The boring
(but important) bits...
To compile the original SITech Market landscape we started with our own database: the SI Lab Tech vendor’s directory where we already had more than 170 registered on our platform. In addition, we reached out to our followers on LinkedIn to hear exactly what tools they were using for their different use cases. On top of this, Ben drew upon his existing knowledge of social intelligence solutions providers. The final element was desk research, including software review platforms (e.g., G2, TrustRadius and Capterra) and conversations happening on social media channels (LinkedIn, Reddit, etc).
In 2025, we also reviewed the existing vendors on the map. We removed any that had either stopped operating or moved away from social intelligence, and moved those that might have refocused on a different category of subcategory.
To decide which categories each technology should sit under, we reviewed the descriptions and feature sets of every tool. We looked at marketing materials, user reviews and case studies to understand their main functionality and key use cases, with a focus on how users use these solutions (not how the vendors think people should use it).
Where a tool straddled multiple categories, we chose their final location based on self-described positioning, user feedback and our industry expertise. During the categorisation process, we continually cross-referenced the technologies against the standardised definitions for each category to make sure we were as consistent and accurate as possible.
HOW WE CATAGORISED THE TOOLS>
When we sorted each tool into a category, we considered three things:
Firstly, we look at the focus of each tool - what they offer - so users can quickly find the ones that are most relevant for their use cases. Tools with the focus areas listed below will offer tracking, analysis or some way of better understanding these areas:
Audience
Customer
Consumer
CX
Customer Feedback & Review
Employee
Influencer
Location
Social
Media
Text
Image
Audio
Video
Sponsorship
Reputation
Hashtag
Data
Content
Narrative & Threat
Trends
Customers are people who have already bought from your brand. Consumers cover the entire potential market for a product or service. They might not be customers now, but they could be at some point.
Next we look at the potential outcomes of using a specific tools - the reasons for using it in the first place. These will be closely aligned to your social intelligence use cases and your overall business objectives. The key purpose areas we found were:
Analytics
Operations
Automation
Intelligence
Data Visualisation
Optimisation
Enablement
Advocacy
Strategy
Monitoring
Listening
Management
Marketing
Advertising
Monitoring is more basic as it simply enables you to track what people are saying about a topic. Listening, however, looks at the broader context to understand why people are saying those things.
These two factors were enough to determine which category most of the tools should fall under.
However, for those that still needed some extra clarification, we considered one final factor…
Different social intelligence technologies will offer different combinations of features and functionalities.
How you access these will depend on the format. And there are a few different types:
Standalone software or apps that serve a specific purpose.
Centralised hubs that integrate various tools, features and data sources.
A combination of platforms that create an end-to-end social intelligence ecosystem.
Solutions that provide pre-build reports and insights on different topics.
An interface that allows you to integrate data and functionality into your own app or platform.
GLOSSARY>
AI: Artificial Intelligence. The simulation of human intelligence in machines which means they can perform tasks that only humans can usually do, such as learning, problem-solving and pattern recognition.
API: Application Programming Interface. This allows different systems to communicate and exchange data with each other. For example, many social listening platforms are able to access and display Meta’s data thanks to APIs
CLV: Customer Lifetime Value. A prediction of the possible net profit that might come from the entire future relationship with a customer. You can use this to prioritise which customers to focus your attention on.
CRM: Customer Relationship Management. A way for you to manage your relationships and communication with your customers and potential customers. The aim is to improve customer satisfaction, retention and loyalty.
CSAT: Customer Satisfaction. A was to measure how satisfied customers are with your products, servicew or interaction. This is usually done through customer surveys.
CX: Customer Experience. The overall perception a customer has of your brand based on their experiences with you across all touchpoints and channels.
KOL: Key Opinion Leader. Someone who can influence public opinion on a particular topic or industry.
KPI: Key Performance Indicator. A way to measure value by showing how well you’re achieving your key business objectives.
ML: Machine Learning. A type of AI where computer systems automatically learn and improve from experience without being explicitly programmed. This is done by using algorithms to identify patterns in data and make predictions or decisions.
NLP: Natural Language Processing. A type of AI that deals with interaction between computers and human language. This is what enables machines to understand, interpret and generate human-like text or speech.
NPS: Net Promoter Score. A way of measuring customer loyalty and how likely they are to recommend your brand or one of your products or services. This is usually done through customer surveys.
ROI: Return on Investment. A way to measure how effective an investment was, based on how much money was made as a result.
SEM: Search Engine Marketing. A type of digital marketing that helps you promote your brand’s website by making sure it appears higher on search engines’ results pages. This is usually done through paid advertising.
SEO: Search Engine Optimisation. A way of optimising the content on a web page to make sure it appears higher on search engines’ results pages.
SERP: Search Engine Results Page. The page that shows a list of websites that relate to someone’s search query. It usually shows a mix of organic and paid search results.
SoV: Share of Voice. A metric used to measure how visible your brand or products (or a relevant topic) are in media coverage or online conversations, compared to your competitors. It's usually talked about as a percentage of total mentions or conversations.
UGC: User-Generated Content. Any form of content - videos, images, reviews etc - that’s created and published by everyday, unpaid users, rather than by a brand or its employees.
UI: User Interface. The way the user and a computer system interact, in particular the use of input devices and software.
UX: User Experience. The overall experience someone has when using your product, system or service.
