Social media analytics lies at the cross roads of two important developments. First there are the developments in social media, of which Facebook and Twitter are well-known examples. Second, like social media, analytics is a development which has also changed the playing field of organizations. Although social media and analytics are real game changers, unfortunately numerous organizations are not embracing these developments yet. This may turn out to be a costly mistake.

Social media has fundamentally changed the way businesses and individuals connect and interact with each other. It offers individuals the opportunity to express their opinions and feelings at any given time. Such messages may be positive, but may also have a negative scope. Therefore organizations must be alert about what is said about their organization, products and services (and staff) in order to respond quickly. Protecting the organizational reputation (reputation management) is therefore one of the many possible applications of social media analytics.

In a broader perspective social media can be seen as a tool to understand what stakeholders are talking about (topic), what they think (opinion) and what they need (desire). It is not an additional channel for advertising products and services. Therefore it is wise to listen rather than talk and participate and facilitate rather than organize. Organizations that are making good use of social media have a direct line to what matters to stakeholders. Ignoring social media means that you are in risk of reputational damage and might miss identifying trends, or identifying trends later than competitors who are embracing social media.

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