What’s the word on the street?

PopularMedia Inc. has launched Pop Commerce 2.0, the latest version of its software for viral marketing/word of mouth campaigns.

The software is designed to enable marketers—through automated analysis of social networks and other consumer-generated web content—to publish, manage and optimize viral marketing programs capable of driving sales and leads, the company says. The new software includes an enhanced publishing engine, new optimization capabilities and a web services architecture designed to speed program deployment and simplify integration with third-party services.

Pop Commerce analyzes consumer behavior in real time, feeds results back into its publishing engine and makes adjustments to optimize viral programs on the fly. While it can be used for brand building and generating awareness, the platform also has helped customers build new prospect databases and open new, profitable sources of revenue that go beyond search marketing, the company says.

For many marketers, viral marketing, or word of mouth, is fast becoming a compelling way to market products and services, but it largely has turned out to be a hit-or-miss proposition, says Jim Calhoun, CEO of PopularMedia. “By applying science and analytics to viral marketing,” Calhoun says, “we’re helping companies open entirely new distribution channels simply by tapping the wisdom and power of their customer base.”

More than 60 brands and marketing agencies use PopularMedia’s Pop Commerce software. Customers include Sephora, Gamefly.com, RedEnvelope.com and eToys.