Marketers are using listening platforms to keep up with the rapidly evolving world of online discussions. But a crowded and immature marketplace with many confusing messages makes selecting the right listening platform challenging. To help, Forrester has identified five questions that marketers must answer to narrow the selection process. Marketers must: 1) define listening objectives; 2) evaluate the vendors' source coverage; 3) understand underlying technology; 4) determine financial and human investment; and 5) assess organizational readiness.