FRAMINGHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--International Data Corporation (IDC) has published the first vendor assessment profiling eight vendors participating in the worldwide online communities market for 2016. Online communities are quickly becoming a critical part of the digital strategy for many organizations as a platform to establish ongoing conversations, trust relationships, and meaningful engagement with customers, employees, partners, and suppliers. In 2015, worldwide online communities revenues grew 27.2% year over year to $547 million.
The study, IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Online Communities 2016 Vendor Assessment (IDC #US41686916), assesses eight vendors participating in the online communities market using the IDC MarketScape model. The vendors all offer proprietary online communities that have threaded comments as the core solution feature; have annual revenues greater than $10 million; and have a presence in the United States. The vendors evaluated were Adobe, Higher Logic, Jive Software, Lithium Technologies, Salesforce, SAP, Sprinklr, and Verint. Of these vendors, IDC named Higher Logic, Lithium, and Sprinklr as "Leaders" in this market for 2016.
"IDC's 2016 Workforce Transformation Survey shows that building relationships with customers will be the most important business priority over the next 12 months," said Vanessa Thompson, research vice president, Communities and Collaboration at IDC. "Communities are a critical part of managing and maintaining these relationships and the rise in importance of relationships underscores the growing maturity and depth of online communities solutions."
When considering an online communities platform, IDC recommends that buyers look for sophisticated platform analytics, some automation of community manager tasks, the ability to deliver a user experience that is consistent across an organization's online presence, and a direct connection to customer data.
About IDC MarketScape
The IDC MarketScape vendor analysis model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of ICT (information and communications technology) suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor's position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of IT and telecommunications vendors can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective vendors.
About IDC
International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. With more than 1,100 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. IDC's analysis and insight helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based technology decisions and to achieve their key business objectives. Founded in 1964, IDC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the world's leading media, data and marketing services company. To learn more about IDC, please visit www.idc.com. Follow IDC on Twitter at @IDC.
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