Tapping the potential of one’s online consumer (climbing inside their brain) to arrive at the opinions, tastes and ideas that can shape smarter product and service development — and not just marketing and PR campaigns — requires a process. Here’s ours.

1. Brainstorming and Strategy

The social web is comprised of thousands of niche communities. And the one you are looking to mine may not always be in plain sight.

Smart search requires a strategy. Working with the client, SSG determines the language and parameters that define the initial stages of community and conversation exploration.

This is vital to attaining proper results.

2. Hunting and Gathering

Once the search strategy is defined, SSG begins the data gathering process.

We employ various tools and methods, including human search, proprietary methods and the subscription-based monitoring service, SM2.

Data is collected and stored for quantitative as well as qualitative analysis.

3. Analysis

Depending on the client request, the data are analyzed at varying depths.

Objectives vary from identifying prominent and trending themes within target communities to arriving at more in-depth insights into consumer tastes and opinions on specific topics.

4. Conclusions/Reporting

Reports may be as basic as providing oversight of social media mentions and tone, or provide detailed recommendations for product/service improvements or developments, or identification of untapped consumer groups.