Articles

Structuring Social Media Data for Better Decision Making

02 Jun 2023
   —  by Ryszard Bublik

Social media has become a driving force for global conversations, news sharing, and information dissemination in the digital age.

However, understanding the drivers of these discussions and their impact on reputation can be challenging without proper structure in social media data. At Social360, we specialize in identifying true influencers of social media discussions, bringing structure to one of the world’s largest unstructured data sets.

The Power of Influencers:

Influencers have gained significant prominence on various social media platforms in recent years. With their large followings and strong online presence, these individuals will sway opinions, set trends, and foster discussions. Whether journalists, analysts, politicians, celebrities, or business leaders, their authoritative voice on an issue is crucial to understand when managing an organization’s or an individual’s reputation. Social360 considers these social media influencers as the core data source that can genuinely drive decision-making.

The Amplification Effect:

The actions and opinions of core influencers have a ripple effect on social media. When they express their viewpoints, their followers often echo and amplify these perspectives, leading to widespread discussions. This ripple effect acts as an amplifier for core influencers. If this ripple becomes a wave, it can have a significant reputational impact that organizations need to understand and mitigate.

Identifying Core Influencers:

At Social360, we take a strategic and analytical approach to identifying core influencers in social media discussions. For more than a decade, we have been building a powerful, growing database of more than 100,000 influencers, analysing the platforms where they post publicly. Politicians in 52 different governments, journalists around the world, analysts, business leaders, NGOs, think tanks and advocacy groups are some of the influencers we track. However, we also acknowledge the influence of those outside the core data sets and include them in our analysis. Our machine learning algorithm helps identify these influencers, and our human analysts verify them to ensure their authenticity.

Verification Process:

Verification is a crucial aspect of identifying genuine influencers. Platforms like Twitter have implemented a verification process known as the blue tick to confirm the authenticity of user accounts. Before Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter, there were more than 400,000 verified accounts. However, these were all removed and now require payment for verification, reducing the number of verified accounts by 90%. At Social360, we prioritize this verification process, ensuring that our core influencers are real influencers. We also include previously verified accounts in our analysis. As social media is a dynamic environment, our database of influencers is continuously evolving to account for emerging grassroots movements and individuals who may influence wider discussions.

Bringing Structure to Unstructured Data:

Social media data is inherently unstructured, making it challenging to identify the conversations that truly matter. While macro social media data sets can reveal trends and metrics, understanding the underlying details requires a structured approach. By focusing on core influencers, Social360 brings structure to unstructured data, enabling our clients to make quicker and better-informed decisions for reputation management.

Understanding the dynamics of core influencers and their impact on social media discussions is crucial for effective reputation management. By leveraging statistics, data-driven insights, and our structured approach, Social360 empowers clients to make informed decisions and navigate the complex world of social media. Contact our team at Social360 to learn more about our approach and how we can help with your reputation management needs.

Social360 is an advanced social media monitoring company. For more information, please contact Alex Baker or Giles Brown or visit our website – www.s360group.com.

Ryszard Bublik