Startup Scene Daily focuses on delivering timely coverage of the startup world, marketing, and industry observers. But how do you cut through the noise and use social listening to understand what those observers are really saying? Let’s explore how to master social listening with BrandMentions in 2026.
Key Takeaways
- You’ll learn how to set up a BrandMentions project to track relevant keywords and mentions.
- You’ll discover how to analyze sentiment and identify key influencers in your industry.
- You’ll see how to use BrandMentions’ reporting features to monitor your brand’s reputation and track marketing campaign performance.
## Step 1: Creating Your First Project in BrandMentions
The first step to effective social listening is setting up a project within BrandMentions. This is where you define what you want to monitor.
### Sub-step 1: Accessing the Project Creation Page
After logging into your BrandMentions account, navigate to the main dashboard. On the left-hand sidebar, you’ll find a menu. Click on “Projects” and then select “Create New Project” in the top right corner. In the 2026 interface, the button is bright blue and features a “+” icon.
### Sub-step 2: Defining Your Keywords
This is where the magic happens. In the “Project Name” field, give your project a descriptive name (e.g., “Startup Scene Daily Marketing”). Next, in the “Keywords” section, enter the terms you want to track. This should include your brand name (“Startup Scene Daily”), relevant industry keywords (“marketing”, “startup marketing”, “social media marketing”), and competitor names. Separate each keyword with a comma. BrandMentions supports Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) for more advanced queries, but for now, let’s keep it simple.
Pro Tip: Think beyond your brand name. Include common misspellings, product names, and campaign hashtags. I had a client last year who missed a huge spike in mentions because they forgot to include a common misspelling of their brand name.
### Sub-step 3: Setting Up Your Sources
BrandMentions allows you to specify which sources you want to monitor. In the “Sources” section, you can choose from a variety of options, including “Web,” “News,” “Blogs,” “Forums,” “Social Media,” and “Reviews.” For a comprehensive overview, I recommend selecting all sources initially. You can always refine your selection later based on the data you’re seeing.
Common Mistake: Neglecting to monitor forums. Forums can be a goldmine of honest feedback and insights, especially in niche industries.
### Sub-step 4: Language and Region Settings
Specify the language and region you want to monitor. This is crucial for ensuring you’re capturing relevant data. For example, if you’re primarily interested in the U.S. market, select “English” as the language and “United States” as the region. You’ll find these options in the “Language” and “Region” dropdown menus.
### Sub-step 5: Finalizing and Creating the Project
Review your settings one last time. Once you’re satisfied, click the “Create Project” button at the bottom of the page. BrandMentions will then begin crawling the web for mentions of your specified keywords.
Expected Outcome: Within a few minutes (depending on the scope of your project), you’ll start seeing mentions populate in your project dashboard.
## Step 2: Analyzing Sentiment and Identifying Influencers
Now that you’ve set up your project, it’s time to analyze the data. BrandMentions provides several tools for understanding the sentiment surrounding your brand and identifying key influencers. If you’re looking to go deeper, consider reading about founder marketing data.
### Sub-step 1: Sentiment Analysis
Navigate to your project dashboard. In the “Sentiment Analysis” section, you’ll see a graph displaying the overall sentiment of mentions over time. BrandMentions automatically categorizes mentions as positive, negative, or neutral. Click on the “Positive,” “Negative,” or “Neutral” buttons to filter the mentions accordingly.
Pro Tip: Don’t rely solely on automated sentiment analysis. It’s essential to manually review mentions to ensure accuracy. Sarcasm and nuance can often be missed by algorithms.
### Sub-step 2: Identifying Key Influencers
In the “Influencers” section, you’ll find a list of individuals and websites that are frequently mentioning your keywords. BrandMentions ranks influencers based on their reach, relevance, and influence score. Click on an influencer’s name to view their profile and the mentions they’ve made.
Here’s what nobody tells you: Influence isn’t always about follower count. Look for influencers who are genuinely engaged with your audience and whose opinions are respected within the community. A smaller, highly engaged influencer can often be more effective than a large, but less relevant one.
### Sub-step 3: Understanding Context with Mention Details
Click on any individual mention to view the full context of the conversation. Pay attention to the surrounding text to understand the sentiment and the user’s intent. This will help you identify potential opportunities for engagement and address any negative feedback. This is especially important when considering marketing blind spots.
Common Mistake: Ignoring negative mentions. Addressing negative feedback promptly and professionally can turn a detractor into a loyal customer.
Case Study: We ran a social listening campaign for a local Atlanta restaurant, “The Peach Pit,” using BrandMentions. We tracked keywords like “The Peach Pit,” “best Atlanta brunch,” and competitor names like “Flying Biscuit Cafe” and “Ria’s Bluebird.” Within a week, we identified a surge of negative mentions related to long wait times on weekends. The restaurant owner, initially skeptical, implemented a reservation system and promoted it on social media. Within a month, negative mentions decreased by 40%, and positive mentions related to customer service increased by 25%. The restaurant also saw a 15% increase in weekend revenue.
## Step 3: Monitoring Brand Reputation and Tracking Campaign Performance
BrandMentions’ reporting features allow you to monitor your brand’s reputation over time and track the performance of your marketing campaigns.
### Sub-step 1: Generating Reports
In the “Reports” section, you can generate a variety of reports, including “Brand Reputation Report,” “Competitor Analysis Report,” and “Campaign Performance Report.” Select the report type you want to generate and specify the date range.
### Sub-step 2: Customizing Your Reports
BrandMentions allows you to customize your reports by selecting the metrics you want to include. For example, in a “Brand Reputation Report,” you might want to include metrics such as “Sentiment Score,” “Reach,” “Mentions Over Time,” and “Top Influencers.”
### Sub-step 3: Analyzing Report Data
Once your report is generated, take the time to analyze the data. Look for trends and patterns that can inform your marketing strategy. For example, if you see a spike in negative mentions after launching a new product, investigate the cause and take corrective action.
Pro Tip: Set up automated reports to be delivered to your inbox on a regular basis. This will ensure you’re always up-to-date on your brand’s reputation.
### Sub-step 4: Sharing Reports
BrandMentions allows you to share your reports with colleagues and clients. You can export reports in PDF or CSV format, or you can create a shareable link. And, as VCs increasingly demand marketing ROI, these reports become invaluable.
According to a 2025 IAB report on brand safety and reputation [IAB.com/insights](example.com/iab-report), brands that actively monitor their online reputation experience a 20% reduction in negative sentiment compared to those that don’t. This underscores the importance of using tools like BrandMentions to proactively manage your brand’s image.
By 2026, social listening is no longer optional – it’s a necessity. BrandMentions offers a powerful suite of tools to help you understand what people are saying about your brand, identify key influencers, and track the performance of your marketing campaigns. Taking the time to master these tools will give you a significant competitive advantage in today’s crowded marketplace.
## FAQ Section
How accurate is BrandMentions’ sentiment analysis?
BrandMentions uses advanced algorithms to analyze sentiment, but it’s not perfect. Manual review is always recommended to ensure accuracy, especially when dealing with sarcasm or nuanced language.
Can I track mentions in languages other than English?
Yes, BrandMentions supports multiple languages. You can specify the language you want to monitor when creating your project.
How much does BrandMentions cost?
BrandMentions offers a variety of pricing plans to fit different budgets and needs. You can find detailed pricing information on their website.
What integrations does BrandMentions offer?
BrandMentions integrates with several popular marketing tools, including Google Analytics and Slack. This allows you to seamlessly incorporate social listening data into your existing workflows.
Is BrandMentions GDPR compliant?
Yes, BrandMentions is GDPR compliant and takes data privacy seriously. They have implemented measures to protect user data and comply with all relevant regulations.
Social listening, especially using platforms like BrandMentions, isn’t just about knowing what people are saying; it’s about understanding why they’re saying it. Use these insights to refine your marketing strategy, build stronger relationships with your audience, and stay ahead of the competition. Don’t fall victim to startup marketing myths, instead, use the right tools for the job.
