We compare three sentiment analysis tools and look at the main factors to consider when making your choice between the many platforms and APIs available out there.
What To Consider When Choosing a Sentiment Analysis Tool
We’ve listed (in no order) seven important features and capabilities for you to consider when choosing the tool that best fits your brand’s needs. No one tool excels at all seven, so it’s up to you to decide which makes sense for your company.
- Accurate text analysis technology
Given that most customer opinions are expressed through written text on social media (comments, reviews, etc.), one of the most important things to consider is that the tool uses advanced text analysis AI to accurately interpret written human language.
The keyword you’re looking for here is “natural language processing” (NLP). Natural language processing is a subfield of AI and linguistics that’s concerned with analysing large amounts of natural language data.
If the sentiment analysis tool you choose uses outdated or primitive NLP technology, it won’t be accurate enough to deliver meaningful insights. And if it can’t do that, then frankly, it’s a wasted investment for your company. - Speed & easy setup
Be careful that the tool you choose doesn’t require excessive training to function properly. Not all NLP tools are created equally. Some models require a period of manual training to accurately label language and detect industry-specific topics. Choose a sentiment analysis tool with a quick and easy setup process that uses state-of-the-art technology to minimize the amount of effort required on your side.
If you’re planning on analysing large datasets, make sure that the tool you choose can handle it to avoid lagging technology that’s prone to crashing. - Multiple sources for data collection
You ideally want a sentiment analysis capable of processing data across numerous sources. Avoid information silos by opting for a sentiment analysis tool that can consolidate data from social media channels, news sources, surveys, CRM data and more. - Intuitive Reporting
The easier it is to garner actionable insights from your data, the more your teams will make use of your tool. Unintuitive data visualisations and complex interfaces are off-putting to users and you’ll have a hard time convincing teams to use your tool to its fullest advantage. - Notification
Is it important for your business to be able to respond in real-time? If so, some tools offer immediate notifications if, for example, there’s a strong downward trend in sentiment. This enables rapid-fire responses to help mitigate PR disasters right at the start. - Competitive analysis
Some tools are designed to analyse one brand, while others can be used to compare performance with other main players in your industry. Competitive sentiment analysis is useful for benchmarking, finding your niche, and gaining useful market insights. - Image and video recognition
With an increasing amount of photo and video content circulating on social media, it may make sense for your business to opt for a sentiment analysis tool with image and video recognition technology. Some tools can identify brand images such as logos and other brand artwork.
Fashion brands, for example, might find it useful to use video recognition AI to identify videos featuring TikTok influencers wearing their branded clothing.
3 Different Sentiment Analysis Tools
- Symanto Sentiment Analysis
Symanto is at the forefront of NLP research, offering some of the most advanced and accurate text analysis technologies available. Our NLP can even recognise bad grammar, misspellings, and slang language.
Our models require little-to-no training and can connect instantly with 75+ review sites and social media channels, enabling you to get meaningful insights from thousands of data points within minutes.
Run like-for-like competitor analyses to see what customers are saying about the other main competitors in your industry.
Combine sentiment analysis with our psychographics to get a deeper understanding of your (and your competitors’) customers.
We offer flexible solutions, combining multiple features from our suite of tools bringing you a solution tailored to your business’s specific needs. - Brandwatch
Brandwatch is widely used for competitor analysis for brand monitoring across major social media channels. They also have a brand image recognition feature. Its customisable dashboard makes it quick and easy to view the information most relevant to your business.
The main criticisms for Brandwatch sentiment analysis are lack of accuracy and difficulty in writing queries. - Critical Mention
Instead of focusing on measuring customer sentiment, Critical Mention analyses content in new articles, industry magazines, TV, and on-air sources. Its video recognition technology works even on live broadcasts and stands out from others offering the same feature.
Get Started With Symanto
Get more information on our sentiment analysis technology and find out how Symanto can help you get the most valuable insights for your brand. Book your free personalised demonstration, or get in touch.
