DataSift adds 3 new data sources, partners with Tableau Software to blend social with big data

Social data platform DataSift has partnered up with Tableau Software, a big data analytics and visualization company. The move is designed to allow companies to combine both their social and business data into a single application. In addition, DataSift has added three new sources of data — now customers can extract information from Facebook Pages, Instagram, and Google+.

While traditionally known as the reseller of Twitter’s “firehose” of data, DataSift makes it possible for customers to curate social media chatter about any brand or topic that they choose. Unfortunately, although data can be pulled from tools like Bitly, YouTube, Twitter, forums, Facebook, blogs, and others, companies weren’t able to properly tie it in with their business objectives — until now.

“Brands and enterprises now understand that social data is a critical big data source, but they are struggling on how best to infuse social into their decision making process, ” according to DataSift CEO Rob Bailey. “By partnering with Tableau, companies now have the power to do deep analysis on social data at scale, and combine it with internal data sources to unlock key insights across the business.”

The integration with the business intelligence and analytics service Tableau gives DataSift greater exposure as it now becomes available to 10,000 companies. It’s believed that by understanding what’s happening in a business added to what others are saying about your brand, businesses can make smarter decisions.

Today’s news comes just a couple weeks after Tableau’s IPO where its shares were priced at $31. Now, the stock is worth $50.34.

With the addition of more data sources, DataSift looks to allow companies to better monitor what’s being said about them. Now those companies with multiple Facebook Pages are given a single view of its pages, effectively creating a dashboard look. Also, it has added support for Instagram and Google+, which it believes will result in “deeper insights into customer segments, markets, and the competition.”

Company founder and CTO Nick Halstead says that “bringing social and big data together to address the needs of the enterprise will shift how businesses interact with their customers. The problem with data sources like Facebook is that they don’t have a firehose for data access. We have solved this problem to allow enterprises to have their own company specific views of these important social networks.

DataSift has raised $29.7 million in funding and faces stiff competition from services like Gnip, Dataminr, Crimson Hexagon, and others.

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