As announced by IBM today, it is introducing Lotus Connections 3.0 – the first social network platform with advanced analytics capability – and social networking consultation services, pushing enterprise to the next level of collaboration and connectivity.

“To help organizations transform into social businesses, IBM today is unveiling IBM Lotus Connections 3.0, the first social networking platform with advanced analytics capabilities…IBM’s services offerings will use IBM’s social collaboration platform to help clients in all industries achieve greater utilization of social software capabilities for actionable outcomes and return on investment.”

Lotus Connections 3.0 offers advanced social analytics, relevant connectivity and content recommendations, enhanced network building capabilities, extended mobile support, a cloud version called LotusLive Connections for enhanced enterprise collaboration and more. IBM’s social business consultation services list social business strategy, assessment and implementation programs, readiness modeling, skills development and administration management.

As it seems, IBM has gone a long way to justify its status and expand its client base. The corporation is definitely pushing forward, and by introducing something no one else has it may just be able to gain a significant edge over the competition. It’s likely someone else will come up with their own version of this platform and service combo, but it’s a head start from which IBM could anchor its position as the leader in the field. Enhanced, more powerful and faster collaboration equal greater productivity – something a lot of businesses are willing to invest in.