With the explosion of Web 2.0 platforms such as blogs, discussion forums, peer-to-peer networks, and various other types of social media, all of which continue to proliferate across the internet at lightning speed, consumers now have at their disposal a highly effective soapbox by which to share their brand experiences and opinions, positive or negative, regarding any product or service. As major companies are increasingly coming to realize, these consumer voices can wield enormous influence in shaping the opinions of other consumers—and, ultimately, their brand loyalties and purchase decisions. Aberdeen surveyed over 250 organizations to create a roadmap for companies that aim to achieve a variety of business objectives through Best-in-Class use of social media monitoring and analysis solutions, including but not limited to: improved product marketing, communications, market research, customer support, brand reputation protection, competitive intelligence, and new product development activities.