• by Liz Tascio , September 22, 2006

As user-generated content gets hotter, companies are looking for a way to get involved without getting burned. LiveWorld, based in Los Gatos, Calif., designs, builds, and moderates branded online communities for clients such as Dove, HBO, and Mini USA.

Consumer interaction with brands and products on the Internet has shifted, calling for greater engagement, says Peter Friedman, CEO of LiveWorld.

"That actually overrides some of the other concerns," he says. LiveWorld helps clients create a branding experience online, then protects it with software and teams of moderators.

The moderators and users jointly build the new community's culture, Friedman says.