INTRODUCTION

Social media has become an alternate universe – a world as real as the brick and mortar world. For brands, social media provides an opportunity to reach  new customers, drive sales, and engage with existing customers. While brands have many advertising options to reach users on social media, they have far less control over the volume and type of social media comments that their ads receive. These comments become a part of the ad, shape viewers’  perception, and can make or mar brands.

In our experience working with Fortune 500 companies and emerging disruptor brands, we have found that there are some key competencies brands need in order to manage social media comments effectively. Brands need to be able to detect, classify, assign, and take actions (such as hiding, replying, or escalating)  on comments at scale in line with the business goals.