Beyond likes: Use social intent to get more leads

1. Introduction: shift focus to what matters

Lots of businesses get stuck focusing on likes and followers.
It feels good to see those numbers go up, but let’s be honest—they don’t always lead to sales.
What really matters is figuring out who’s ready to buy and how you can help them.

That’s where social intent targeting comes in. It’s a smarter way to cut through the noise and find the people who actually need what you’re offering.

2. What Is social intent?

Think of social intent monitoring as eavesdropping—but in a good way.

Pay attention to what people are saying online about their problems, needs, or frustrations.
Do not just track mentions of your brand.
Dig deeper to spot people who might be looking for a solution like yours.

You can find conversations where people ask questions, compare products, or vent about a competitor. That’s your chance to jump in.

3. How to spot buying signals

The real magic is spotting those little signaux d'intention d'achat from social mentions to find people who might be ready to buy.

Here’s what to watch for:

  • Questions or Recommendations:
    When someone asks, “What’s the best tool for X?” or “Can anyone recommend a good option for Y?”
  • Complaints:
    Comments like “[name of the software] drives me crazy” or “looking for an alternative to [competitor]are gold.
    They’re looking for a better solution.
  • Comparisons:
    If someone’s asking, “Is X better than Y?” they’re already shopping around.
  • Keywords and Hashtags:
    Keep an eye on terms like “need a solution” or “any advice on X.”
  • Negative Sentiment:
    If people are unhappy with a competitor, they might be open to hearing from you.

When you find these signals, it’s like finding a breadcrumb trail for your next customer.
To find those signals across platforms, use tools like buska, which will track leads from every platform.
That way, you can identify the right channels for your outreach and ads.

4. What to do when you spot a lead

So you’ve found someone who’s interested. What’s next? Here’s how to handle it:

  • Join the Conversation:
    Reply to their question or comment with helpful advice. Be genuine, not salesy.
  • Create Content They’ll Love:
    If you see a pattern in what people are struggling with, make a blog post or video to address it. It’s a great way to attract more leads.
  • Run Smarter Ads:
    Use what you’ve learned to target your ads better. Focus on people who are already talking about what you sell.
  • Optimize Your Follow-Up:
    If someone shows interest, don’t just send a generic pitch. Tailor your response to what they’ve shared. And share something relevant for them based on the signal your identified.

5. Tips for getting the most out of social intent

Here are some quick tips to make social listening work for you:

  • Focus on the Right Keywords:
    Don’t try to track everything. Stick to phrases that show interest or frustration.
    To help you, we have listed the best practices for choosing the right keywords.
  • Be Helpful, Not Pushy:
    Show up as someone who wants to help, not just sell.
  • Use Insights to Plan Content:
    If people keep asking the same questions, make something that answers them.
  • Use multichannel outreach:
    Use a tool like LGM to follow up through multichannel outbound sequences to nurture leads.
  • Tweak as You Go:
    The more you use social listening, the better you’ll get at spotting what works.

6. How to know it is working

It’s important to track how well your efforts are paying off.

Here’s what to look at:

  • New Leads:
    How many people have you found through social listening?
  • Conversations That Lead to Sales:
    Are these leads turning into customers?
  • Sentiment Toward Your Brand:
    Are people starting to talk about you more positively?
  • How Fast You Respond:
    Are you jumping on opportunities quickly?
  • Return on Investment:
    Is this approach helping you get new customers without wasting time?

Utilisation de buska dashboard analytics to analyze your results with intent signal monitoring.

7. Tackling common problems

Social listening can feel overwhelming at first.
Here’s how to handle some common challenges:

  • Too Much Information:
    Stick to specific keywords and filter out the noise.
  • Measuring Success:
    Set clear goals and track where your leads are coming from.
  • Finding the Balance:
    Use tools to automate the boring stuff but stay hands-on when talking to potential customers.

Conclusion

Social intent monitoring is a smarter way to find people who need what you offer.

By focusing on real buying signals, not just likes or mentions, you can connect with leads who are ready to take action.

Start small, try buska for one week, and see what works, and build from there.

You might be surprised how many opportunities are waiting for you in those online conversations.

Ready to get started? Your next customer could be one social post away.


Essayer buska for free for 7 days.