Conversations about your brand or business happen everywhere on social media, blogs, forums, and even in online news. Keeping track of what people are saying is not just a good idea, it’s a smart strategy. Social listening tools help businesses and creators monitor brand mentions, track keywords, and understand audience opinions in real-time.
Instead of guessing what your audience wants, social listening gives you data-driven insights that can guide better decisions. For small businesses or content creators who may not want to invest heavily right away, using these free tools for social listening by brands and creators is the perfect starting point. These tools allow you to stay informed, improve engagement, and adjust your online presence without extra costs.
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Ready to simplify your online presence?
With Pushbio, you can;
- Link all your social media profiles together effortlessly.
- Showcase all your content, products, and services in one space.
- Share everything through a single link.
In this post, we’ll explore some of the best free social media monitoring tools available today, and how they can help you grow, connect, and stay ahead of your competition.
Social listening is the process of tracking conversations, mentions, and keywords about your brand, industry, or competitors across social media and the web. It goes beyond just counting likes or comments; it focuses on understanding what people are saying, how they feel, and why they are saying it.
In simple terms, it’s like tuning in to online conversations to learn more about your audience and improve how your business shows up online. Social monitoring looks at direct interactions such as comments, messages, or mentions to measure engagement. It also digs deeper by analyzing overall trends, sentiment, and conversations happening outside your own page.
Choosing the right tool can be tricky, especially when multiple options are available. To help you make the best decision, it’s important to focus on the features that matter most for your business.
To help creators, we’ve come up with five key criteria to guide you in selecting the best free social listening tools that truly add value.
1. Ease of use
When choosing social listening tools, it’s important to start with something that is easy to use. A simple dashboard with clear features helps you save time and focus on the insights that matter. Complicated platforms can slow you down, especially if you’re new to tracking online conversations. The best free social media monitoring tools are designed to be beginner-friendly while still powerful enough to support business growth.
2. Platforms supported
Not every tool covers all social media platforms, so you should check what channels each one supports. Some tools only track Twitter, while others include Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and even blogs. Picking a tool that matches your audience’s favorite platforms ensures you don’t miss important conversations. Your preferred social media listening tool should provide coverage across multiple platforms to give you a complete picture.
3. Features available
Every business has different needs, so look at the features each tool offers. Good social listening tools should include keyword tracking, alerts for brand mentions, and basic reporting. Some even provide sentiment analysis to measure if conversations are positive or negative. Checking these features helps you decide which tool offers the most value for free.
4. Free vs. Paid limitations
Most of the best free social media monitoring tools come with restrictions, such as limited keyword tracking or fewer daily searches. Before committing, check what the free plan includes and if it’s enough for your business. Free versions are great for beginners, but if you need deeper insights, you might eventually consider upgrading to a paid plan.
5. Actionable insights
A good tool doesn’t just collect data it should give you insights you can act on. The best social listening tools highlight patterns, trending topics, and audience opinions that help you make better decisions. This is especially useful for improving engagement and shaping your content strategy. Without actionable insights, data becomes overwhelming and less valuable for your business.
While premium platforms provide more advanced options, a decent number of free tools for social listening are a great choice for creators and brands that want to test the process first and understand its value before committing to a paid plan.
1. Google Alerts
Google Alerts is another straightforward option for monitoring online conversations. This tool lets you create alerts for keywords, industry topics, or even your brand name. Once set, it automatically scans the web for new content and sends updates to your email. You can customize alerts by language, region, or sources, and even control how often you receive notifications.
It’s one of the simplest free social listening tools available, yet it’s very effective. Brands can use it to track competitors, stay on top of industry news, or discover relevant trends. Whenever your keyword appears online, you’ll get notified, helping you respond quickly to conversations that matter.
Price: Free
2. AnswerThePublic
AnswerThePublic is one of the most creative social listening tools for creators and brands looking to understand what their audience is asking online. Instead of guessing customer needs, this platform shows you actual search questions, comparisons, and related keywords that people type into search engines. It’s especially useful for spotting pain points and creating content that directly answers audience concerns.
With its visual keyword wheel, you can easily see the most common questions and phrases around a topic, brand, or product. Using AnswerThePublic is simple. All a creator has to do is to type in a keyword related to your business, explore the wide range of questions grouped under “how,” “what,” “when,” and “why,” and then download a CSV report for further use.
While the free version is great for insights, the premium plan unlocks more filters and advanced features. For businesses testing out the best free social media monitoring tools, AnswerThePublic is a strong starting point.
Price: Offers a 7 day free trial period on all its paid plans
- Individual – $5 per month or $50 for Lifetime access
- Pro – $49 per month or $490 for Lifetime access
- Expert – $99 per month or $990 for Lifetime access
3. Mentionlytics
Mentionlytics is a full-scale social listening tool designed for businesses that want deeper insights. While it’s not completely free, it does offer a 14-day free trial with full access. The platform covers a wide range of channels including Twitter/X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, Reddit, blogs, news sites, and even review platforms.
It provides features like sentiment analysis, AI-driven mention clustering, and detailed performance reports. With its clean interface, you can easily manage multiple social profiles, monitor brand mentions, and track important keywords.
For brands that have moved beyond the basics, Mentionlytics is one of the best social listening tools to consider. Though it comes at a cost after the trial, its insights can be invaluable for brands that want to grow strategically.
Price: Offers a limited 14-day free trial period on all its paid plans
- Basic plan starts at $59 per month.
- Essential plan is $169 per month.
- Advanced plan is priced at $299 per month.
- Pro plan costs $499 per month.
- Business/Enterprise plan for larger brands by booking a demo with the team.
4. Metricool
Alongside scheduling and analytics, Metricool offers powerful social listening features like keyword tracking, unified inbox management, and competitor analysis. The free plan is robust, making it one of the best free social media monitoring tools for small businesses and creators.
With Metricool, you can monitor brand mentions, manage direct messages, and keep track of trending terms. It’s especially useful for creators or marketers who prefer a simple, affordable tool that covers both analytics and listening. While it’s not built for enterprise-level needs, its free version provides more than enough for individuals and small teams.
Price: Offers a forever Free Plan at $0/month. Paid plans include:
- Starter Plan – From $18/month (annual) or $22/month (monthly).
- Advanced Plan – From $45/month (annual) or $54/month (monthly).
- Custom Plan – Tailored solutions available on request.
5. Talkwalker by Hootsuite
Talkwalker, now part of Hootsuite, is a premium platform with advanced listening capabilities. Although it no longer offers free tools like Talkwalker Alerts, it remains one of the most powerful solutions in the market. It may be costly for small businesses, but it offers enterprise-grade insights powered by AI.
Its features include real-time brand monitoring across multiple platforms, trending topic analysis, and predictive data insights. Talkwalker is ideal for big time creators that need advanced analytics and forecasting. While it may not fall under the category of best free social media monitoring tools, it’s worth noting for those planning to upgrade to a professional solution in the future.
Price: Custom pricing for its plans.
Improving your online presence requires you to understand your audience and join the right conversations. And with the aid of powerful social listening tools, creators can now track trends, analyze feedback, and build stronger connections.
Armed with social listening insights, creators still need to transform that information into engagement and growth by:
1. Understanding what content resonates with audiences
With the help of social listening tools, creators can see what type of content their audience engages with the most. With this, it becomes easier to know which posts are worth repeating and which ones need improvement. The best free social media monitoring tools provide data-driven insights, allowing creators to build strategies based on audience interests rather than guesswork.
2. Identifying trending topics
Staying updated with the latest trends is vital for creators who want to stay relevant. Social listening tools allow you to spot emerging topics, hashtags, and conversations before they become widespread. With this, creators can join these discussions early to gain visibility and increase engagement.
3. Improve content through audience feedback
Feedback is one of the most valuable resources for creators, and social listening makes it easier to collect. Instead of waiting for direct comments, these tools gather opinions, reviews, and reactions from different platforms. This helps creators see how people truly feel about their work. Using social media listening tools ensures content decisions are shaped by real audience input.
4. Build stronger connections with audiences
Engagement is also about responding and connecting with your followers. Social listening tools help creators track mentions and comments across different platforms, making it easier to reply quickly and show appreciation. This kind of interaction builds trust and loyalty. The best free social media monitoring tools give creators a chance to strengthen relationships and grow lasting communities.
5. Spot opportunities for collaborations and growth
Creators often look for ways to grow, and partnerships are one of the fastest paths. Social listening tools can reveal influencers, brands, or even fellow creators discussing similar topics. This opens doors for collaborations, sponsorships, or joint projects. Free tools for social listening highlight these opportunities, making it easier for creators to connect with the right people at the right time.
FAQ
What’s the difference between free and paid social listening tools?
Free social listening tools usually come with limited features such as basic keyword tracking, fewer alerts, or restricted platform coverage. Paid versions, on the other hand, offer advanced insights like detailed sentiment analysis, competitor comparisons, and wider search limits. For beginners or small businesses, free tools are a good start, while paid options are better for scaling and deeper analysis.
Can small businesses rely only on free tools?
Yes, many small businesses can rely on the free tools for social listening to track mentions, monitor keywords, and stay connected with their audience. Free plans often provide enough data to guide engagement and content strategies. However, as a business grows, upgrading to paid versions may be necessary to access more detailed reports and cover multiple platforms effectively.
Do free tools offer sentiment analysis?
Some free social listening tools include basic sentiment analysis, but it’s often limited compared to paid plans. You may get a general overview of whether conversations are positive, negative, or neutral. For businesses that only need a quick pulse check, these free insights are helpful. However, detailed sentiment tracking is usually part of premium features.
How often should creators use social listening tools?
Creators and brands should use social listening tools regularly, ideally every day, to stay updated on brand mentions, customer feedback, and market trends. Consistent monitoring ensures you don’t miss important conversations that could affect your reputation or growth. Even with the best free social media monitoring tools, setting daily or weekly alerts helps you respond quickly and adapt to audience needs.
Wrapping up
In a world where online conversations shape how people view brands, social listening tools have become essential. They help businesses and creators understand their audience, protect their reputation, and stay ahead of industry trends. Even without investing in paid platforms, free tools for social listening can provide powerful insights that make a big difference.
By using these tools, you can discover what content resonates most, identify new opportunities, and strengthen engagement with your community. Whether you’re a small business owner, a content creator, or part of a growing team, free tools give you the chance to experiment and build strategies without added costs.
