Every day, people post opinions, complaints, and recommendations on social media — and they don’t always tag brands directly. Social listening tools let you tap into those conversations (tagged or not) and turn that ongoing chatter into actionable insights. In this article, we review 13 top social listening tools so you can choose the best option for your team, objectives, and budget.
Key Takeaways
The purpose of social listening isn’t to collect more data — it’s to gain better insight so your team can move faster and make smarter decisions. Social listening is more than counting mentions; it also looks at sentiment, trends, and patterns across social networks and the wider web. Different tools serve different use cases, from robust all‑in‑one platforms to free, lightweight options with limited capabilities. The best social listening tool for you will depend on your goals, team size, budget, and which platforms you need to track.
What are social listening tools?
Social listening tools are software solutions that monitor what people say online about your brand, competitors, and industry. They scan social media, blogs, forums, and news sites to gauge sentiment, identify trends, and surface relevant conversations in real time. Under the hood, many of these tools rely on AI to sift through massive amounts of data and highlight what matters most, using capabilities like keyword tracking, sentiment analysis, and more.
Key features of social listening tools
Each platform has its own strengths, but most social listening tools include a similar set of core features:
Keyword and brand monitoring: Tracks mentions of your brand, products, competitors, hashtags, and important topics across…