Social Media + Online Games + Content + Virtual Events = Next Business Wave

CHICAGO, June 3 /PRNewswire/ -- UBM Studios today announced the Social Business Suite, a complete social media and business games suite integrated into its virtual event platform.  By combining the right content, recruitment and the management of audiences with an integrated suite of social and community tools, UBM Studios is now helping organizations connect their customers and remote employees more effectively than ever before through virtual business environments.

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UBM Studios today announced a complete social media and 'business games' suite that is integrated into its virtual event platform.  By combining the right content, recruitment and management of audiences with this integrated suite of social and community tools, UBM Studios is now helping organizations connect their prospects and remote employees more effectively than ever through the next generation of virtual business environments.

Social technologies continue to offer organizations a new way to deliver their messages, connect with individuals, foster education and improve communities – changing the way businesses interact with their customers. According to an August 2009 survey by Mzinga and Babson Executive Education, 86 percent of professionals in a variety of fields said that they have adopted social media in some way and according to Market Research Media, virtual conferences and tradeshows will be a $18.6 billion industry by 2015.  The launch of UBM Studios Social Business Suite not only includes reporting but simplifies the use of social media, such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, through the platform by allowing users to use social media without leaving the event environment.

"UBM is creating a new business model to deliver the right content, to the right audience, at the right time.  By combining the right content with the power of social media and business gaming in a virtual experience, we are now able to transform the way people interact and conduct business online," said Kate Spellman, SVP/Managing Director, UBM Studios.  

Now all activity within these virtual business environments is amplified through attendees' own social networks, creating a word-of-mouth effect.  In addition, it all comes with a richer collection of behavioral data than is typically available on the web.  "Our new suite changes the game in social media measurement, at a time when 84 percent of respondents say they don't currently measure their social media programs," according to Spellman.  (Mzinga and Babson survey).

Marketers can now use the social technologies to engage with event attendees by placing this 'social media space' or gaming widgets in any virtual environment, including the auditorium, exhibit booth or meeting rooms, to enable event attendees to easily engage and create vibrant interactions with event content.

Key functionality of the Social Media Suite includes:

• completely integrated social media:  Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and chat
• drive pre-event buzz with expanded Twitter functionality that allows audiences to respond to and vie
• all tweets associated with a hashtag (attached to the virtual event, sponsor or exhibitor) within a single 'suite';
• updating a Facebook wall with event-related discussions;
• viewing existing connections on LinkedIn to drive peer-to-peer networking;
• promoting conversation with the ability to invite multiple people to a text or video-based private chat;
• increasing peer-to-peer engagement with game widgets that can be customized with the company's brand and messages, beginning with Trivia Challenge and Word Scramble; and
• add friendly competition with a leaderboard to provide a real-time display of top game players and teams.

For additional information on UBM Studios virtual events, contact Kate Spellman, SVP, Managing Director, UBM Studios at 516 562 7383 or kate.spellman@ubm.com.

To follow UBM Studios on Twitter, visit http://twitter.com/UBMStudios, to follow on Facebook, visit UBM Studios and to follow on LinkedIn, visit UBM Studios.

About UBM Studios (www.ubmstudios.com)

UBM Studios is a leader in virtual events and virtual business solutions.  A pioneer with virtual platforms, UBM Studios delivers deep expertise in live and online events that brings business value to customers.  UBM Studios connects, educates and enables virtual communications through a portfolio that fits every budget.  UBM Studios is the only virtual event provider to offer platform, content, audience recruitment, reporting and social marketing and gaming.  UBM Studios virtual events include Virtual Trade Shows, Virtual Career Fairs, Virtual Seminar Centers, Virtual Resource Centers, Virtual Product Launch, Virtual Business Continuity, Virtual Corporate Meetings, Virtual Sales Meetings, Virtual Focus Group Centers and Virtual Training.  UBM Studios delivers a complete global communication solution in Asia, Europe and North America in industries including, health, finance, technology, building and education.

About United Business Media Limited

UBM (UBM.L) focuses on two principal activities: worldwide information distribution, targeting and monitoring; and, the development and monetisation of B2B communities and markets. UBM's businesses inform markets and serve professional commercial communities -- from doctors to game developers, from journalists to jewelry traders, from farmers to pharmacists -- with integrated events, online, print and business information products. Our 6,500 staff in more than 30 countries are organised into specialist teams that serve these communities, bringing buyers and sellers together, helping them to do business and their markets to work effectively and efficiently. For more information, go to www.ubm.com

SOURCE UBM Studios