SecondSync
Social analytical data pertaining to television viewership.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| investor | €0.0 | round | |
* | N/A | Acquisition | |
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
SecondSync Limited was a social television analytics company founded in 2011 by brothers Andy and Ted Littledale, along with Dan Fairs and Lee Carre. The founders possessed a background in computer development, with experience at the BBC and various media-related technology businesses. The Bristol-based firm initially focused on building 'second screen' applications that synchronized with television shows to provide viewers with additional information. A notable example was an app for the show "Frozen Planet" that offered details about the animals as they appeared on screen.
The company pivoted after recognizing the potential of a Twitter widget feature within their apps, which displayed statistics and reactions to the shows. This realization shifted their entire focus to social media analytics for the television industry. SecondSync's platform provided analytics to broadcasters and advertisers, helping them measure and understand audience engagement with television content on social media. The service analyzed real-time, public conversations, particularly on Twitter, to offer insights into viewer behavior and sentiment. This allowed clients to quantify the social media impact of their programming and advertisements.
SecondSync's trajectory accelerated significantly when it attracted the attention of major social media platforms. In January 2014, the company announced a partnership with Facebook to provide social TV data and analysis. This was a notable event, as it marked the first time Facebook made its social TV data available externally. Shortly after, in April 2014, Twitter acquired SecondSync for an undisclosed amount, a move that also brought an end to the new Facebook partnership. The acquisition was part of Twitter's broader strategy to solidify its position in the social TV space and enhance its analytical offerings to broadcasters and advertisers, particularly outside the United States. Following the acquisition, the SecondSync team was integrated into Twitter's London office.
Keywords: SecondSync, social TV analytics, second screen, television engagement, Twitter acquisition, social media measurement, broadcast analytics, TV advertising insights, audience analytics, Andy Littledale, Ted Littledale, Dan Fairs, media analytics, real-time TV data, social media sentiment, viewer behavior, Facebook partnership, UK tech startup, Bristol startup, social media monitoring