• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, April 27, 2009

Hoover's wants to improve search features and become a social network. So the Dunn & Bradstreet business directory has created a developers' network, opening its backend infrastructure through an application platform interface (API). It allows companies to integrate business information into their apps and platforms.

Similar to Google, Microsoft, eBay, Sony Ericsson and others that have built businesses on the back of third-party developers, Hoover's aims to build out a business-related social network. While the project launched in private beta late last year, it has yet to officially roll out. Developers can find the code at HooversAPI.com.

Broadlook Technologies, Pewaukee, Wis., and dozens of other companies such as Basho Technologies have begun integrating the API into their applications, according to Peter Poulin, executive VP of marketing and business development at Hoover's, Austin, Texas.

Broadlook's technology skims the Web collecting publicly available company information to help marketers develop sales leads, but cannot access data protected behind firewalls. "With an API from Hoover's, Broadlook can collect that information and build a better profile of companies for customers," Poulin said. "They provide a targeted solution to a niche market we might not have otherwise pursued."

Think of Hoover's as the dashboard. The entrance into a host of applications made available through a data connection on the back end. But the information also can flow into a CRM platform by Salesforce.com, Microsoft and Oracle, for example.

If the primary workflow tool is Salesforce.com's CRM platform, marketers have a tab allowing them to build lists of prospects that automatically download into the contact database. The user could compare lists, keeping the new contact and deleting duplicates.

Hoover's made the data available through Salesforce.com's AppExchange program in 2006, after the on-demand enterprise apps provider opened the platform to third-party developers. Hoover's also worked with Microsoft to offer integration with Dynamics in March. Poulin expects Oracle will become the next CRM platform later this year.

Meanwhile, Hoover's added LinkedIn contact data to its subscriber site earlier this month. This addition provides integration between Hoover's information on millions of companies and millions of people with LinkedIn's professional network of business contacts. When viewing a company or person on the Hoover's site, customers can see contacts in that company that are already in their LinkedIn network.

Hoover's subscribers can learn how many people they are connected to at any given company through the LinkedIn Connections integration, and can access those individual's LinkedIn profiles with one click.