Enterprise Social Networking Blasting Off

Business development idea - the growing market for business social networking software and community solutions as a new communications tool. That's right. Email is dying and knowledge workers really want to work together - collaborate - to get their work done.

The industry analyst firm IDC has released a new report that indicates that the enterprise social networking market (demo) is ready for ignition and liftoff.

"The social networking application market was relatively small in 2006, coming in at $46.8 million, a new study published by IDC reports. By 2009, however, this market will grow to $428.3 million creating a new application segment and establishing social networking as a new communications tool used for many purposes other than consumer socializing."

The report goes on:

"There are three social networking segments emerging. These include: self-service applications used by groups and marketing campaign teams; brand applications that focus on persistent customer engagement; and enterprise applications that provide more effective ways of working with customers, partners, and other external parties." (emphasis added).

We believe the ability to communicate and collaborate with people both inside and outside the company is a key business differentiator.