how people talk about their needs online. They might say things like “I’m tired of [problem]” or “looking for help with [specific challenge].”
Your keywords should match their language, not industry buzzwords.
To do so, make sure you are clear on your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP):
- Who are they? Identify their industry, job roles, and business size.
- What are their needs? Focus on their pain points and solutions they might seek.
- Where do they engage online? Find out which platforms they frequent and the type of content they consume.
These insights will help you select keywords that align with their intent and engagement patterns.
2. Use Industry-Specific Topics
Make a list of niche terms people use in your field:
- Include words unique to your services or products. For example, a marketing agency might track “social analytics tools” or “real-time audience tracking.”
- Add terms related to trends or hot topics in your industry.
What’s buzzing right now? Keep your ear to the ground. - Monitor variations of your industry or niche terminology, including acronyms and slang used within the field.
3. Add Action Words
Target people ready to act by including keywords with intent:
- Words like “find,” “hire,” “compare,” or “recommend.”
- Problem-solving phrases like “fix my [problem]” or “help with [specific issue].”
- Pain point expressions like “struggling with” or “challenges in” followed by relevant topics.
People using these words are likely ready to make a decision.
4. Include Alternatives and Competitor Mentions
Sometimes, potential customers are already looking at other options:
- Add competitor names, including common misspellings.
- Use phrases like “alternative to [competitor],” or “why switch from [competitor].”
By monitoring these, you can find people unhappy with their current solution and offer a better one.
This tactic also helps growth and product teams understand their market and run competitive analysis.
5. Don’t Forget Location or Specific Groups
If your business serves specific areas or people, you can try to be precise:
- Include city or region names like “[your service] in New York.”
- If your audience is segmented, add terms for groups, such as “small businesses,” “freelancers,” or “enterprise solutions.”
This helps narrow the field to the people you really want to reach.
6. Keep Testing and Tweaking
Keep in mind keywords aren’t static, and your target audience’s preferences and communication evolve. Update your keywords regularly:
- Check what’s working.
- Drop keywords that bring irrelevant mentions or too much noise.
- Add new phrases based on changing trends and customer feedback.
- A/B test keywords. In buska, you can change the keywords you are tracking as you want.
Social listening is all about staying flexible and responsive.
Conclusion
The right keywords make all the difference. We shared 6 effective ways to define relevant keywords. But the key takeaway is: test and learn.
Use buska’s 10 keyword list to A/B and vary your approach: brand, niche, pain point, competition…
When you pick terms that match how your customers talk online, you find better leads.
Don’t be afraid to get specific or tweak your list as you go.
Try buska for 7 days for free and get started right away.
Want to dig deeper into B2B lead generation tactics for a specific platform?
Check out our dedicated guides:
