Twitter flies TV strategy overseas with 2 buys
The social network purchases Mesagraph and SecondSync as it looks to standardize a TV rating system and port its TV vision to the rest of the world.
Twitter is directing its attention to television audiences outside the US with just-announced deals to buy European social analytics companies Mesagraph and SecondSync.
Terms of the deals were not disclosed, but Twitter confirmed to CNET that it purchased both companies, as opposed to making aqui-hire arrangements to pick up staff members.
Based in Paris, Mesagraph provides analytics to TV broadcasters in France on how their audiences digitally interact with their content. SecondSync is a 3-year-old UK shop with a product for broadcasters and advertisers to measure TV-related conversations happening on Twitter. Both businesses run their own social TV products, which will likely only remain operational for the duration of current contractual obligates.
The deals signal Twitter's intention to transport its US television strategy to audiences outside of the US. Over the past eight years, the social network has become a water cooler where Netizens gather to discuss live sports and entertainment broadcasts, as well as their favorite TV shows. In 2013, Twitter made strides to capitalize on this attention in the states by purchasing analytics firm Bluefin Labs and developing a social television rating system with Nielsen.
The stateside TV strategy is working well, and the company would like to emulate its early success in Europe and the rest of the world as demand for Twitter intelligence grows in non-US regions, a person with knowledge of the company's television strategy told CNET.
In a further sign of Twitter's seriousness around television, the social network announced Monday an expanded relationship with market research firm Kantar. The companies, which are currently working to establish social TV measurement standards in the UK and Spain, are partnering on tools for the Nordics, Russia, and parts of Africa and southeast Asia, Twitter said in a blog post.
"These initiatives reflect the strength of our commitment to the social TV market," wrote Twitter Vice President of Global Business Development Jana Messerschmidt. "We look forward to continuing work with partners around the world to make watching TV with Twitter even better."
Mesagraph and SecondSync teams will be relocating to Twitter's UK office in London, Twitter said.