• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, May 2, 2008

Nielsen Online has launched a new digital services group to help clients manage their images across the social media landscape and navigate the wild-and-woolly world of consumer-generated media.

Led by Nielsen EVP Peter Blackshaw, the Digital Strategic Services group will provide research-supported guidance and a solid plan of action for marketers. "We're able to educate clients and help them make the right choices to seize digital opportunities to connect with consumers and grow their brands," he says.

Internal research conducted by Nielsen Online revealed a market demand for just such a service. Indeed, over one-third of clients using BuzzMetrics services sought consulting services on top of core analysis.

The research also suggested that interest in CGM was increasing among senior executives, opening up a broader range of opportunities for Nielsen. "Executives and brand managers face an unprecedented range of choices, from how much to invest in digital marketing to how to leverage social media in public relations," Blackshaw says.

On the theory that consumer advocacy and brand growth go hand in hand, the group is developing a "Brand Advocacy Quotient," or BAQ score, by combining CGM-, site-, and survey-based data, along with the Nielsen Online MegaPanel to determine the extent to which consumers are promoting or eroding brands online.

Blackshaw previously served as CMO of Nielsen BuzzMetrics and co-founded the Word-of-Mouth Marketing Association. And while it might be part of his job description, Blackshaw seems genuinely optimistic about the opportunities for marketers to gain new insights into consumer opinion online.

"The good news is that today's outspoken consumer provides a wellspring of insight into the best strategies to drive long-term competitive advantage," he says.

The interest in measuring word-of-mouth and online buzz is indicative of how marketers are pressuring agencies to provide more quantified and predictive data about consumer behavior in order to better predict return on marketing investments and in turn, raise accountability.

Nielsen entered the burgeoning marketplace for measuring online buzz, word-of-mouth and social media with the acquisition of BuzzMetrics in 2006. Following suit, TNS' Media Intelligence unit agreed to buy Cymfony--the chief competitor to Nielsen BuzzMetrics--in 2007.

Also, late last year, GfK Starch Communications--which has measured the effectiveness of print ads for over 80 years by interviewing consumers in person--began reporting responses gathered online.