Saleforce.com (SFDC) is methodically building its bridge to span the social-enterprise divide. And with confirmation today that it will spend $689 million on Buddy Media, it lays another timber to sit along side Jigsaw (now data.com), Radian6 and Rypple in its social bridge.

Salesforce.com – A Social Leader?

As a long time leader in meeting the Enterprise’s social needs, SFDC has a long list of social-based accomplishments:

• Created employee social networks with Chatter, Rypple and Force.com.
• Developed customer social networks with the Sales Cloud, Data.com, Service Cloud, and Site.com.
• Connects customers on public social networks with Heroku and Radian6.
• Empowers small businesses to become social enterprises with Desk.com and Do.com.
• Runs apps on the first social enterprise database, Database.com.

Imagine the power Salesforce.com customers will now have with Buddy Media’s marketing suite. If it successfully leverages and integrates Buddy Media’s abilities to collect broad spectrum consumer data with its already leading suite of cloud and social connectivity capabilities, Salesforce.com clients will be better able to meet and anticipate the needs of its own customer base, giving them the edge over their competition.

Monetizing the Social Landscape

There’s a huge push to find ways to monetize the social landscape, and the notion of Social CRM certainly encompasses many of the most tangible. This acquisition, paired with their purchase of Radian6 just last year, puts SFDC in the best position to lead this market. This leaves Oracle (and others), even with its acquisition of Vitrue, playing catch-up.

With close to $1.5 billion spent on acquisitions in the last six years (including Buddy Media) it is no wonder that Salesforce.com is pulling way out front in the race to see who will successfully bridge the great Social-Enterprise divide.