Keyword tracking in social listening refers to monitoring specific words or phrases mentioned across social media platforms. It allows brands to detect real-time conversations about products, competitors, campaigns, or industry trends—even when no hashtags or direct mentions are used.
What is keyword tracking?
Unlike hashtag tracking, which captures posts using the “#” symbol, keyword tracking listens for plain-text phrases in posts, comments, captions, or replies. This includes brand names, product terms, campaign slogans, and relevant industry keywords.
Using a social listening tool, brands can track keywords across platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and X (Twitter) to surface high-volume conversations that are often missed by traditional alerts.
Keyword tracking also supports broader social media mention tracking by identifying posts referencing your brand without tagging your official account.
Why is keyword tracking important?
Keyword tracking helps brands stay on top of what people are really saying. Here’s how:
- Brand monitoring: Capture mentions of your brand name or product terms—even if untagged
- Campaign tracking: Monitor how specific slogans or phrases are performing in the wild
- Crisis management: Identify spikes in negative chatter tied to key issues
- Sentiment analysis: Understand how tracked keywords are being used—positively or negatively
- Content research: Use data to identify what terms customers use most, feeding into social media content analytics
It also helps brands improve their share of voice (SOV) by revealing how often your keywords appear compared to competitors.
How to use keyword tracking with social listening tools
- Set up a list of keywords, product names, and campaign phrases to monitor
- Track their usage across platforms in real time
- Apply sentiment analysis to understand tone and context
- Combine with social media content analytics to discover which keywords drive the most engagement
- Use results to refine messaging, inform content strategy, and adjust targeting
Keyword tracking vs. hashtag tracking
While both are essential, they serve different purposes:
- Hashtag tracking captures intentional, campaign-style sharing
- Keyword tracking reveals organic conversations that aren’t always promotional
Together, they provide a 360° view of how your brand and topics are discussed online.
