A netnographic sensibility: developing the netnographic/social listening boundaries

ABSTRACT

Netnography is constantly evolving as technologies and access to online data develop. Our paper outlines how large data sets of social media can be analysed through bridging the divide between the small, rich and contextually nuanced data that is the hallmark of netnography and the scope and scale of data made possible through social media listening conventions. We define this approach as netnographic sensibility and with the use of a short case study discuss the process through which social media data could be gathered, triangulated and analysed. We orientate the paper around two interrelated questions: investigating how netnographic insights can be extended using social media monitoring tools, and asking how this can be used to add richness and depth to understanding mass consumer realities. Our contribution complements the widely established methodological approach of netnography as we argue that netnography has the capacity and capability to embrace technological advances within the domain of social listening to add value for academic researchers.

KEYWORDS:

• Netnographic sensibility
• social listening
• netnography
• methodology
• social media monitoring

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Emma Reid

Dr Emma Reid is a Lecturer in Marketing at the University of West of Scotland (UWS). She holds a PhD in Marketing from the University of Strathclyde. She is responsible for teaching Digital Marketing, and has research interests in digital marketing, arts marketing and audience development. Prior to taking on the role at UWS, Emma worked for a digital agency, specialising in social listening and social media monitoring.

Katherine Duffy

Dr Kat Duffy is a Lecturer in Marketing at the Adam Smith Business School, UK. She holds a PhD in Marketing from the University of Strathclyde. Previously, she was a Lecturer in Marketing at the University of Essex (2013–2015) and her academic interests are complimented by her practical marketing experience.