For marketing professionals seeking to maximize the impact of earned media strategies, the quest for a centralized, efficient platform can feel endless. An earned media hub is the definitive resource for marketing, promising streamlined workflows and data-driven insights. But does it live up to the hype? This tutorial will walk you through setting up and using a leading platform, BrandMentions 360, to see if it truly delivers. Are you ready to say goodbye to scattered spreadsheets and hello to a unified earned media command center?
Key Takeaways
- You’ll learn to connect your social media accounts and news sources to BrandMentions 360 for comprehensive monitoring.
- You’ll discover how to set up custom alerts for brand mentions, competitor activity, and industry trends within the platform.
- You’ll understand how to analyze sentiment and engagement metrics to gauge the effectiveness of your earned media efforts.
Step 1: Account Setup and Initial Configuration
1.1 Creating Your Account
Head over to the BrandMentions 360 website and click on the “Start Free Trial” button. You’ll be prompted to enter your name, email address, and a secure password. After submitting the form, you’ll receive a verification email – click the link to activate your account. I remember when I first signed up, I almost missed the verification email in my spam folder, so double-check there if you don’t see it!
1.2 Navigating the Dashboard
Once logged in, you’ll land on the main dashboard. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with the layout. On the left-hand sidebar, you’ll find the primary navigation menu, including options like “Projects,” “Alerts,” “Reports,” and “Settings.” The central area of the dashboard provides an overview of your active projects and recent mentions.
1.3 Connecting Your Social Media Accounts
To get the most out of BrandMentions 360, you need to connect your social media accounts. Navigate to “Settings” (the gear icon at the bottom of the left sidebar) and then click on “Integrations.” Here, you’ll see options to connect your accounts from platforms like X, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Click the “Connect” button next to each platform and follow the on-screen instructions to authorize BrandMentions 360 to access your data. We had a client last year who skipped this step and wondered why their social media mentions weren’t showing up – don’t make the same mistake!
Step 2: Setting Up Your First Project
2.1 Creating a New Project
Projects are the core of BrandMentions 360. They allow you to group related keywords, websites, and social media accounts for focused monitoring. To create a new project, click on “Projects” in the left sidebar and then click the “+ New Project” button in the top right corner. A modal window will appear, prompting you to enter a project name and a brief description. For example, if you’re launching a new product in the Atlanta market, you might name your project “Atlanta Product Launch.”
2.2 Adding Keywords and Mentions
Now, it’s time to define the keywords and mentions you want to track. In the project settings, you’ll find a section labeled “Keywords.” Here, you can add individual keywords, phrases, and even negative keywords (terms you want to exclude from your search). For our Atlanta product launch, you might include keywords like “Product X Atlanta,” “Product X Georgia,” and “Best new product Atlanta.” Don’t forget to add common misspellings and variations of your brand name. You can also specify websites and blogs to monitor directly by adding their URLs in the “Websites” section.
2.3 Configuring Alert Settings
Alerts are crucial for staying informed about new mentions in real-time. Click on the “Alerts” tab within your project settings. Here, you can configure email notifications for new mentions. You can choose to receive alerts instantly, daily, or weekly, depending on your preferences. You can also set up alerts based on sentiment (positive, negative, or neutral) and source type (news, blogs, social media). Pro tip: Start with daily digests and then adjust the frequency as needed to avoid alert fatigue.
Step 3: Monitoring and Analyzing Mentions
3.1 Reviewing Mentions in the Dashboard
Once your project is set up, BrandMentions 360 will start collecting mentions from across the web and social media. To review these mentions, simply click on your project name in the “Projects” section. You’ll be presented with a list of mentions, sorted by date, source, and sentiment. Each mention includes a snippet of text, a link to the original source, and a sentiment score.
3.2 Filtering and Sorting Mentions
With potentially hundreds or thousands of mentions, filtering and sorting are essential. Use the filters at the top of the mentions list to narrow down your results by source, sentiment, language, and date range. You can also sort mentions by relevance, date, or sentiment score. I find that filtering by sentiment is particularly useful for identifying potential PR crises before they escalate.
3.3 Analyzing Sentiment and Engagement
BrandMentions 360 uses natural language processing (NLP) to analyze the sentiment of each mention. The sentiment score ranges from -1 (negative) to +1 (positive), with 0 representing neutral sentiment. Pay close attention to mentions with negative sentiment, as they may require immediate attention. The platform also provides engagement metrics, such as the number of shares, likes, and comments for each mention. These metrics can help you gauge the impact of your earned media efforts. According to a Nielsen report, earned media is often more trusted than paid advertising, so understanding its impact is critical.
Step 4: Reporting and Data Export
4.1 Generating Reports
BrandMentions 360 offers a variety of reporting options to help you track your progress and demonstrate the value of your earned media efforts. To generate a report, click on “Reports” in the left sidebar and then click the “+ New Report” button. You can choose from several pre-built report templates, such as “Brand Monitoring Report,” “Competitor Analysis Report,” and “Sentiment Analysis Report.” You can also create custom reports by selecting the metrics and visualizations you want to include. For example, you might create a report showing the trend of brand mentions over time, broken down by sentiment and source.
4.2 Customizing Report Settings
Before generating your report, you can customize various settings, such as the date range, the keywords and websites to include, and the report format (PDF, CSV, or Excel). You can also add your company logo and branding to the report. We always customize the reports with our clients’ branding to make them look more professional.
4.3 Exporting Data
In addition to generating reports, you can also export the raw data in CSV or Excel format. This allows you to perform your own analysis and create custom visualizations. To export data, click on the “Export” button in the mentions list or in the report settings. Be warned: the CSV files can get quite large if you’re tracking a lot of keywords over a long period!
Step 5: Advanced Features and Integrations
5.1 Competitor Analysis
BrandMentions 360 isn’t just for monitoring your own brand – it’s also a powerful tool for competitor analysis. Simply create a new project for each of your competitors and track their brand mentions, social media activity, and website traffic. This can help you identify their strengths and weaknesses and benchmark your own performance. I find that setting up alerts for competitor mentions is a great way to stay informed about their latest marketing campaigns and product launches.
5.2 Influencer Identification
Identifying key influencers in your industry is crucial for building brand awareness and driving earned media. BrandMentions 360 can help you identify influencers by tracking mentions of your brand and competitors and analyzing the reach and engagement of these mentions. Look for individuals and organizations with a large following and a high level of engagement. A recent IAB report showed that influencer marketing spend is projected to reach $20 billion by 2027, so finding the right influencers is more important than ever.
5.3 API Integration
For advanced users, BrandMentions 360 offers a robust API that allows you to integrate the platform with other marketing tools and systems. This can help you automate your workflows and create custom dashboards and reports. The API documentation is available on the BrandMentions 360 website.
BrandMentions 360, like any tool, has its limitations. It’s not perfect at detecting sentiment in nuanced language, and the sheer volume of data can be overwhelming at first. But with careful setup and consistent monitoring, it can be a valuable asset for any marketing professional looking to master the art of earned media. The Fulton County marketing team found it invaluable during the 2025 “ATL Innovation Week” campaign, allowing them to track real-time sentiment and adjust messaging on the fly. If you want to learn more about local campaigns, check out this article about an Atlanta marketing rescue for small businesses.
How accurate is the sentiment analysis?
BrandMentions 360’s sentiment analysis is generally accurate, but it’s not perfect. It’s important to manually review mentions with negative or neutral sentiment to ensure that the analysis is correct. The platform’s algorithms are constantly being updated to improve accuracy.
Can I track mentions in languages other than English?
Yes, BrandMentions 360 supports multiple languages. You can specify the languages you want to track in your project settings. However, the accuracy of the sentiment analysis may vary depending on the language.
How much does BrandMentions 360 cost?
BrandMentions 360 offers a variety of pricing plans, depending on your needs. The pricing plans are based on the number of mentions you track per month. Visit the BrandMentions 360 website for current pricing information.
Is there a mobile app?
Yes, BrandMentions 360 has a mobile app for both iOS and Android devices. The app allows you to monitor your mentions and alerts on the go.
Can I integrate BrandMentions 360 with other marketing tools?
Yes, BrandMentions 360 offers integrations with several popular marketing tools, such as Google Analytics and HubSpot. You can also use the BrandMentions 360 API to create custom integrations.
Ultimately, mastering an earned media hub like BrandMentions 360 boils down to consistent effort and a willingness to adapt. Set aside dedicated time each week to analyze your data, refine your keywords, and adjust your strategy. The insights you gain will be well worth the investment. If you’re looking to stop wasting money on bad marketing advice, be sure to thoroughly analyze your earned media data.
