Staying on top of industry shifts and narratives isn’t just a matter of tracking mentions; it’s about seeing the bigger picture. Brands today need to understand which topics are gaining traction and how those discussions could impact them, their competitors, or their industry. With NewsWhip, teams can monitor key narratives, track evolving public interest, and recognize where conversations might be headed before they’re swept up in them.
We’ll explore three key questions that communication teams can ask to stay informed about the wider landscape, along with solutions from NewsWhip to address each one.
1. Which narratives are resonating with the public?
In a landscape where every topic competes for attention, brands need to stay ahead of narratives that may not directly involve them but which could shape perceptions and drive future decisions.
Understanding the topics that resonate and which conversations are gaining traction provides a broader awareness, positioning brands to act, respond, or pivot in response to evolving issues.
NewsWhip solution
NewsWhip offers a dynamic search feature that enables brands to create tailored searches for real-time monitoring of public interest around any topic. For example, a food and beverage brand might monitor themes such as obesity and sugar taxation. While not necessarily directly linked to their brand, these issues could have future implications, and thus need monitoring. Similarly, an automotive brand may track news and discussions on electric vehicle adoption, sustainability, and non-ICE technology to stay aware of shifts and potential impacts.
Our AI Digests offer high-level summaries of the most relevant and engaging stories for specific topics, providing brands with actionable insights in a digestible format. Soon to be available directly within the NewsWhip dashboard as Top Themes, this feature will make it even easier for brands to understand which themes are capturing public attention, allowing for swift, data-informed decisions without needing to sift through data manually.
In addition, the Top People & Brands widget enables brands to monitor influential figures and entities connected to any topic, making it easier to engage with thought leaders and understand the broader network of voices that shape public sentiment.
The NewsWhip Timeline widget further enhances these insights by visualizing public interest over time, helping brands pinpoint moments of peak engagement or sustained attention. Starting Q4 2024, this functionality will expand to include key social networks such as X, providing a comprehensive view of public interest across platforms.
With an understanding of which narratives resonate, brands are better prepared to monitor how these topics develop over time, identifying when shifts in engagement may require timely action.
2. How is this narrative developing?
Knowing that a topic resonates is just the beginning; understanding its development over time allows brands to align their messaging and stay relevant. NewsWhip’s tools help brands track engagement to see if interest in a narrative is climbing, plateauing, or waning. This insight lets teams strategize accordingly, adjusting outreach based on real-time trends and engagement patterns.
NewsWhip solution
The Timeline feature provides brands with a side-by-side comparison of multiple search terms, visualizing the ebb and flow of interest across topics. This comparison not only clarifies which conversations are gathering momentum but also reveals potential “spaces to join the conversation,” a key insight for brands looking to engage at the right moment, as noted by several clients. For example, a brand tracking sustainability topics might see a sudden spike in interest in environmental practices relative to competitors, signaling an opportunity to contribute with relevant messaging.
Additionally, the Highlights feature surfaces the most impactful data points, showing spikes in engagement that may signal significant developments or changes in public sentiment. Paired with Predicted Interactions, which forecasts potential future engagement, these time-based analytics equip brands with a proactive approach to narrative shifts in real time. By harnessing these insights, teams can align outreach efforts to resonate with public sentiment as it evolves, maintaining relevance and impact within the conversation.
Once brands have insight into how a narrative is developing, they can quickly identify high-impact stories and conversations to ensure they stay informed on influential content.
3. Have any important articles or stories been published?
To stay ahead of potential issues or capitalize on new opportunities, brands need real-time visibility into the latest articles and social media posts that might impact public perception. With NewsWhip, teams can quickly access and evaluate relevant content across platforms, ensuring that they don’t miss significant stories or surges in engagement.
Each NewsWhip dashboard provides widgets covering web articles and all major social media platforms. These widgets allow brands to sort content by engagement level, providing an at-a-glance view of the most impactful stories across platforms. By monitoring interactions and engagement metrics, teams can instantly see which posts are gaining traction and determine their potential impact on public sentiment.
NewsWhip’s real-time and customizable Alerts enable brands to receive instant notifications about emerging stories based on specific metrics and keywords. These alerts can be fine-tuned with predicted interactions, ensuring that brands are notified only when a post meets defined engagement thresholds, helping teams prioritize high-impact stories and respond in real time. Whether tracking mentions, related keywords, or broader industry topics, these alerts equip teams with the information they need to stay on top of developments as they happen.
Mastering the insights on the wider landscape enables brands to not only monitor but also influence public sentiment and industry narratives. By addressing these core questions, NewsWhip equips brands to navigate public interest trends proactively, giving them a strategic advantage in staying relevant and responsive.
To find out more about how these features can fit into your workflow, get in touch with us here.
