The market opportunity for social platforms is expected to grow by a factor of nearly two billion worldwide by 2014. 

IBM has announced that IDC ranked IBM number one in worldwide market share for social platform software for 2009 and 2010 by IDC.* 

According to IDC, the worldwide revenue for the social platforms software market was more than $500 million in 2010, representing growth of 31.9 percent. The market opportunity for social platforms is expected to grow by a factor of nearly two billion worldwide by 2014, according to the firm.** 

Today's news marks the second consecutive year that IBM was named the market share leader and the second time that IDC published an analysis of worldwide social platforms software market. 

The adoption of social networking in the workplace is on the rise. According to IBM's 2011 CIO Survey, 55 percent of CIOs plan to invest in collaboration and social networking to increase competitiveness over the next few years. In addition, 77 percent of CIOs are looking to change their internal collaboration processes over the next three to five years. 

Social platforms has emerged as one of the leading technology trends for organizations, based on the recognition that people – customers, employees, business partners, and suppliers--are looking for ways to more easily collaborate, interact and share data. 

IBM social software including IBM Connections provides tools such as communities, forums, wikis and blogs and new capabilities like advanced social analytics, enabling users to expand their network with recommendations of people to connect with based on prior connections and similar interests. IBM Connections is available both on premise and in the cloud. 

More than 35 percent of Fortune 100 companies have adopted IBM's social software offerings. 

In the past year, new IBM Connections clients include GMCH, Bayer MaterialScience, CEMEX, Sogeti, Singapore Airlines, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Berlitz International Inc., Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG, Panasonic and Rheinmetall AG. 

For more information about IBM social software, visit www.ibm.com/social.

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*IDC, "Worldwide Social Platforms 2010 Vendor Shares," Doc#228808, June 2011

**IDC, "Determining the Value of Social Business ROI," Doc#225497, Nov 2010