10 Step Tutorial for Using Social Mention

Social Mention is a simple, useful tool for monitoring and tracking social media. It helps you see who's making references to you or your company-or to any topic, for that matter. It aggregates user-generated content from across different social networks, letting you search and analyze it all in one place.

The social search service falls into an emerging category called listening tools. These include expensive services for big businesses and simpler software for small firms and individuals. At the industrial-strength end, for example, are Cymfony and Biz360. At the consumer end are PostRank and Spinn3r. Social Mention occupies the consumer end; it's easy to use and mostly free.

Like other tools for monitoring social media, Social Mention offers both a free version and a paid service that adds extra functionality. This tutorial reviews the free service.

Where to Start?

Start by deciding what you want to monitor. Then enter the name of the company, person, topic or phrase that you want to research into the search box on the Social Mention home page.