Salesforce.com to launch private social networking tool for business

Enterprise cloud computing company Salesforce.com has unveiled a new social networking product, Salesforce Communities.

The service will allow organisations to create private social communities to connect with customers and partners online, the company said.

Details of features released so far include social networking style profiles, real-time feeds, trending topics, recommendations and influence measurement. These will be combined with the business information and processes already familiar to clients using Salesforce.

"Enterprises will be empowered to deliver completely new levels of collaboration and productivity through custom, branded communities," the company claimed.

Salesforce.com also highlighted data collected by consumer research firm Nielsen, showing almost one quarter of time spent online is spent on social networks. The company has said it hoped to help clients capitalise on this trend with this new product.

"Salesforce.com is helping companies meet the challenge of this social revolution with its social enterprise solution. By providing new and more powerful ways for companies to connect with their customers and partners, the introduction of Salesforce Communities will continue to accelerate the industry's transformation to the social enterprise," the company said.

The product is scheduled for a limited pilot release in autumn this year and will go on general release in the second half of 2013.