Sentiment is a tricky beast.

We all crave the technology that can automatically tell us whether a post we read and track is positive/negative/neutral (and the holy grail would be something that could make next step recommendations). Truth is, we’re not there yet. Technology isn’t perfectly up to the challenge so far, and the complexities and subtleties of human use of language will always render this a difficult task.

For now, and until/unless automated sentiment reaches unquestionable accuracy (not likely anytime soon), the human factor in analysis for sentiment is absolutely critical, and irreplaceable. So, I’m offering a few guidelines here about how *I* judge sentiment on the posts I track. I’ll say that on average, about half the posts I encounter get marked as neutral, so don’t be afraid of that.

A couple of things to note here: this is subjective. Period. And it should make sense in the context of YOUR business. Consistency in application is really the key; once you determine that a certain type of post is classified a certain way, stick with it to ensure that your analysis down the road is sound, and helps provide guidelines for others.

I’d love to hear your additions, questions, and suggestions in the comments.

What I mark as positive:

• Blatant and direct compliments or recommendations, without competitors mentioned. Can include product compliments or positive statements about service and support.
• Posts that contain superlatives in direct reference to our company or product (good, great, awesome)
• Reviews that are clearly complimentary, even if they contain a few improvements we could make
• If the post is a Digg, Stumble, or Delicious (someone found it valuable enough to vote on or bookmark)
• Retweets or links to any of the above posts

Somewhat positive:

• Retweets of our events or publicity (implied endorsement)
• Posts that announce/feature our inclusion in a list, ranking, or otherwise, including along with competitors
• Posts that recommend us alongside competitors
• Inquiries about getting a demo and/or trialing the product (implies good enough impression to ask to see more)
• Retweets or links to any of the above types of posts

Neutral

• Any tweets that are company outreach (from our employees). This helps to not sway the snapshot of what our community is saying, for better or worse
• Links to our website with no commentary at all
• Passing mentions of us in conversation unless they meet pos/neg criteria
• Statements like “checking out Radian6″ without other commentary
• Factual information about our product/brand without reaction or comment (including retweets)
• Links or retweets to our blog, events, etc. that don’t include commentary.
• Troubleshooting inquiries that are simply technical in nature

Somewhat Negative:

• Retweets or links from the community to third-party posts that contain criticism (passive endorsement of the negative content)
• Posts that contain criticisms of our product or service coupled with compliments or positive statements, if the negative seems to outweigh the positive
• Sarcastic comments that allude to a negative experience but without a blatant callout
• Troubleshooting inquiries that include statements of frustration

Negative:

• Clear criticisms or complaints about our product or service. These are usually pretty obvious.

So is this helpful? What would you add, and what else can I help answer? There are no perfect answers, but it sure helps if everyone shares some of their input. What do you think?

If you missed yesterday’s Twebinar with Brad Dancer from the National Geographic Channel, you’ll want to download the podcast to listen to later.

Brad shared some great insights with us about how the NatGeo Channel is embracing the consumer-generated media revolution,why social media and their community are important to them, and his take on the future of broadcast media in general.

I only wish we’d had another hour with Brad (maybe sometime soon) because it’s so obvious that he’s passionate about what he does – he’s been with the channel since it launched – and he has a level-headed but enthusiastic viewpoint about the impact of social media on the traditional media world.

So take a listen while you’re working today. It’s well worth the 45 minutes or so. And we’d love to hear your thoughts and insights on the topic, too.

Stay tuned for details on our next Twebinar with GE on August 5th, detailing their TweetSquad team and how they’re using Twitter to get the word out about GE innovations. More to come!

If you’ve attended any of our past Radian6 Twebinars, you know how chock-full of interactive, fast-paced information they are. Anxious for another?

Join us tomorrow, July 22nd at 4pm EST for a great discussion with Brad Dancer, Senior VP of Digital Media and Research at the National Geographic Channel.

We’ll be discussing  “TV 2.0” and how new media is shaping the industry. We’ll hear Brad’s take on social media, how consumer-generated content is driving the media industry to respond, and what he thinks is next in the evolution of television.

And in true Twebinar format, we’ll be capturing the tweets and your questions during the session so Brad can take them on the fly. So please join us, and add your voice to the mix! We’ll be using the hashtag #radian6 to track the conversation.

Want in? Add this event to your calendar for tomorrow at 4pm EST, and join us for the event LIVE.

For more information about what the National Geographic Channel is up to, visit their website at http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/, visit their blog, or follow them on Twitter. See you tomorrow?

Stacy DeBroff is the founder of Mom Central, a one-stop web resource dedicated to providing busy moms with smart household and parenting solutions. She also heads up the company’s consulting arm, where she and her team provide strategic advice and resources to companies who want to reach the powerful Mom market.

Stacy is a powerhouse of information and insights about how the social web is changing the game for companies and brands, and compelling them to understand customer loyalty in ways they never have before. Her deep bench of experience in law, writing (she’s the author of several bestselling books) and the world of parenting gives her a unique perspective on how Moms (and Dads) drive buying behavior, and how social media has empowered them to have stronger voices than ever before.

So download and have a listen to our chat with Stacy where she’ll share thoughts on online influence and what makes it unique, ROI vs. SOI, the challenges brands will face with a new social web, and where Dads fit into the mix.