Last updated November 2, 2026. All guides
Gather the last two or three months of comments, messages and reviews, remove names, and number them. Group them by what they’re about and count each group. Treat one or two comments as a lead, not a finding, and call something a change only if the dates show it. Then pick two or three things to try that answer what you found.
Gather what customers already said
- Comments on your posts, direct messages, reviews and emails.
- Keep the dates. You’ll need them to see what’s changing.
- Remove names and contact details before you share them with anyone, including an AI tool.
- Aim for 20 or more. With fewer, or with all of them from one busy week, you have leads to check, not findings.
Count, don’t guess
- Number the items in order.
- Group them by what they’re about, such as hours, prices, how fast you reply or what people like seeing.
- Count each group, and keep a few exact quotes.
- Count an item only if it really says the thing. One comment can belong to two groups.
How much to trust each point
- Thin: one or two comments, or one outside source.
- Some: three or more comments, or two independent outside sources.
- Stronger: three or more comments, plus an independent outside source on the same point.
A survey or article from a company that sells marketing services can still be useful, but it isn’t independent.
Is it new?
Call something new only if the dates show it, such as three comments since September and none before. With fewer than five, treat it as something to watch.
Example: a neighborhood bakery, 24 comments
| What customers said | Comments |
|---|---|
| Holiday hours or closures | 5 of 24 |
| Slow replies to messages | 4 |
| Liked behind-the-scenes posts | 4 |
| Prices missing from posts | 3 |
| Too many emails | 2 |
| Doubts about whether photos are real or AI (all since September) | 3 |
The photo doubts are new, but three comments make them something to watch, not a trend. One customer says they asked about a gluten-free order and never heard back, so answer that person directly.
Ideas to try, each answering something in the table:
- Post holiday hours on every page a week ahead. Check first: can you keep every page in step?
- Set a reply time for messages, such as one business day, and say it on your profile. Check first: can you keep it up on busy days?
- Add prices to product posts.
What this can’t tell you
- How customers feel overall. Skip sentiment scores and percentages. With a small sample, counts are more honest.
- Anything about the customers who never comment.
- Whether you can reuse a customer’s words in public. Ask them first.
Pull out anything urgent
If a comment mentions an allergy, an injury, discrimination or a legal threat, answer that person directly. For an injury or a legal threat, talk to your lawyer or insurer before you reply.
Count it all in one pass. The social media listening tool in The After-Hours Kit sorts pasted comments into themes, counts them, rates the evidence and flags anything that needs your attention. See a sample