Extending its reach in the enterprise social networking space, Spigit this week released APIs to help sort out the most beneficial content contributed to corporate collaboration venues.

The APIs enable users to link Spigit's analytical technology to collaboration platforms such as Microsoft SharePoint, IBM Lotus Connections, Facebook, and Jive. Integration also can be done with platforms such as CRM systems, message boards, e-mail, and idea management systems. Previously, Spigit offered its InnovationSpigit and IdeaSpigit tools for analysis, but they did not link to other platforms.

Spigit's APIs allow businesses to collect information and get right to the most useful items. "We allow the good information to be filtered from the bad information, said Paul Plushkell, Spigit founder and CEO.

"There's an incredible amount of benefits to end users in terms of how they are able to use all this unstructured data [and] put some structure around it," said Plushkell.

Spigit is following a trend in which the use of Web 2.0-based social network technology, also known as Enterprise 2.0, is on the rise. Some companies, such as Serena Software, are using Facebook as a collaboration tool and others, like Best Buy, have set up their own social networking sites.

With Spigit's software, configuration parameters are set up by the user. Weighted analysis and algorithms make it possible to rank contributions. Quality contributions, good ideas, and key contributors can be isolated from the remainder of content. Best ideas can be found, based on reputation of contributor, most popular ideas, hot topics, and trends.

"Our software will analyze the entire community's input," Plushkell said. Content can be graduated to higher stages.

Spigit is filling a need for analytical tools for enterprise social networking, an analyst said.

"We're at the very early stages of [social networking in enterprises] really taking off and being something big. In order for that to happen, you need to help measure the ROI," said analyst Josh Holbrook, director of enterprise research at Yankee Group. "That's what Spigit delivers."

Spigit technology creates a dashboard that allows a company to monitor influencers and ideas, Holbrook said.

Spigit APIs include RepUrank, for reputation management, and IdeaRank, for evaluating content and ideas. The full suite of APIs include content management, role management, configuration, user management, asset management, reputation service, idea market service, and prediction market service. A currency management feature of Spigit provides virtual money to increase a contributor's net worth or reputation.  

Spigit technology can be licensed for $100,000 per year for unlimited access. Smaller, lower priced configurations also can be provided. Spigit's software can be offered via a software-as-as-service or installed behind the firewall.