Every click, every view, and every reaction matters. While these might seem like mundane social media activities for some, for market researchers, all the things done online—be it interacting with friends, commenting on videos, or checking out ads and deals—play a big role in the survival of the business. 

How people react and engage with posts online says so much about their perception of certain products and services. Hence, the importance of social media listening is to be keen on what people say and listen to the public pulse. 

By closely monitoring online conversations and engagement, it becomes easier to track the comments and public sentiments that are often not stipulated in numerical reports. This way, patterns become more recognizable, helping the brand improve its products and services. Social media listening is also an effective way to:

• Identify and respond to customer concerns or questions in real time

• See how other brands are doing and find new opportunities

• Analyze sentiments, spot potential crises, and reduce reputational risk

• Create better campaigns that match the changing needs and behavior of customers

But while all this information is helpful, the more daunting question is: what if the data your company gathers from social media is not as accurate or reliable as expected? What if the data is actually skewed? 

For example, because of the privacy and security offered, VPN usage has been increasing to prevent online tracking of activities. As a result, this could affect the quality of insights gathered by market researchers. What is presumed as genuine interactions from a certain region may not be reflective of what’s truly happening in reality. 

With this, how can your brand adapt to these challenges? What are the ways in which you can improve your social media listening strategies? In the bigger picture, is the use of VPN really such a problem for businesses?

Here’s What You Need to Know About VPNs

Since its introduction to the market, the use of VPN has been steadily growing, particularly among those working remotely and often connecting to public WiFi and those handling sensitive business and customer information.

Beyond security, many brands have also harnessed the power of VPNs, most especially as they allow users to access geo-restricted content and bypass censorship, empowering them to:

• Conduct competitor analysis. See how other businesses are performing in different countries or regions.

• Identify regional trends. Learn about what’s viral and culturally relevant in certain places and develop campaigns aligned with them.

• Perform more accurate market research. View search engine results as they appear in different locations.

And as people's needs evolve, so do VPN features. In the comprehensive Surfshark VPN review made by Cybernews experts, it has been highlighted how these security tools now include antivirus protection, cutting-edge encryption protocols, Everlink, Alternative ID, and a no-logs policy, making internet browsing even more seamless and private.

The Other Side of the Coin: How VPN Usage Affects Social Media Listening

VPNs are indeed versatile tools. However, the same benefits they bring to digital marketers can also pose challenges to brands trying to get accurate social media insights. By masking IP addresses and encrypting internet traffic, this can lead to:

1. Altered Location Data

Those clicks, likes, shares, views, interactions, and purchases might not be a big deal for social media users. However, for international brands wanting to learn more about the behavior and preferences of people from specific regions, these are valuable pieces of information that can help in establishing connections with potential customers.

As internet connections and location information are now hidden with the use of VPNs, this can definitely impact the quality of data processed and analyzed, which will be the basis for the business’s course of action.

2. Difficulty in Tracking User Behavior

With activities now kept private, it becomes more challenging to monitor online conversations about the brand and topics related to the services and products offered. 

This blind spot may eventually lead to the inability to truly understand what went right (or wrong) with the campaigns implemented and why customers choose to make a repeat order (or turn to competitors instead) based on their experiences.

Without knowing the sentiments of the people, the brand might have a hard time preventing concerns from escalating and causing further damage. 

3. Potential for False Positives

With the ability to reroute internet traffic, VPN users can access different social media platforms as if they were in a different location. As a result, this can affect analytics and audience insights, which are essential in studying customer behavior and market preferences.

The campaign performance may look like they’re doing well and reaching the ‘right’ audiences. But in reality, there might be feedback and discussions that the brands fail to see and engage in because they are hidden from traditional tracking tools. And this could be one of the reasons why, despite all efforts and the positive feedback gathered so far, these insights do not translate into sales.

VPNs in Social Media Listening: What Brands Can Do

There are indeed two sides to the coin. While VPNs are great for keeping connections safe and private, such security could also obscure insights that can be helpful in marketing campaigns and audience engagement for the brand.

But this does not mean it is a lost cause. As mentioned, VPNs are useful tools not only for encrypting online transactions but also for ensuring access to fast internet while protecting users from unauthorized access by third parties.

This 2025, it is essential to be resourceful and explore technologies that allow businesses to better understand their customers beyond what traditional social media listening tools offer. YouScan, for instance, harnesses the power of AI to:

• Analyze not only text but also images and audience data from social media.

• Provide a more in-depth way of understanding customer perception and sentiments.

• Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the marketing campaigns employed (as well as competitors, too!).

• Use data-driven insights from billions of online conversations relevant to the brand.

Just as there are many ways to sell a product, there are also many ways to get to know a customer. With the best VPN to keep the brand’s online activities safe and AI-powered social media monitoring tools to enhance online monitoring, you can create more impactful campaigns that people can resonate with, building lasting connections that can inspire growth and success. The question is: Are you ready to utilize these tools for your brand?