Social Media Monitoring involves tracking direct brand mentions or product mentions on social media channels to engage with customers in real-time. Therefor, social monitoring is reactive, meaning you respond to what’s happening at the moment (e.g., answering questions or resolving complaints). Social Listening is more comprehensive. It involves analyzing broader social conversations about your industry, competitors, and latest social media trends, even when your brand isn’t directly mentioned. Listening is proactive, as it helps shape future strategies based on trends, sentiment analysis, and consumer behavior on social media channels​.