Vonage, a global leader in cloud communications and part of Ericsson, has achieved SOC 2 Type II compliance for its Network APIs. As one of the first network API providers to secure this certification, Vonage reinforces its commitment to data security, operational transparency, and customer trust. This milestone further solidifies its position as a trusted partner in empowering secure, innovative digital transformation.

Why SOC 2 Type II Compliance Matters

SOC 2 Type II compliance, developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), assesses internal controls for data security, privacy, confidentiality, and availability. This rigorous certification ensures:

• Enhanced Data Security: Protects sensitive information from unauthorized access.
• Anomaly Detection: Continuously monitors systems to identify security threats.
• Rapid Recovery: Ensures swift restoration of operations in case of disruptions.

Vonage’s adherence to these standards safeguards businesses from threats like fraud and identity theft while fostering customer confidence in digital experiences.

Driving Innovation with Vonage Network APIs

Vonage Network APIs, built on CAMARA standards under the Linux Foundation, empower developers and enterprises with advanced capabilities for innovation. Key benefits include:

1. Fraud Prevention and Security

• Robust tools to protect against fraud and enable seamless authentication.
• Real-time fraud detection minimizes risk and safeguards sensitive information.

2. Enhanced Customer Engagement

• Enables personalized and impactful customer interactions.
• Optimizes communication channels for richer engagement experiences.

3. Efficient Workflow Automation

• Automates processes to improve accuracy and reduce manual efforts.
• Enhances operational efficiency with responsive systems.

4. Scalable Application Development

• Supports developers in building adaptable and high-performing applications.
• Ensures scalability while maintaining quality and performance.

5. Real-Time Insights and Analytics

• Comprehensive data monitoring for actionable insights.
• Drives smarter decisions by tracking metrics, customer behavior, and network usage.

Global Impact and Industry Endorsements

Vonage’s SOC 2 Type II certification is pivotal in regulated industries such as finance and healthcare. Peter Arbitter, SVP at Deutsche Telekom, commended Vonage’s commitment:
“Vonage's adherence to stringent compliance standards ensures secure innovation, particularly in highly regulated sectors. This milestone empowers businesses to create impactful digital experiences with trust and confidence.”

By achieving SOC 2 Type II compliance, Vonage continues to raise the bar in data security and innovation. Its Network APIs provide the tools developers, enterprises, and operators need to create secure, engaging, and efficient digital solutions. With a steadfast commitment to security, Vonage is driving digital transformation across industries.

Birdeye, the leading marketing platform for multi-location brands, introduces its AI-driven solution tailored to restaurants and franchise groups. Designed to enhance online visibility, build stellar reputations, streamline social media, and improve guest experiences, Birdeye's new platform is powered by proprietary Large Language Models (LLMs) crafted specifically for the restaurant industry.

1. Centralizing Guest Feedback for Actionable Insights

Birdeye’s Insights AI simplifies collecting and analyzing guest feedback from reviews, surveys, and direct inputs. Using restaurant-specific sentiment analysis, businesses can:

• Identify trends and resolve issues efficiently.
• Make informed decisions based on detailed feedback analysis.
• Ensure consistent quality across multiple locations.

Customer Story:
Denise D'Amico Johnson, Guest Relations Manager at Black Bear Diner, shares:
“With Birdeye, we uncovered that a menu item receiving mixed feedback was actually a favorite, saving us from a costly menu change. This underscores the value of listening to guests at scale.”

2. Outperforming the Competition with Competitors AI

Birdeye’s Competitors AI offers:

• Benchmarking to compare sentiment, service quality, and social media performance with competitors.
• Head-to-head competitive reports highlighting strengths and weaknesses.
• Social media analysis to identify top-performing posts and inspire new campaigns.

This approach helps restaurants refine strategies, boost loyalty, and stay ahead of the competition.

3. Streamlined Listings and Reputation Management

With over 90% of diners relying on local search, Birdeye ensures restaurants:

• Appear prominently in local search results across Google, Yelp, and other platforms.
• Maintain consistent and accurate listings to attract diners.

Yelp Integration:
Birdeye’s partnership with Yelp centralizes review management, allowing restaurants to monitor and respond to feedback faster, building trust and improving guest satisfaction.

4. Optimized Guest Journeys with Olo Integration

Birdeye integrates with Olo, enabling restaurants to:

• Update critical location data (name, address, phone, hours) effortlessly across platforms.
• Synchronize changes instantly across directories like Google, Facebook, Apple Maps, and Yelp.
• Ensure accurate and consistent information across store locators and local pages.

Birdeye’s AI-powered solution equips restaurants and franchise groups with tools to thrive in a competitive industry. From gaining actionable insights to outperforming competitors and optimizing guest experiences, Birdeye sets a new standard for restaurant marketing.

Explorance, a global leader in feedback analytics solutions, has unveiled Explorance MLY 3.0, its award-winning, AI-powered qualitative analysis solution, available from January 27. This latest release features the groundbreaking Redaction Module, alongside multilingual and summary analysis capabilities, empowering organizations to foster psychological safety, inclusivity, and actionable insights from feedback.

1. Redaction Module: Safeguarding Psychological Safety

The Redaction Module automatically redacts offensive language, personal names, and sensitive content, ensuring:

• Honest and Open Feedback: Participants can share candid input without fear of harm.
• Faculty Wellbeing in Education: Protects faculty morale by managing harmful feedback.
• Safe Workplace Environments: Encourages collaboration and trust while safeguarding critical insights.

2. Multilingual Analysis

With multilingual support, organizations can:

• Capture feedback in multiple languages, expanding global reach and inclusivity.
• Analyze and categorize feedback seamlessly, regardless of language diversity.

3. AI Summary Analysis

This feature distills qualitative feedback into concise, actionable insights by:

• Highlighting key trends and strengths.
• Pinpointing areas for improvement.
• Enabling quick, data-driven decision-making.

Proven Global Impact

Since its launch in March 2023, Explorance MLY has demonstrated transformative potential. Key 2024 achievements include:

• 5.2M Comments Analyzed
• 12M+ Insights Generated
• 160K+ Alerts Detected
• 1.7M+ Recommendations Provided

Educational institutions like Harvard Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, and University of Newcastle, along with global enterprises such as Microsoft, leverage Explorance MLY to gain deeper insights into their people’s experiences, fostering informed leadership and impactful decision-making.

Recognition and Commitment to Excellence

In 2024, Explorance MLY won Gold in the AI in Education category at the QS Reimagine Education Awards. Samer Saab, Founder and CEO of Explorance, emphasized:

“Explorance MLY 3.0 is revolutionizing how feedback is captured and analyzed, showcasing the transformative role of AI in elevating feedback analytics and improving outcomes in education and beyond.”

Proximic by Comscore, a division of Comscore, Inc. and a leading provider of audience and content targeting solutions, has released its third annual State of Programmatic Report for 2025. Key findings reveal that 72% of respondents plan to increase programmatic investments in 2025, highlighting the ongoing growth and reliance on programmatic strategies. The report explores trends in CTV, linear TV, digital, social, and audio, offering valuable insights for advertisers, publishers, and tech providers.

1. Growth in Connected TV (CTV)

• CTV Share of Media Budgets Doubles: Since 2023, CTV's budget share has surged to 28% in 2025.
• Shift from Linear to Digital: Nearly half of marketers increasing CTV budgets are reallocating funds from Linear TV, signaling a decisive shift towards digital-first streaming platforms.

2. Privacy-Focused Strategies

• Contextual Targeting Leads the Way:
  • 41% of marketers cite contextual targeting as their primary approach to address privacy challenges and shrinking ID coverage.
  • Over 52% plan to expand contextual data usage in 2025, emphasizing privacy-sensitive campaign strategies.
• Adapting to Privacy Regulations:
  • 60% of marketers feel prepared for upcoming U.S. privacy regulations, while 35% seek further education and support.

3. Demand for ID-Free Solutions and AI Integration

• Cookie-Free Strategies on the Rise:
  • 48% of marketers expect to primarily rely on cookie-free targeting tactics by the end of 2025, adapting to diminishing identifier coverage.
• AI Adoption Accelerates:
  • AI-driven insights are becoming pivotal for enhancing targeting and campaign performance, establishing AI as a major driver of programmatic growth.

4. Deduplicated Reach & Frequency Measurement

• Critical for Cross-Channel Success:
  • 80% of marketers emphasize the importance of accurate reach and frequency measurement to optimize audience targeting and campaign results across programmatic channels.

Expert Insight

“Our 2025 State of Programmatic Report revealed dramatic year-over-year changes as programmatic continues to gain momentum,” said Rachel Gantz, Managing Director of Proximic by Comscore.

“Connected TV emerged as a clear winner, while privacy-centric strategies like contextual targeting are now essential for marketers seeking to deliver effective and compliant campaigns.”

The financial services industry is undergoing a transformative shift with the introduction of psychographic profiling in financial decision-making. This breakthrough comes from a recent study by Psympl, conducted in partnership with Ipsos, offering a new dimension to understanding consumer behavior that goes beyond traditional demographic and socioeconomic metrics.

1. Moving Beyond Traditional Metrics

• Traditional Approach: Financial advisors and wealth managers have relied on income levels, asset sizes, and other quantitative metrics.
• Psychographic Profiling: Psympl introduces Psychographic AI™, which dives into psychological drivers, uncovering the motivations behind financial decisions.

“Traditional metrics tell us what a client's financial picture may look like, but not why they make the choices they do,” said Ran Mullins, Co-Founder and CEO of Psympl.

2. Enhancing Marketing and Client Engagement

• Personalized Strategies: Insights from psychographic data enable the creation of tailored messaging and client engagement strategies.
• Improved Outcomes: Financial firms can boost client acquisition, satisfaction, and loyalty through deeper connections and resonant communication.

3. The Digital Advertising Connection

• Market Growth: Financial firms are expected to spend nearly $43 billion on digital advertising by 2025.
• Efficient Resource Allocation: Psympl’s findings can help firms target the most receptive audiences, optimizing their advertising efforts.

Expert Insights on Industry Impact

Brent Walker, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Psympl, highlighted the broader implications:

“This research marks a significant advancement in the financial sector’s approach to client engagement. By integrating psychographic insights, financial services can foster deeper connections and more meaningful interactions with their prospects and clients.”

Future Implications for Financial Services

As the economic landscape continues to evolve, the integration of psychographic insights offers a competitive edge by enhancing the ability to predict and understand financial behaviors. Psympl is actively syndicating this research to empower financial services and wealth management firms with actionable strategies for improved marketing and client engagement.

LPL Financial LLC, a leader in wealth management, introduces an enhanced Marketing Solutions portfolio, including a new Digital Marketing Platform. Designed to deepen client relationships and accelerate business growth, this customizable platform empowers advisors to effectively engage clients and prospects through streamlined, multi-channel communication.

1. Customization to Fit Every Advisor's Needs

Advisors can choose from:

• Hands-on Tools: For those who prefer direct control, the Digital Marketing Platform offers an easy-to-use interface.
• Full-Service Support: For advisors who prefer to outsource marketing tasks, freeing up time to focus on their practice.

“By streamlining the often-overwhelming task of marketing, our advisors can focus on strengthening client relationships, nurturing prospects, and running a thriving practice,” said Les Matthews, EVP and Head of Business Services at LPL Financial.

2. Digital Marketing Platform Highlights

• Content Library: Access to financial content from trusted sources and LPL Research.
• Multi-Channel Capabilities: Efficiently manage email, social media, and more.
• AI-Powered Recommendations: Suggests high-value content that aligns with client interests.
• Automation Tools: Simplifies workflows for enhanced efficiency.
• Real-Time Analytics: Delivers insights on client preferences and identifies engaged prospects.
• Compliance-Friendly Workflows: Built-in review and approval processes ensure compliance.

Proven Results and Growth Impact

Advisors using LPL’s Marketing Solutions experience:

• 39% Faster Asset Growth: Over a six-month period compared to their peers.
• Improved Client Retention and Referrals: Personalized marketing drives stronger relationships and loyalty.

“Our tailored solutions help advisors stand out and differentiate their services,” added Matthews.

Seamless Integration and Accessibility

The Digital Marketing Platform integrates seamlessly into the LPL ecosystem through LPL Business Solutions, a comprehensive suite of strategic services aimed at helping advisors optimize and grow their practices.

Chatmeter, the leader in multi-location customer intelligence, announces exciting new features to its Pulse Ai platform, including AI-powered image analysis and a Review Generation tool. These updates aim to enhance how brands manage customer feedback, gather insights, and improve customer experiences across multiple locations.

AI-Powered Image Analysis: A Game Changer for Reputation Management

One of the most groundbreaking features of Pulse Ai is its ability to analyze photos in reviews. Chatmeter’s Signals can now surface relevant images from reviews, helping businesses identify key customer feedback trends—an industry-first capability. This new function helps multi-location businesses better understand customer sentiment and discover actionable insights from visual content.

• Key Benefits:
  • AI-driven sentiment analysis
  • Identifying critical business risks such as health and safety issues, and employee welfare
  • Identifying key trends across visual content at scale

“Imaging models will allow us to identify at scale crucial insights from images, including summarization, sentiment, and flagging risks,” said Dan Cunningham, CTO of Chatmeter.

Review Generation: Driving More Reviews Faster

Chatmeter’s Review Generation tool helps multi-location brands accelerate review collection by three times faster. With customizable templates for email, SMS, and QR codes, businesses can easily create, send, and track review requests, driving credibility and increasing customer trust.

“The ability to respond to and generate more reviews is a gamechanger for us,” said Desereé Lopez, Senior Director of Digital Marketing at Caliber Collision.

Survey Insights: Reviews Drive Consumer Trust and Decisions

A recent survey by Chatmeter uncovered key consumer preferences regarding online reviews:

• 95% of consumers trust businesses with a lot of online reviews.
• 92% of consumers look at photos when reading reviews.
• 46% of consumers wouldn’t dine at a restaurant without reading reviews, and 30% would even look at reviews or photos while ordering.

“Reviews have incredible influence over customer decision-making,” said John Mazur, CEO of Chatmeter.

Multi-Platform Presence is Essential for Trust

The study also highlighted the importance of multi-platform presence, with Google Reviews being the most trusted platform. However, preferences vary across generations, with Gen Z (42%) most trusting Google Reviews, and Baby Boomers (39%) preferring Better Business Bureau reviews.

Consumers look for signals like:

• At least a 4/5 average rating (52%)
• Reviews with photos (51%)
• A lot of reviews (46%)

Wordsmith AI, a leader in AI-powered legal reporting, is transforming the way legal teams manage critical operations such as pre-financing due diligence, contract risk analysis, and compliance audits. By blending cutting-edge technology with training services, Wordsmith AI ensures a seamless transition to legal AI, helping organizations achieve faster and more accurate results.

1. Game-Changing AI Legal Reports

• Advanced Reporting Tools: Analyze thousands of contracts in minutes, uncovering compliance gaps, contract risks, and critical insights. Reports can be tailored to specific business needs.
• Enablement & Training: Unique programs designed to integrate AI into legal workflows, reducing errors and enhancing efficiency.
• Flexible Support: Operate independently or collaborate with Wordsmith’s legal experts for verification and custom reporting.

2. Solving Key Legal Challenges

• Due Diligence: Streamline mergers and acquisitions (M&A) by organizing and analyzing critical contract data, reducing delays and errors.
• Risk Analysis: Extract vital details from historical customer and vendor contracts to identify non-standard terms and compliance risks.
• Commercial Insights: Extract performance data from contracts and summarize commercial terms across thousands of agreements.

Real-World Impact

Cybersecurity Incident Management

A tech company analyzed 8,000 contracts in 24 hours to identify notification obligations, saving weeks of effort.

M&A Due Diligence

A private equity firm expedited due diligence by 85%, avoiding costly delays.

Talent Agreement Review

A media company bulk-reviewed agreements to optimize commercial terms and improve operational efficiency.

Leadership Insights

Lucy Tyrrell, General Counsel at Wordsmith AI

"When reviewing thousands of contracts under time pressure, human error is almost unavoidable. Wordsmith eliminates that risk, delivering accurate results far faster than manual methods. Just as importantly, we empower lawyers to embrace these tools, ensuring they remain trusted experts in their organizations."

Ross McNairn, CEO of Wordsmith AI

"Wordsmith is trusted by some of the world’s most forward-thinking companies because we combine practical technology with meaningful enablement. Our training ensures legal teams are faster, smarter, and ready to navigate a rapidly changing landscape."

Wordsmith AI is more than a technology provider—it’s a partner in innovation. By offering advanced AI tools and empowering legal teams through training, Wordsmith AI ensures businesses can tackle today’s challenges while preparing for the future.