If there is one other research company that we’ve continued to encounter, respect, and see as real competition in the interactive media space, it is JupiterResearch. While the company ownership has changed hands several times over the years, the analysts have continued to do great work.

That’s why we’re very pleased that Forrester Research today announced it is acquiring JupiterResearch.

This blog post is not about the financial or management aspects of the deal — see the press release for that. It’s about what this will do for our research and analysis.

JupiterResearch has 43 research staff who will now become part of Forrester. These are some of the most prominent and prolific voices in the analysis of social media and technology’s effects on consumers. Not only do they publish great analysis, they’re also extremely active bloggers and Twitterers.

Adding these people will increase Forrester’s research staff in the Marketing and Strategy area (one our three main areas of focus, along with IT and Technology Industry) by 58%. Our biggest problem these days is keeping up with demand from clients. That’s why we’re hiring (those hires are still happening). And now we are adding a whole lot of talent at once.

Acquisitions can be challenging to manage, but having lived through Forrester’s acquisition of Giga, we can tell you that acquisitions add a dimension by bringing in a lot of innovative new ideas. We know that will happen here. Having seen JupiterResearch’s analysis over the years, we believe these people and Forrester will be able to move forward together in a very powerful way.

For our clients, we can tell you that you stand to gain here. One this gets going we are likely to be producing more research and developing more areas of expertise for all the marketing and strategy roles that we serve.  You will have new faces and new knowledge to tap.

If you are a JupiterResearch client, welcome to the fold. You’ll be hearing from us about what’s coming for you, but we know the Forrester team will make sure you get not just what you were expecting from JupiterResearch, but more.

Exciting times ahead!