herdWhich social listening tool should a small business buy?
By Lim Wai Hong · · 3 min read
Start with what you need to hear about, and how fast. ChatGPT can sort posts you give it, but a listening tool finds new posts for you and tells you when an urgent one appears. On a small budget, try the free options first, then pay for a tool that covers the apps your customers use.
Can ChatGPT do social listening for a small business?
Partly. ChatGPT is good at reading posts you paste into it. It can sort them, sum them up and help you word a reply.
But a chat assistant answers when you ask it. A listening tool keeps checking for new posts about your business and tells you when an urgent one appears. I'd use the tool to find and sort the posts, and ChatGPT if you want help with the reply.
Is there a free or cheap way to track what people say about your business?
Yes, to start. Google Alerts is free. It emails you when Google finds a new page with your words in it, so test whether it catches posts on the apps your customers use. Searching your name on each app once a day is free too, while the mentions stay few.
Paid tools start low. Awario starts at $29 a month billed yearly. Herd has a Free Plan with 1 keyword and 100 mentions, no card, then starts at $29 a month.
How do you find out fast when someone mentions your business?
Pick a tool that sends urgent posts to you, and ask how often each plan checks for new posts. Some entry plans check only every 12 hours. Brand24's does, so a complaint posted at breakfast might not show up until dinner.
Herd emails you when a post looks urgent, so you can answer while it's still one post.
What does an AI social listening tool do?
It reads the posts for you. It labels each one positive, neutral or negative and puts the urgent ones first, so you read those before the rest.
Check two things on the trial. Can you fix a label when the AI gets it wrong? And can it translate posts in other languages, or does it only count them?
How do Herd, Awario, Brand24 and Google Alerts compare?
- Herd
- Threads (comments included) and Reddit today. Translates every post, labels sentiment and emails urgent posts. From $29 a month, or $23.20 a month billed yearly.
- Awario
- From $29 a month billed yearly, for 3 topics and 30,000 mentions. Sentiment included.
- Brand24
- From $199 a month billed yearly, for 3 keywords and 2,000 mentions. The entry plan checks every 12 hours.
- Google Alerts
- Free. Emails you new pages that Google finds.
- ChatGPT
- Reads, sorts and sums up the posts you paste in.
The longer list, with Sprout Social and Brandwatch, is in my guide to the best social listening tools for 2026.
Where does Herd fit?
This is the one I make. Herd reads Threads (comments included) and Reddit today, and translates every post into your language. X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, RedNote and podcasts are coming soon.
It labels every post positive, neutral or negative, and you can fix any label. When a post looks urgent, Herd emails it to you. It only listens. It won't schedule posts or run your accounts.