We use social media as a barometer of our social footprint. It shows us where we stand: what's our impact on social networks, who do we influence as a voice, how are we being talked about. And that's extremely useful because we do need to know our current position to build for the future.
But couldn't social conversations be used as a predictive tool?
It seems that social media analytics have been used with quite some success by the HP Labs in trying to predict a movie's success. This is a great example of how customer behavior can be anticipated. But what can the common user or business do to use metrics as an indicator of the future?
Popular stories can be used to tap into what consumers, fans and advocates really care about when it comes to you or your business. Once you've launched a message that they responded to, try redoubling your succes by doing something similar - or, better yet, something with a lot more impact.
Use the input you've received from your community to craft your future actions. After all, they're the ones who decide what's cool or not. Build on the relationships you've gained by trying to find out what people actually like and giving it to them. Maybe they can help you catch a bug that needs to be fixed. Or implement a new feature that will get a lot of positive responses. Or even catch a PR fire before it's started by pointing your attention on an issue that need to be solved. There's a lot to gain if you just listen.
Influencers are also a good way of getting a glimpse into what people might like in the future. If your message got multiplied with the help of someone with a powerful voice, you could try analyzing their social profile for a deeper understanding of what they're interested in. Then engage those people that are a match for your type of business and use their ideas to improve your services. Even if they're dissatisfied with your services, helping them will show the community you care and that you can address an issue in the most professional manner.
Sentiment can be used as a very good resource to understand what people like - it's actually a "what you see is what you get" situation :). Especially if you get a daily breakdown of the indexed sentiment, it's easier to see what appeals to your community.
Are there other examples of predicting consumer actions that you can think of or have dealt with?