If you’re tasked with pulling insights from social data—maybe you’re in marketing, PR, or even customer service—reports matter. The catch? Most people don’t have time for pretty dashboards or slides that don’t answer real questions. This guide is for anyone who wants to cut through the noise and use Brandwatch to actually generate and share social insights that people will read—and maybe even act on.
Let’s walk through the process step-by-step, with plenty of real-world advice.
Step 1: Get Clear on What You’re Reporting (Seriously, Don’t Skip This)
Before you touch Brandwatch, know what you’re trying to answer. The platform is powerful, but it won’t tell you what matters. Ask yourself:
- What is the main question? (e.g., “How did our campaign perform?” “What’s the sentiment around our new product?”)
- Who is this for? (Executives want topline; analysts want detail.)
- What decisions might this report influence?
Pro tip: Write your main question at the top of your draft report. If a chart doesn’t help answer it, ditch it.
Step 2: Set Up Your Queries and Dashboards in Brandwatch
Brandwatch lives and dies by its queries. Garbage in, garbage out. Here’s what actually works:
A. Build Focused Queries
- Use clear, specific keywords. Avoid super broad terms unless you really want a firehose.
- Use filters (platform, location, language, sentiment) to narrow things down.
- Test your query! Look at sample mentions to check for noise or off-topic results.
What to skip: Don’t get hung up tweaking queries forever. Get something 80% right, then move on—you can always refine later.
B. Create a Dashboard That Matches Your Question
- Start with a blank dashboard or a template that fits your needs.
- Drag in widgets like:
- Volume over time
- Sentiment breakdown
- Top topics/hashtags
- Influencer or author demographics
- Customize labels so a non-specialist can understand them.
Honest take: Most default dashboards are bloated. Less is more. If your dashboard looks like Times Square, you’re doing it wrong.
Step 3: Turn Data Into Insights (Not Just Charts)
This is where most reports fall flat. Don’t just screenshot charts and call it a day.
- Add short, direct text explaining what each chart shows and why it matters.
- Highlight notable changes, spikes, or oddities. “Mentions spiked 3x on launch day, driven mainly by negative sentiment around shipping delays.”
- Ignore the obvious. Executives don’t need to see that people tweet more on weekdays unless it’s relevant.
Pro tip: If you’re bored reading your own report, so is everyone else.
Step 4: Export or Schedule Your Report (the Right Way)
Brandwatch gives you a few options to share your findings. Here’s the rundown on what’s worth using:
A. Exporting to PDF or PowerPoint
- Quick, universal, and decent for people who want attachments.
- PDFs keep formatting locked; PowerPoint lets others edit (for better or worse).
- Double-check exports for weird formatting breaks—Brandwatch exports aren’t always perfect.
B. Live Dashboards (Shareable Links)
- Great if your audience wants to poke around or refresh data themselves.
- You can set permissions so only certain people can see sensitive data.
- Not everyone wants to log in or click around, though—sometimes a plain PDF is easier.
C. Scheduled Email Reports
- Set up regular email sends (daily, weekly, monthly).
- Useful for baseline reporting or keeping stakeholders in the loop automatically.
- Just don’t overdo it—weekly is plenty for most purposes.
What to skip: Skip CSV exports unless you know your recipient really wants to play with raw data. Most just want answers, not spreadsheets.
Step 5: Add Context Before You Send
A little context goes a long way. Before you hit send:
- Add a summary up top: “Here’s what happened and why it matters.”
- Call out any caveats (e.g., “Sentiment analysis is imperfect on sarcasm”—it really is).
- Include your contact info for follow-up questions.
Honest take: If you don’t set the story, people will misinterpret your data. Don’t assume the numbers speak for themselves.
Step 6: Share, Track, and Get Feedback
Don’t assume your work ends when you send the report out.
- Track who actually opens or responds to your report.
- Ask for feedback—what’s useful, what’s not, and what’s missing.
- Tweak your next report based on what people actually use (not what you think looks impressive).
What to ignore: Vanity metrics. If nobody reads your 30-page report, it’s not a success. Short and useful wins every time.
What Actually Works (and What Doesn’t)
Let’s be real: Brandwatch has a ton of features. Here’s what’s worth your time when it comes to reporting:
Worth It: - Custom queries and dashboards tailored to specific questions - Scheduled, short reports for regular updates - Layering in your own commentary (not just charts)
Skip or Use Sparingly: - Overly complex dashboards with a dozen filters and widgets (“analysis paralysis” is real) - Exporting massive raw data dumps - Automated insights—Brandwatch’s AI is getting better, but it’s not a substitute for human judgment
Keep It Simple—and Iterate
Social insights are only as good as the actions they inspire. Don’t get sucked into making the “perfect” report or using every feature Brandwatch offers. Start simple, get feedback, and improve each time. People want clarity, not more noise.
Remember: Make it easy for people to understand what happened, why it matters, and what (if anything) they should do about it. That’s what actually gets results.