Sentiment Analysis, defined

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Sentiment analysis is a process, which gathers the latest input from a human source or several human sources and uses it to determine the general opinion of a person, place or thing. For example, the old-fashioned comment boxes and comment cards is a form of sentiment analysis. Often called opinion gathering, sentiment analysis can be generated from various technological sources, like Twitter or Facebook. Like the old fashioned comment box, sentiment analysis can help owners or managers find the strengths and weaknesses of a business.

Sentiment analysis, using modern social media platforms, benefits your business by giving a true grasp of what the customers think about the business. Customers will say exactly what they think as social media has a cloak of anonymity associated with it. They often will say names and help you pinpoint the best and worst of your employees. Sentiment analysis is important to your business as it aids in evaluation and discovery of the need for new products, services, and improvements. For example, if a reoccurring tweet on twitter addresses the awful paint on the wall, the business can address the ambiance issue. In addition, the international nature of social media ensures that plenty of people will read the sentiment and adjust their behavior accordingly.

A single opinion posted on the web can damage a business’s image quickly. And finding opinions on the web takes only a rudimentary knowledge of search engine. Think of the social media as technical, international version of word-of-mouth. A single opinion can spread like gasoline and a match. Making sentiment analysis of social platforms part of the business’s regular routine will help the person in charge limit the damage.

On the other hand, a good comment on social media can bring in more customers. Performing sentiment analysis on twitter and other social media platforms let the business owner market based on the positive sentiment. After all, if one person likes something, such a certain product or customer service, then others will like it, too.

Conclusion

That’s why sentiment analysis is important to businesses. It allows business owners or managers to keep their finger on the pulse of their business. The most successful businesses know that customers are the life blood of the business and their opinion matters. Gone are the days of hardwood boxes and paper forms, but sentiment analysis is still just as important to the success of a business. Business owners and managers use it to improve every aspect of their business. How would you use sentiment analysis to improve your business?