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Listener alerts notify you when a topic's data crosses a condition you define. You can set alerts to fire when mention volume spikes unexpectedly or when sentiment takes a negative turn, so you can respond quickly without having to check your listeners manually.
How to access alerts
- Go to Listeners on the left sidebar.
- Select a listener topic from the list.
- Click the Alerts tab at the top of the topic view.
If no alerts exist yet, you'll see a prompt to create your first one.
How to create an alert
- Click + New alert in the top right corner.
- Choose an alert template (see template options below).
- Configure the alert settings on the next screen.
- Click Create alert.
Alert templates
Volume spike
Triggers when the mention volume for a listener exceeds its recent baseline. Use this to catch sudden spikes in conversation around your tracked keywords.
Sentiment dip
Triggers when the share of negative mentions exceeds a floor or rises sharply above baseline. Use this to catch shifts in audience tone before they escalate.
Alert settings
Both templates share the same configuration options:
Rule name
- A label for the alert. Defaults to the template name but can be customized.
Window
- Defines how far back the system looks for matching activity each time the alert is checked.
- Options: 30 min, 1 hour, 3 hours, 6 hours, 12 hours, 1 day, 2 days, Custom
- Volume spike default: 1 hour
- Sentiment dip default: 1 day
Sensitivity
- Controls how aggressively the alert fires.
- Sensitive - catches early or minor changes above normal
- Balanced - fires on a clear, meaningful shift (recommended)
- Strict - only fires on dramatic or heavily sustained changes
Cooldown
- Suppresses repeat alerts while a condition is still active. Default is 60 minutes.
- Options: 15 min, 30 min, 1 hour, 2 hours, 4 hours, 12 hours, 1 day, Custom
Enabled toggle
- Turn the alert on or off without deleting it.
Important notes
- Alerts are scoped to a specific listener topic, not across all listeners
- Each alert runs an evaluator after every listener tick
- The cooldown period prevents alert fatigue when a condition persists over time
- You can create multiple alerts per topic with different settings
Best practices
- Start with the balanced sensitivity setting and adjust from there based on how noisy your listener is
- Use a shorter window (1 hour) for fast-moving topics like product launches or live events
- Use a longer window (1 day) for slower, ongoing monitoring like brand reputation or competitor tracking
-
Set a cooldown that matches how often you can realistically act on an alert
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I have both a volume spike and a sentiment dip alert on the same listener?
A: Yes. You can create multiple alerts per topic with different templates and settings.
Q: What happens when an alert fires?
A: You'll receive a notification based on your account notification settings. The alert will not re-fire until the cooldown period has passed.
Q: Can I edit an alert after creating it?
A: Yes. Go to the Alerts tab for the relevant listener and update the settings for any existing alert.
Q: What does the "window" setting actually control?
A: It sets the lookback period the system uses to evaluate the alert condition each time it checks. For example, a 1-hour window means the system looks at the last hour of data when deciding whether to fire.
Need further help?
If you have any questions or need additional help, feel free to contact our awesome support team. We are here to assist you! 💙
Related Reading:
Social Listening with Vista Social
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