Social Media Monitoring Tools - An In-Depth Look - A Guide to Assessing and Using Tools

Sep 13, 2026

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Social Media Monitoring Tools - An In-Depth Look examines how online media monitoring supports decision-making in fast-growing information environments. It outlines why social media data matters, what data to collect, and how media monitoring objectives differ across governments, military organizations, businesses, PR teams, and public figures. The report explains key monitoring functions—real-time listening, historical data access, analysis, and dashboard visualisation—then reviews multiple commercial tools and offers guidance for assessment and daily workflow implementation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages39

Reading Time14 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

The growing relevance of social media

An Introduction to Media Monitoring

Implementing the tools in daily workflow

How to Assess the Social Media Monitoring Tool

Using AI to assist with information environment analysis

Methodology

Overview of Tools

Brandwatch

Mediatoolkit

Meltwater

BuzzSumo

Keyhole

Sprinklr

Sprout Social

Digimind

Comparative Overview

Conclusions and Recommendations

Endnotes

978-9934-619-20-5 SOCIAL MEDIA MONITORING TOOLS: AN IN-DEPTH LOOK Published by the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence ISBN: 978-9934-619-20-5 Authors : Anna Grizāne, Marija Isupova, Vanessa Vorteil Contributor: Gundars Bergmanis-Korāts Editor: Monika Hanley Project Manager: Marija Isupova Design: Kārlis Ulmanis Riga, July 2022 NATO STRATCOM COE 11b Kalnciema Iela Riga LV1048, Latvia [www.stratcomcoe.org](www.stratcomcoe.org)[ ](www.stratcomcoe.org)[Facebook/stratcomcoe](Facebook/stratcomcoe)[ ](Facebook/stratcomcoe)Twitter: @stratcomcoe This publication does not represent the opinions or policies of NATO or NATO StratCom COE. © All rights reserved by the NATO StratCom COE. Reports may not be copied, reproduced, distributed or publicly displayed without reference to the NATO StratCom COE. The views expressed here do not represent the views of NATO. Contents Introduction 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 5 The growing relevance of social media ..... 5 An Introduction to Media Monitoring ....... 5 Areas of applicability for governments and military organisations ................... 7 Implementing the tools in daily workflow .... 8 How to Assess the Social Media Monitoring Tool 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 9 Using AI to assist with information environment analysis ................... 12 Methodology 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 17 Overview of Tools 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 19 Brandwatch .......................... 19 Mediatoolkit .......................... 21 Meltwater ............................ 22 BuzzSumo ........................... 24 Keyhole .............................. 26 Sprink lr .............................. 27 Sprout Social ......................... 29 Digimind ............................. 30 Comparative Overview 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 32 Conclusions and Recommendations 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 34 Endnotes 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 􀀮 38 4 􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟 One of the important aspects is to know how and what data to gather. However, one of the challenges is getting useful insights from the gathered data as this is a process on its own. Introduction The growing relevance of social media Information is power and, in this day and age, the Internet is increasingly becoming the primary source and vector for the transfer of information between people. Digital media is an essential source of information for people worldwide. Compared to traditional media, digital media consumption grows rapidly with each year. The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to this process,1 with most work, learning, entertainment and communication in technologically advanced countries transferring to the online environment.2 Social media plays a significant role in people’s lives. There are 4.2 billion social media users worldwide, more than 53% of the world’s population. Since 2021, the number of social media users has grown by 490 million, a 13% increase.3 This means that the number of new social media users grew by more than 900 users per minute. The amount of content generated on social media is tremendous—there are 474,000 Tweets, 69 000 Instagram posts, and 400 hours of new Youtube videos uploaded each minute. On Facebook alone, there are 510,000 comments, 293,000 status updates, and 136,000 photos uploaded per minute.4 An Introduction to Media Monitoring From press clippings in the area of traditional media to online media monitoring (or sometimes also listening), online media monitoring is used to observe social media and other media on the Internet (websites, blogs, news, etc.) . Tools to conduct monitoring 􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟􀁟 5 can vary, from a simple Excel sheet, to using a specific tool to analyse data. In addition, there are possibilities

FAQs

Why has social media become a relevant source of information?

Social media has expanded rapidly in users and content volume, making it a primary channel for communication, work, learning, and entertainment. The document links this growth to the increasing role of digital media and the effects of events like the COVID-19 pandemic.

What is media monitoring and what data does it focus on?

Media monitoring observes social media and other online media such as websites, blogs, and news. It emphasizes selecting what data to gather and then converting collected data into usable insights.

Which core functionalities should a social media monitoring tool provide?

The document highlights real-time listening, analysis, access to historical data, and data visualisation through dashboards as the main functionalities that help make sense of monitoring results.

Sep 13, 2026

Upload by Adam