Bazaarvoice Launches Social Media Engagement Tool

US word of mouth (WOM) specialist Bazaarvoice has rolled out a solution that helps companies plug into social networks to help optimize the user experience on eCommerce and brand sites.

The new Social Network Accelerators application integrates with networks like Facebook and Twitter to distribute user-generated content and engage customers. It also enables retailers to determine how and when content is displayed on the social network.

In addition, the firm says the new feature brings networks of friends into the shopping experience, by prominently displaying their opinions, which it says accelerates purchases and drives further site engagement.

'We're hearing directly from clients that the social networks are important, but it's been difficult to extract any value historically,' said CMO Sam Decker. 'We're connecting the reach and visibility of social networks with the relevance and structure of our Social Commerce platform. This will help our clients turn this complex new medium into measurable results.'

In December, Bazaarvoice introduced QuickTake, a tool which enables shoppers to access a summary of user-generated content related to a product, directly on that product's web page.

The firm, which is headquartered in Austin, Texas and has offices in London, Paris and Singapore, is online at www.bazaarvoice.com .