Customizing your searches is the single most important way to gather the data you’re looking for. Here are a few tips to set up your searches to get the most bang.
Boolean Logic sounds fancy but really it is just a way to set up advanced search queries. Think of it like this - create keyword combos using the concept of “or this,” “and that,” but “not that.”
Here’s an example:
Let’s say you wanted to monitor the conversations around Japanese Cars and fuel efficiency, but not hybrids. Here’s what your search form would look like: (click the image for a bigger version)
What your communicating:
TIP: Some easy ways to change the search around is to switch Hybrid to required - then it acts as a filter and you’d only see posts that include something from each of the three lines. You can also add a few lines that are “relevant” which effects the order that the results appear.
Now that you know how Boolean logic works, be strategic about how you set up your searches. A big thanks to Susan Etlinger (@setlinger) for suggesting this structure:
Now that you’ve got your searches structured, you also have something to measure against. Check out this 1 month volume graph comparing the “industry” search to the individual company searches.
Interested in who’s getting the most mentions in this conversation? Check out this Share of Voice graph comparing companies to each other (as opposed to the graph above, which compares the companies to the industry):
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Happy Scouting!
Previously posted on scoutlabs.com/blog on May 6, 2010
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