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How to Track Competitors on Social Media with Hootsuite

Once upon a Tuesday, there we were, wading through an ocean of social media cacophony, sipping on coffee that had gone cold while trying to decode the cryptic language of competitors. It was as if we were Sherlock Holmes peering into the online lives of our rivals, sans the pipe (and perhaps a bit more caffeine). Herein began our quest—a Herculean endeavor to uncover the mystique of competitor tracking using Hootsuite.

The Moment of Epiphany​

Let's rewind. I recall sitting in a cramped office - it could have passed for a broom closet - with my colleague Sarah who, bless her, had the patience of a saint and the investigative prowess of a detective. “We need to know what they're up to,” Sarah asserted with the kind of fervor that only five espressos could fuel. Thus, we embarked on our Hootsuite adventure, a treasure map in our digital toolkit hands.

First, setting sail into the settings of Hootsuite, we felt like bumbling pirates who had discovered a chest of features. Fortunately, navigating was as easy as pie. Here’s our journey.

Setting Up Streams​

Streams, my friends, were the sparkling veins of social media insights. We needed these to observe and glean real-time data from our competitors' social media activity. So, like two endearingly misguided DIY enthusiasts, we clicked 'Add Stream,' a modest yet mighty button.

  1. Navigate to your Hootsuite dashboard.
  2. Click on 'Streams' at the top.
  3. Hit 'Add Stream.'
  4. Choose the social media network (Facebook, Twitter, etc.).
  5. Select the 'Keyword' or 'Search' option.
  6. Enter your competitor’s handle or keywords related to their brand.

Sarah and I twiddled with various permutations of competitor names and relevant industry terms. It was akin to a word puzzle we were both quite terrible at, yet giddy over every little discovery.

Customizing Feeds​

Once streams were crafted with the care of master chocolatiers creating those artfully designed bonbons, it was time to customize the appearance because, as any connoisseur would tell you, presentation is key.

We played around, dragging streams into various complexes like kids with a set of Legos. “This is so satisfying,” Sarah chuckled, and I couldn't have agreed more. The organization felt... intoxicating, or perhaps that was just more the caffeine talking.

Engaging with Insights​

All set up, we dove headfirst into an ocean of analytics, a veritable treasure trove. We watched and noted, giggling like school children at recess. Hootsuite’s “Analytics” feature was next, pointing the way to data heaven.

  1. In your Hootsuite dashboard, click on 'Analytics' – left-hand side.
  2. Choose 'Reports' – build a new report or use existing templates.
  3. Add corresponding competitors’ metrics and evaluate performance.

Suddenly, competitor trends began to emerge, the hidden patterns of engagement ballets danced before us. It was like deciphering social dance moves without the risk of stepping on toes.

Reflection on the Journey​

As we sat back, laptops humming softly in sync with the ambiance of our cozy den, a realization dawned. The digital landscape was no longer an inscrutable enigma. Stone by stone, we had built bridges into our competitors' world without sacrificing our sanity (or coffee supply).

In essence, the remarkable beauty of Hootsuite—if we may dare sum it up—is its Anna Karenina-like ability to transform complexities into simplified, beautiful narratives. By tracking competitors on social media, we were no longer outsiders looking in but rather partners in an ever-evolving, insightful waltz of online enterprise. Well then, who’s ready for a refill?