- A focused query surfaces signal.
- Checked data makes stronger claims.
- One stat drives the story.
- Data findings shape the creative.
The big picture
We set up a broad query in Oktopost Social Listening around November sales terms and let it run. A query is a search that keeps running in the background, collecting every public post that mentions the words you choose.
Seeing as it’s shopping season worldwide, our question was simple: before Singles Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, where are people talking about sales, and how do they feel about them?
In one day, we collected data from 237K posts from 178K people. That is a huge amount of real conversation, and the next step was finding the parts worth sharing.
Our first keyword, “november,” was a little too broad. It picked up everything from Snoopy to Apple TV, so we removed it and focused the query on sales.
Here is how we turned the rest into marketing content: a LinkedIn post for our company page and the blog you are reading now.
Make sure every number holds up
Before we used any number, we asked five quick questions. Each one made the content more accurate, and more convincing.
| The question | What we found | What we did |
|---|---|---|
| Is the spike real? | Almost all the posts arrived on one day, the day we started collecting. | Called it “one day of chatter,” which is exactly what it was. |
| How much of the data does each chart cover? | Social Listening could only tell the mood (positive, neutral or negative) of 62.4K posts, about a quarter of the total. | Based the “2 in 5 positive” stat on those 62.4K posts only, and said so in the post. |
| Is the sample big enough? | Only a small number of posts listed a location. | Focused on the stats with plenty of data behind them. |
| Which networks are in it? | This query looked at X and YouTube. | Kept our claims to those two networks. |
| Does the big number tell the story? | The dashboard showed over a billion engagements, and many came from the same posts being shared again and again. | Picked clearer numbers for the graphic. |
Pick the numbers that tell the story
With the checks done, we had plenty of solid numbers. A single social post can only carry a few, so we picked the ones that would make the clearest point.
These 4 signals made the cut:
- About 3 in 4 posts were reposts. Most people were sharing someone else’s post, and a smaller group was starting the conversation.
- X and WhatsApp were the two sites people linked to most, ahead of any single store.
- Of the posts with a clear mood, about 2 in 5 were positive.
- “Tariffs” was one of the most-used words.
With these findings, we made the repost number the headline as it is the one marketers can act on. When most people share instead of post, the people who start the conversation reach a huge audience. The other three became supporting lines.
Let the data pick the format
We took that one day of data and turned it into a single LinkedIn post. The goal was a post that teaches people something, is fun to look at and gets them talking in the comments.
Four findings make a short list, and in shopping season the list everyone recognizes is a receipt. So, we designed the post to look like one, which meant people could read it at a glance.
Each finding became a line item: how many people posted, where they linked, the overall mood and how posts spread. The headline, “November chatter, itemized,” did the rest.
See the LinkedIn post as shown below:
We ended the post with a question instead of a sales pitch: are you planning the next three weeks on last year’s assumptions? Questions invite comments, and comments help a post travel further on LinkedIn. For anyone who wanted to try it themselves, the link to Social Listening went in the first comment with tracking tags, so we could see who clicked.
Timing mattered too. We sent the post through our approval workflow in Oktopost and scheduled it for the day before Singles’ Day, when people are already thinking about sales and the conversation is still growing.
More ways to use the same data
The same data can keep working long after the post goes live:
- Talking points for sales. A quick list of what people are saying this week gives the sales team a fresh way to start conversations.
- Content ideas. When one topic keeps coming up, it is a strong sign it deserves a post, a guide or a webinar.
- A follow-up post. Run the same query after the sales rush and compare. The change makes a great story on its own.
The same play works in any industry. Only the keywords change.
Example 1: A fintech team could listen for “cashback,” “buy now pay later” and “holiday scam.” The holidays are when people think hardest about their money, so these words show which perks customers are excited about and what worries them. That points straight to the offer worth promoting, and it opens the door to helpful fraud tips that build trust.
Example 2: A B2B software team could listen for “2027 planning” and “Q1 budget.” The end of the year is when companies decide what to buy next, so these conversations show who is planning, what they care about and the right moment for a year-end offer.
Example 3: A manufacturer could listen for “lead times” and “price increase.” Buyers start asking about delivery dates and costs before the new year, so a team that hears those questions early can share clear answers before customers even have to ask.
Example 4: Professional services and law firms could listen for “new regulation,” “year-end tax” and “effective January 1.” Clients want to know what changes in the new year and what they need to do about it, which makes these topics perfect for timely guides and client alerts.
Whatever the industry, the steps stay the same: ask a question, check the numbers, pick one stat and choose a format.
In summary
One day of Social Listening gave us 237K real posts about November sales. We narrowed the query, checked that every number held up, picked the stat that told the clearest story and turned it into a LinkedIn post shaped like a receipt. The same steps work for any brand, in any industry, at any time of year.
Oktopost Social Listening makes the whole process easier. Alerts let a team know when a conversation suddenly grows or its mood shifts, and listening reports in Social BI keep the best queries running as a report the team can check every week.
For more insights on how your brand can use Social Listening to find what your audience cares about, contact us to request a demo.
