A Colorado-based market research company has developed new monitoring tool that promises to 'listen' to user-generated content posted on the internet and then reports back to firms so they can monitor public reception of their product.
Although Umbria is still awaiting the approval of a patent for its Tribe Analysis tool, which prides itself of allowing marketers to better understand consumers' motivations and habits.
Blogging, social networks, message boards and instant chat are all popular features of the Web 2.0 wave of new internet facilities and marketers often struggle to find out what impact their advertising is having as they are overburdened with websites to monitor.
The tool aggregates information and packages it into a format whereby marketers can analyse how their product is going down among the online community.
"Umbria's Tribe Analysis is a very powerful tool to marketers," said Janet Eden-Harris, chief executive of Umbria. "It leverages the vast breadth of conversation in the various online social networks and turns it into insight that you can't get by any other means."
The tool is scheduled for release in the latter half of the year.
