CrowdTangle (Facebook) - Detailed Review
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CrowdTangle (Facebook) - Product Overview
CrowdTangle Overview
CrowdTangle is a powerful content discovery and analytics platform, particularly useful for tracking and analyzing social media content. Here’s a brief overview of its primary function, target audience, and key features:
Primary Function
CrowdTangle is a tool that helps users track, analyze, and report on public content spread across social media platforms, primarily Facebook, Instagram, and to some extent, Reddit. It provides insights into how content performs, identifies influential accounts, and tracks engagement metrics such as reactions, comments, and shares.
Target Audience
The platform is mainly targeted at publishers, journalists, researchers, fact-checkers, and content creators. It is particularly useful for news publishers, academics, and entertainment content creators, such as music labels, who need to monitor and analyze social media trends and engagement.
Key Features
- Content Tracking: CrowdTangle allows users to follow and analyze public content shared on social media, including videos, photos, links, and other types of posts.
- Engagement Metrics: The platform provides detailed engagement data, such as reactions, comments, and shares, helping users to gauge the performance of content.
- Benchmarks: It offers benchmarks to compare the performance of posts against similar posts by the same page, helping to identify over or underperformance.
- Real-Time Analytics: Users can track how quickly a post is going viral by monitoring engagement in 15-minute increments.
- Custom Lists and Dashboards: Users can create custom lists and dashboards to group accounts or communities around specific themes, making it easier to track relevant content and conversations.
- Search Function: The platform allows users to set up keyword searches to track mentions of specific topics or artists, excluding certain accounts if needed. This feature also includes a leaderboard to show interaction rates and follower numbers.
- Live Display: Similar to Tweetdeck, Live Displays show which communities are discussing specific topics in real-time, helping users stay updated on current conversations.
Overall, CrowdTangle is an invaluable tool for anyone needing to monitor, analyze, and report on social media content, providing valuable insights into content performance and audience engagement.
CrowdTangle (Facebook) - User Interface and Experience
User Interface of CrowdTangle
The user interface of CrowdTangle, a social media monitoring and content discovery platform owned by Facebook, is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly, particularly for those who need to track and analyze social media trends and content.Interface and Features
CrowdTangle’s interface is characterized by its clean and well-organized dashboard. This dashboard allows users to easily track and view social media content and activities across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit. Users can categorize and follow a vast number of social media accounts, with no limit on the number of accounts they can track.Key Features
The platform offers several key features that enhance the user experience:- Real-time Dashboards: These dashboards display the best social content from millions of social media accounts, organized by categories that users can select based on their business or niche.
- Search and Trend Analysis: Users can search for specific terms and view charts showing the popularity of these terms over time. The search can be narrowed down by platform or specific time frames, and users can also search for memes and other specific content types.
- Custom Notifications and Alerts: CrowdTangle provides automated internal social reports, trending digests, viral alerts, and Slackbot notifications to keep users informed about key topics and trends relevant to their brand or interests.
- Visualizations: The platform offers large screen visualizations, including photo boards, maps, and touchscreen displays, which can be customized and used in various settings such as newsrooms, live events, and social media war rooms.
Ease of Use
The interface is designed to be easy to use, even for users who may not have extensive technical expertise. Here are some aspects that contribute to its ease of use:- Clear Organization: The dashboard is well-organized, making it simple for users to find and track the content they need.
- Automated Reports: The automated reporting features, such as weekly digests and viral alerts, save users time and effort in manually compiling data.
- Chrome Extension: CrowdTangle offers a Chrome extension that allows users to easily identify who shared a link, how many times it was shared, and the associated social media interactions, all from their browser.
Overall User Experience
The overall user experience of CrowdTangle is positive, particularly for its target audience of content publishers, brands, and businesses. Here are some key points:- Actionable Insights: The platform provides actionable insights that are relevant to the user’s niche and brand message, helping them make data-driven decisions.
- Cross-Platform Functionality: CrowdTangle supports tracking and analysis across multiple social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit, giving users a comprehensive view of their social media presence.
- Customization: Users have the flexibility to customize notifications, alerts, and visualizations to suit their specific needs and preferences.
CrowdTangle (Facebook) - Key Features and Functionality
CrowdTangle Overview
CrowdTangle, a social media monitoring tool owned by Facebook (now Meta), offers several key features that are particularly useful for journalists, researchers, and fact-checkers. Here are the main features and how they work:Search and Trend Analysis
CrowdTangle introduces a powerful search feature known as CrowdTangle Search. This tool allows users to search for any term to access a display of all relevant mentions, along with a chart showing the query’s popularity based on post volume over time. Users can narrow down their search by platform (Facebook, Instagram, Reddit), specific time frames, or even by memes.Platform Coverage
CrowdTangle tracks data on public content shared on Facebook, Instagram, and a few other platforms. It helps users compare the performance of public accounts and understand how specific topics spread on these social media platforms.Engagement Metrics
The tool tracks engagement metrics such as reactions, comments, and shares. This allows users to analyze the interaction levels of different posts and accounts, providing insights into what content is resonating with audiences.Boolean Search Capabilities
Users can use Boolean expressions to create advanced search queries. For example, you can search for posts containing specific keywords or variations of those keywords, which is particularly useful for tracking trends around specific topics or misinformation.Saved Searches
CrowdTangle allows users to save searches for repeated use. This feature is handy for monitoring ongoing trends or topics over time. Users can edit these saved searches to refine their queries further.Page Transparency Data
The tool provides access to page transparency data across Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit. This feature helps users gain insights into the sources of content and the credibility of the accounts posting it.AI Integration
While the primary features of CrowdTangle do not heavily rely on AI for analysis, the tool itself is part of a broader ecosystem where AI can be integrated through other Meta tools. However, the core functionality of CrowdTangle is more focused on data tracking and search rather than AI-driven analysis.Benefits
Tracking Trends
CrowdTangle helps users track social trends over time, which is crucial for journalists and researchers needing to stay updated on current events.Comparative Analysis
It allows for the comparison of engagement metrics across different accounts and platforms, providing valuable insights into content performance.Fact-Checking
The tool is particularly useful for fact-checkers by enabling them to search and analyze public content related to specific claims or topics.Time-Saving
The ability to save searches and use Boolean expressions saves time and streamlines the process of tracking and analyzing social media data.Conclusion
In summary, CrowdTangle is a valuable tool for anyone needing to monitor and analyze social media trends, engagement, and content spread, especially within the Facebook and Instagram ecosystems. CrowdTangle (Facebook) - Performance and Accuracy
Evaluating CrowdTangle
Evaluating the performance and accuracy of CrowdTangle, a tool that was once a cornerstone for social media monitoring, reveals both its strengths and significant limitations, particularly in its final stages.
Performance
CrowdTangle was highly regarded for its ability to help publishers, researchers, and journalists track and analyze social media trends. Here are some key performance aspects:
Multi-Platform Analysis
CrowdTangle allowed users to compare the performance of different social media accounts across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Reddit. This was particularly useful for news outlets to see which of their accounts were performing best in terms of likes, comments, shares, and new followers.
Trend Analysis
The tool provided detailed charts and graphs to help users identify trends and analyze what content was working and what was not. This was crucial for informing publishing strategies and tracking the spread of information.
Misinformation Tracking
CrowdTangle was instrumental in monitoring and reporting on misinformation, including health misinformation during the pandemic and election-related misinformation. It helped researchers and journalists expose disinformation and track its spread.
Accuracy
In terms of accuracy, CrowdTangle was generally reliable due to its direct access to social media data:
Data Integrity
The tool provided accurate and comprehensive data on social media engagement, allowing users to make informed decisions based on real-time metrics.
Detailed Insights
CrowdTangle offered detailed insights into account growth, content performance, and overall trends, which were essential for research and reporting.
Limitations and Areas for Improvement
Despite its strengths, CrowdTangle faced several limitations, especially as Meta began to phase it out:
Resource Constraints
In its later stages, CrowdTangle suffered from a lack of resources, leading to frequent bugs and instability. The tool was not updated for over 16 months, and the engineering team struggled to maintain it.
Accessibility Issues
Meta stopped accepting new user applicants and eventually shut down CrowdTangle. The replacement, the Meta Content Library (MCL), has more restrictive access requirements and lacks the flexibility and robustness of CrowdTangle.
Functionality Reduction
The MCL does not offer the same level of functionality as CrowdTangle. For example, it does not provide aggregation of overall trends for keywords or phrases, and it may return only a sample of matching results rather than the complete set. This makes it less usable for researchers who need comprehensive data.
Collaboration Limitations
The MCL does not support team collaboration functions as seamlessly as CrowdTangle did, and it requires individual project-based applications rather than organizational-level access. This introduces delays and additional work for researchers.
Conclusion
In summary, while CrowdTangle was a powerful and accurate tool for social media analysis, its performance and accuracy were compromised by Meta’s decision to phase it out and replace it with a less accessible and less functional tool. This change has significantly impacted the ability of researchers and journalists to monitor and report on social media trends and misinformation.
CrowdTangle (Facebook) - Pricing and Plans
Pricing Plans
CrowdTangle does not offer a tiered pricing structure with multiple plans like basic, starter, or enterprise. Instead, it operates on a premium plans model that is quotation-based. This means that the pricing is customized and requires a direct inquiry to the vendor to get a quote.
Features
Despite the lack of multiple tiers, CrowdTangle offers a range of features that are likely included in its premium plans. These features include:
- Real-Time Dashboards: To monitor performance metrics across social media platforms.
- Custom Notifications: Options for viral alerts, trending digests, automated internal social reports, or a Slack Bot.
- API Access: Full access to collected data, including social account histories, competitive benchmarks, and social referrals.
- Cross-Platform Reports: Ability to create reports across multiple social media platforms.
- Trending Topics: Identification of trending content.
Free Trial
CrowdTangle does not offer a free trial. Users must contact the vendor to discuss pricing and features.
Summary
In summary, CrowdTangle’s pricing is quotation-based for its premium plans, and it does not provide a free trial or multiple tiered plans. The features are comprehensive and aimed at helping users monitor and analyze social media content effectively.
CrowdTangle (Facebook) - Integration and Compatibility
Integration with Other Tools
CrowdTangle can be integrated with other tools through its API. For instance, the Parsons integration allows developers to access CrowdTangle data, such as posts and leaderboard data, using API tokens. This integration requires an API key, which can be obtained from the CrowdTangle dashboard, and it has strict rate limits to manage the load on the system.Platform Compatibility
CrowdTangle operates through two main platforms: the app dashboard and the Chrome Extension. The app dashboard provides comprehensive analytics and alerts, while the Chrome Extension allows users to quickly analyze social media interactions around specific links or topics. This dual-platform approach helps users track and engage with online conversations efficiently.Data Access and Research Tools
For academic and research purposes, CrowdTangle has been integrated with various Facebook data sets, including the Ad Library, the Facebook Open Research Tool (FORT), and Data for Good. Researchers can access these data sets through a dedicated hub, which provides details on available data and how to access it. This integration supports research on topics such as misinformation, elections, and public health.Current Status and Compatibility Issues
However, it’s important to note that Meta has announced the shutdown of CrowdTangle, which may impact its integration and compatibility. The tool has been experiencing issues, including frequent bugs and limited support, and Meta is transitioning to a new platform called the Meta Content Library (MCL). While the MCL offers some new features, such as the ability to analyze comments on public posts, it also has limitations, particularly in terms of data exporting and accessibility compared to CrowdTangle.Accessibility
CrowdTangle was praised for its accessibility, even for users with minimal technical skills. However, the new MCL may be more limited in terms of user access, potentially requiring more technical expertise or additional resources to use effectively.Conclusion
In summary, while CrowdTangle integrates well with various tools and platforms through its API and offers a user-friendly interface for tracking social media conversations, its future integration and compatibility are uncertain due to its impending shutdown and the limitations of its replacement, the Meta Content Library. CrowdTangle (Facebook) - Customer Support and Resources
CrowdTangle Discontinuation Overview
CrowdTangle, a tool provided by Meta, has been discontinued as of August 14, 2024. Here are some key points regarding its former functionality and the support options that were available:
Functionality
CrowdTangle was a public insights tool that allowed users to analyze and monitor public content on social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and at one point, Reddit and Twitter. It was widely used by researchers, journalists, and human rights groups to track the spread of disinformation, hate speech, voter suppression, and other harmful content. The tool provided real-time dashboards to help users analyze and monitor content engagement and spread.
Discontinuation
Meta decided to phase out CrowdTangle, citing the need to focus resources on new research tools such as the Meta Content Library and Content Library API, which are designed to meet regulatory requirements under the EU’s Digital Services Act. However, these new tools lack much of the core functionality that made CrowdTangle valuable for transparency and research.
Impact
The discontinuation of CrowdTangle has raised concerns among researchers and journalists who relied heavily on the tool for their work. It is seen as a step backward for platform transparency, especially given the lack of a viable successor that offers similar capabilities.
Alternative Tools
For those who need to continue monitoring social media content, alternatives like Search and Listen are being recommended. Search and Listen offers tools to monitor critical content from Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Nextdoor, and includes features such as custom lists of Facebook pages, databases for law enforcement and media publishers, and keyword searches.
Former Support and Resources
While CrowdTangle was active, support was limited, and new user onboarding had been stopped. The tool had a free Google Chrome extension with limited functionality, and access was restricted to a limited number of new partners. For those with access, the platform provided detailed guides and resources on how to use it to search for user-generated content and analyze social media trends.
Conclusion
Given that CrowdTangle is no longer available, users are encouraged to explore the new tools provided by Meta or alternative social monitoring tools to meet their needs.
CrowdTangle (Facebook) - Pros and Cons
Advantages of CrowdTangle
Real-Time Data Analysis
CrowdTangle allowed researchers, journalists, and civil society members to analyze trends on Facebook and Instagram in real-time, providing valuable insights into the spread of content, including false narratives and harmful information.
Comprehensive Coverage
The tool offered extensive coverage of social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Reddit, enabling users to compare performance across different accounts and platforms.
Detailed Engagement Metrics
CrowdTangle provided detailed metrics on engagement, such as likes, comments, shares, and new followers, which helped publishers and researchers gauge the performance of content and identify trending topics.
Identifying Viral Content
It allowed users to track how quickly a post was going viral by showing engagement in 15-minute increments, which was crucial for comparing the spread of different posts.
Tracking Misinformation
The tool was instrumental in tracking the spread of misinformation, health misinformation, and political candidate deepfakes, aiding fact-checkers and disinformation experts in their work.
Automated Data Export
CrowdTangle enabled automated data export, such as the setup of automated Twitter accounts to track and share data, which was particularly useful for projects like Vera AI EU.
Disadvantages of CrowdTangle
Limited Support and Resources
Despite its utility, CrowdTangle was not a priority for Facebook, leading to a lack of updates, frequent bugs, and a bare-bones engineering team struggling to maintain it. Facebook stopped accepting new user applicants due to staffing constraints.
Executive Disapproval
The tool generated bad PR for Facebook, particularly with the exposure of highly engaged far-right content, which led to internal dissatisfaction and a desire to phase it out.
Limited Accessibility Post-Shutdown
With the shutdown, the API, interface, and Chrome extension will no longer be available, leaving a significant gap for researchers and journalists who relied heavily on CrowdTangle.
Replacement Limitations
The Meta Content Library (MCL), proposed as a replacement, lacks some of the key features of CrowdTangle, such as comprehensive Instagram coverage and phrase search capabilities. Additionally, MCL is less broadly available and does not permit automated data export in the same way.
Impact on Research and Journalism
The shutdown of CrowdTangle creates a significant research black hole, especially during critical events like elections, where the ability to track misinformation and political messaging is crucial.
Overall, while CrowdTangle was a powerful tool for analyzing social media trends and tracking misinformation, its lack of support from Facebook and the limitations of its replacement pose significant challenges for researchers and journalists.
CrowdTangle (Facebook) - Comparison with Competitors
Unique Features of CrowdTangle
CrowdTangle was highly valued for its ability to track misinformation, monitor trends, and analyze engagement on Facebook and Instagram. It was particularly useful for journalists, researchers, and election observers to monitor influencers, health misinformation, and the popularity of various figures on social media.Limitations and Replacement
Meta has replaced CrowdTangle with the Media Content Library (MCL), which offers some new features such as viewing post views, accessing comments, and including multimedia content like Reels. However, MCL has several drawbacks, including limited data accessibility, especially for accounts with fewer than 25,000 followers, and restricted access for watchdog groups that previously used CrowdTangle.Competitors and Alternatives
Hootsuite
Hootsuite is one of the top competitors in the social media monitoring category. It offers comprehensive tools for managing and monitoring social media accounts, including scheduling posts, tracking engagement, and analyzing performance. However, it may not offer the same level of detailed engagement data that CrowdTangle provided.Brandwatch
Brandwatch is another significant player in social media monitoring. It provides advanced analytics and monitoring capabilities, including sentiment analysis and trend tracking. While it is more focused on brand reputation and customer feedback, it can serve as a viable alternative for some of the functions CrowdTangle offered.Facebook Pixel
Facebook Pixel, though primarily used for advertising tracking, has a significant market share in social media monitoring. However, it is more focused on tracking user interactions with ads rather than monitoring broader social media trends and engagement.Other Tools
For those looking for tools specifically focused on misinformation and engagement tracking, there are fewer direct alternatives. However, tools like Debunkd, which verifies the authenticity of online information and images, can be useful in combating misinformation.Access and Factual Accuracy
One of the critical issues with the replacement of CrowdTangle is the reduced accessibility of data, particularly for smaller accounts and watchdog groups. This limitation can hinder the ability to track and analyze engagement accurately, which was a key feature of CrowdTangle. Competitors like Hootsuite and Brandwatch may offer more comprehensive data, but they might not fill the specific gap left by CrowdTangle in terms of detailed engagement metrics and access for all users. In summary, while CrowdTangle’s competitors offer various social media monitoring features, none perfectly replicate its unique capabilities, especially in tracking engagement and misinformation. The new Media Content Library from Meta has its own set of limitations, making it essential for users to explore multiple tools to achieve their monitoring and analytical needs. CrowdTangle (Facebook) - Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions about CrowdTangle
What is CrowdTangle and what does it do?
CrowdTangle is a public insights tool from Facebook that helps users follow, analyze, and report on what’s happening across social media, particularly on Facebook. It allows users to monitor and analyze public Facebook data, including posts, comments, and engagement metrics.How do I get started with CrowdTangle?
To get started with CrowdTangle, you need to gain access to the platform. Once you have access, you can log in and create a dashboard. There are two main ways to use CrowdTangle: through Lists and Search. Lists allow you to create custom lists of Facebook pages to monitor, while Search enables you to perform advanced searches on public Facebook data.What are the main features of CrowdTangle?
The main features of CrowdTangle include the ability to create custom lists of Facebook pages and to perform advanced searches on public Facebook data. You can use these features to find and analyze key content and conversations around specific topics. Additionally, CrowdTangle allows you to rank page posts by engagement metrics such as likes, comments, and shares.Can CrowdTangle show what content is most seen on Facebook?
CrowdTangle is not designed to show what content is being seen the most on Facebook. Instead, it helps you understand which posts are most engaged with (e.g., likes, comments, shares). There are limitations in using CrowdTangle to understand what works on Facebook more broadly, as it does not account for all the factors that determine what users see in their News Feed.Who can use CrowdTangle?
CrowdTangle is available for various users, including journalists, researchers, and academics. University-based researchers and academics can apply for access through a public application process, which includes training and resources to support their research. Over 250 research teams globally are already using CrowdTangle for their work.What kind of data can I access with CrowdTangle?
With CrowdTangle, you can access a wide range of public Facebook data. This includes data on page posts, engagement metrics, and conversations around specific topics. Researchers can also access additional data sets through the Facebook Open Research Tool (FORT), the Ad Library, and Data for Good, which are all part of the resources provided by CrowdTangle.How does CrowdTangle support academic and research work?
CrowdTangle supports academic and research work by providing access to its tools and API, along with training and resources. This helps researchers study critical topics such as misinformation, elections, COVID-19, racial justice, and well-being. The platform has been used in various research projects, including studies on coordinated inauthentic link sharing strategies and the spread of misinformation in elections.Are there any training resources available for CrowdTangle?
Yes, there are several training resources available for CrowdTangle. Users can sign up for live virtual classes, take self-paced classes, watch tutorial videos, and access a case study library. Additionally, CrowdTangle provides frequently asked questions and training resources specifically for teams.Can I use CrowdTangle for free?
While CrowdTangle itself is not a free tool for general public use, it is available free of charge for university-based researchers and academics who apply and are accepted through the public application process. For other users, access typically requires a specific arrangement or partnership with Facebook or Meta.What are some common use cases for CrowdTangle?
Common use cases for CrowdTangle include monitoring and analyzing content from local TV stations, non-profits, and other organizations. It is also used by journalists and researchers to study public content, track engagement, and analyze trends on Facebook. CrowdTangle (Facebook) - Conclusion and Recommendation
Final Assessment of CrowdTangle
CrowdTangle, a social media monitoring and content discovery platform, was a valuable tool for tracking and analyzing public content on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit. Here’s a summary of its benefits and who would have benefited most from using it:Key Features and Benefits
- Content Tracking and Analysis: CrowdTangle allowed users to track how content spreads online, identify trending topics, and analyze engagement metrics such as likes, shares, and comments.
- Real-Time Dashboards: The platform provided real-time dashboards to monitor social media activity, including the ability to track specific keywords, links, and social accounts. It also offered historical data and customizable visualizations for presentations.
- Notifications and Alerts: Users could set up custom notifications for key topics, viral alerts, and daily leaderboards to stay updated on relevant social media activity.
- Chrome Extension: The CrowdTangle Link Checker Chrome extension was available to everyone, allowing users to see where specific links were shared and evaluate their virality.
Who Benefited Most
- Media Publishers and Content Creators: CrowdTangle was particularly useful for media publishers, content creators, and journalists who needed to track how their content performed on social media and identify what content their target audience engaged with.
- Researchers and Academics: Researchers and academics benefited from CrowdTangle’s ability to track the spread of content, including false narratives and potentially harmful content, in real-time.
- Businesses and Brands: Businesses and brands could use CrowdTangle to measure their social media performance, identify relevant traffic-generating content, and track social media influencers.
Accessibility
- While the full analytics dashboard was only available to eligible organizations such as news publishers, academics, and entertainment content creators, the CrowdTangle Link Checker Chrome extension was accessible to everyone.
Current Status
- Unfortunately, Meta announced the shutdown of CrowdTangle in August 2024, replacing it with the Meta Content Library, which, although improved in some ways, is less broadly available.
Recommendation
Given that CrowdTangle is no longer available, here are some recommendations for those who were using or considering it:- Alternative Tools: Consider using alternative social media monitoring tools that offer similar features, such as Futuri’s TopicPulse, which tracks data from multiple social media platforms and news publishers.
- Meta Content Library: For those who had access to CrowdTangle, Meta is encouraging the use of its Meta Content Library, although it may not offer all the features and accessibility of CrowdTangle.