Why does social listening data get ignored by leadership?

Social listening data is often ignored because it arrives after key decisions are already made, is presented in jargon stakeholders don't recognize, and is used to validate past choices rather than guide future ones. The deeper issue is trust: even the best insight won't move anything if the person receiving it doesn't trust the person delivering it. Building credibility with stakeholders before sharing data is just as important as the data itself.

What is the SIGNAL Map framework?

The SIGNAL Map is a six-step framework developed by social intelligence expert Ellen Tseng for turning social media data into decisions that actually get acted on. The six steps are: See the Decision (not the dashboard), Identify Who needs to believe the insight, Get Their Language, Name the Worry First, Anchor to a Decision, and Loop It In to regular planning rhythms. Together, they help PR and comms professionals build the stakeholder trust required for social data to drive real business outcomes.

What does 'social intelligence' mean in a PR or communications context?

In PR and communications, social intelligence refers to the practice of collecting, analyzing, and translating social media data into strategic business insights. It goes beyond basic social listening (tracking mentions and sentiment) to include understanding which decisions the data informs, who needs to act on it, and how to frame it in language that resonates with decision-makers. Effective social intelligence is equal parts research and relationship-building.

How do you get stakeholder buy-in for social media insights?

To get stakeholder buy-in for social media insights, start by understanding the specific decisions your stakeholders are facing this quarter rather than defaulting to weekly reports. Use their existing language — frameworks like Voice of the Customer (VOC) or PR scorecards — rather than listening-platform jargon. Name the worries they already have before presenting data, and always tie each insight to a real business decision in progress. Asking for a standing two-minute slot in leadership meetings helps embed social intelligence into regular planning rhythms.

What is the difference between social listening and social intelligence?

Social listening is the process of monitoring digital conversations — tracking brand mentions, sentiment scores, and share of voice across social platforms. Social intelligence goes a step further: it connects that data to specific business decisions, translates it into language stakeholders already trust, and delivers it to the right people at the right moment in the decision-making process. Social listening is a tool; social intelligence is a strategic practice built on data, relationships, and timing.

How can PR teams make social data part of leadership decision-making?

PR teams can embed social data into leadership decision-making by proposing a standing 'customer signal read' at monthly leadership meetings, framing insights around decisions already on leadership's agenda, and identifying an internal translator — someone close to the decision-maker who already trusts the social intelligence work. The goal is to shift from being an on-demand resource to becoming a permanent, predictive voice at the planning table.

How much of social intelligence work is data versus relationship-building?

According to social intelligence expert Ellen Tseng, effective social intelligence is a 50/50 split: 50% research — understanding the data, maintaining analytical rigor, and building a defensible story — and 50% relationship — understanding the choices your stakeholders face and knowing what concerns them before you walk into a meeting. Skewing too far toward data without relationships means insights get filed away and forgotten; skewing toward relationships without rigorous data means your credibility erodes over time.

June 29, 2026

Georgina Ford

Brand Management

Technology

Why is Stakeholder Trust the Secret Ingredient in Social Intelligence?

Discover 6 SIGNAL moves to turn social media data into strategic business decisions

Just starting with social listening? It’s tempting to get caught up in all the bells and whistles, isn't it? There are dashboards to explore, queries to build, and more data than you can shake a stick at, all just a click away.

But if you’ve spent any time in PR, comms, or marketing, you probably know the feeling: you dig up a treasure trove of insights, share them with your team or leadership, and... crickets. The report gets tucked away in someone’s inbox, and business goes on as usual.

Our Head of Marketing, Daniella Sampson, sat down with Social Intelligence Expert Ellen Tseng to dive into how social data lives and dies with stakeholder trust. Discover their insights below:

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Why does social data so often end up as an afterthought?

According to Ellen Tseng (Social Intelligence Leader for Global Tech & Consumer Brands) and Daniella Sampson (Head of Marketing at Pendulum), the answer has nothing to do with the numbers themselves. It’s all about trust.

As Ellen puts it: “The best insight in the world does not move anything if the person receiving it does not trust the person delivering it.”

She notes that true intelligence work is an exact 50/50 split:

50% Research: Understanding your data, maintaining academic rigor, and weaving a defensible story.
50% Relationship: Understanding the exact choices your stakeholders face and knowing what keeps them up at night long before you hand over a report.

If we want our work to actually shape decisions (instead of just being a nice-to-have report after the fact), it’s time for a new approach. That’s where the SIGNAL Map comes in—a practical way to turn all that social data into something your stakeholders can’t imagine working without.

Why Social Data Gets Ignored (And How to Fix It)

Before we jump into solutions, let’s get real about why social listening data sometimes gets pushed to the sidelines in comms and PR:

It comes in after the fact: The data lands after the big decisions are already made.
It’s wrapped in jargon: We talk about "sentiment scores" and "share of voice" instead of metrics business leaders actually care about.
It’s used to validate, not guide: Sometimes, social data just gives us a pat on the back after the fact, instead of helping shape the decision in the first place.

To break out of this cycle, here are six moves, which Ellen calls SIGNAL, that can help you go from being seen as just the social listening person to becoming a true social intelligence partner.

1. See the Decision, Not the Dashboard

Instead of starting with what your tools can track, start with what your stakeholder is actually deciding. After all, a chart only matters if it helps someone make a better choice.

Try asking your stakeholder: “What is the biggest call you are making this quarter where you wish you had a better reach?”
The goal: Get a sense of what decisions are really on their plate this quarter, instead of just ticking off weekly deliverables. Work backward from those choices to spot the social signals that can help.

2. Identify Who

Sending an insight to the wrong person is just as unhelpful as drawing the wrong conclusion. It helps to know who actually signs off on a strategy and who just influences it so that you can tailor your message to each group.

Try asking: “Who else needs to believe this before it becomes an active decision, and who do they listen to?”
Pro-Tip: Find your inside translator; someone who already trusts your work and is close to the decision-maker. It’s also smart to know who your skeptics are ahead of time, so you can answer their questions before the big meeting.

3. Get Their Language

If your organization already uses things like Voice of the Customer (VOC), market research, or PR scorecards, don’t reinvent the wheel. Use the language your team already knows and trusts.

Try asking: “How would our market research team describe this trend? Let me show how social fills the immediate gaps between their quarterly studies.”
The goal: Skip the listening jargon like "sentiment tracking." Instead, show how social media can serve as the always-on layer that fills the gaps between surveys and focus groups.

4. Name the Worry First

Trust comes from naming the real worries your leadership team is already thinking about. Start with what’s keeping them up at night, not just your latest data point.

Try framing your update like this: “I know customer churn in our new user segment is the primary metric you're watching right now. Here is exactly what customers are saying online weeks before it starts showing up in our hard data.
The goal: Help your stakeholders feel seen and understood before you dive into the numbers. Being relevant always matters more than sharing a mountain of data.

5. Anchor to a Decision

Every insight you share should be tied to something the business is already working on. Random facts tend to get lost, but insights connected to real decisions are the ones that spark action.

Try saying: “If you are currently deciding between Campaign Route A and Route B for the upcoming launch, here is the real-time feedback that tips the scale, and here is what it could cost us to guess wrong.”
The goal: If you can’t clearly say what decision your data supports, it’s okay to hold off sharing it. Go beyond just reporting numbers; offer up clear recommendations your team can use.

6. Loop It In

If you only respond to one-off data requests, your work remains optional. To become essential, try weaving social intelligence directly into the business's regular planning rhythm.

Try proposing: “Can I bring a tight, two-minute customer signal read to our monthly leadership meeting?”
The Goal: Become a regular at the table. And when your insights make a difference, don’t be shy; let leadership know exactly what changed or what headaches you helped avoid.

At the end of the day, even the fanciest listening platform won’t get you far if you don’t have strong relationships. The data part is the easy bit; building trust across your organization is where the hard work shows results. When you focus on the people and decisions behind all those digital conversations, your insights will never be just an afterthought again.

Connect with the masterclass speakers on LinkedIn to share how you're using the SIGNAL map in your PR and Comms workflows: Daniella Sampson and Ellen Tseng.

Social intelligence · Pendulum

Frequently Asked Questions: Stakeholder Trust & Social Intelligence

The most common questions about turning social media data into decisions leadership actually acts on — and how the SIGNAL Map framework helps PR and comms teams get there.

Why does social listening data get ignored by leadership?

Social listening data is often ignored because it arrives after key decisions are already made, is presented in jargon stakeholders don't recognize, and is used to validate past choices rather than guide future ones. The deeper issue is trust: even the best insight won't move anything if the person receiving it doesn't trust the person delivering it. Building credibility with stakeholders before sharing data is just as important as the quality of the data itself.
What is the SIGNAL Map framework?

The SIGNAL Map is a six-step framework developed by social intelligence expert Ellen Tseng for turning social media data into decisions that actually get acted on. The six steps are: S See the Decision (not the dashboard) · I Identify Who needs to believe the insight · G Get Their Language · N Name the Worry First · A Anchor to a Decision · L Loop It In to regular planning rhythms. Together, they help PR and comms professionals build the stakeholder trust required for social data to drive real business outcomes.
What is the difference between social listening and social intelligence?

Social listening is the process of monitoring digital conversations — tracking brand mentions, sentiment scores, and share of voice across social platforms. Social intelligence goes a step further: it connects that data to specific business decisions, translates it into language stakeholders already trust, and delivers it to the right people at the right moment in the decision-making process. Social listening is a tool; social intelligence is a strategic practice built on data, relationships, and timing.
How do you get stakeholder buy-in for social media insights?

To get stakeholder buy-in for social media insights, start by understanding the specific decisions your stakeholders are facing this quarter rather than defaulting to weekly reports. Use their existing language — frameworks like Voice of the Customer (VOC) or PR scorecards — rather than listening-platform jargon like "sentiment tracking." Name the worries they already have before presenting data, and always tie each insight to a real business decision already in progress. Requesting a standing two-minute slot in leadership meetings is one of the most effective ways to embed social intelligence into regular planning rhythms.
How much of social intelligence work is data versus relationship-building?

According to social intelligence expert Ellen Tseng, it's a 50/50 split: 50% research — understanding the data, maintaining analytical rigor, and building a defensible story — and 50% relationship — understanding the choices your stakeholders face and knowing what concerns them before you walk into a meeting. Skewing too far toward data without relationships means insights get filed away and forgotten. Skewing toward relationships without rigorous data erodes your credibility over time.
How can PR teams make social data part of leadership decision-making?

PR teams can embed social data into leadership decision-making by proposing a standing "customer signal read" at monthly leadership meetings, framing insights around decisions already on leadership's agenda, and identifying an internal translator — someone close to the decision-maker who already trusts the social intelligence work. Identifying skeptics in advance — so you can address their objections before the big meeting — is equally important. The goal is to shift from being an on-demand resource to becoming a permanent, predictive voice at the planning table.
What does 'social intelligence' mean in a PR or communications context?

In PR and communications, social intelligence refers to the practice of collecting, analyzing, and translating social media data into strategic business insights. It goes beyond basic social listening — tracking mentions and sentiment — to include understanding which decisions the data informs, who needs to act on it, and how to frame it in language that resonates with decision-makers. Effective social intelligence is equal parts research and relationship-building.

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