A Suffolk-based social media analystics company has reached the final shortlist of a global awards programme of social media innovators.

Birdsong Analytics – developed by Ipswich-based Digital Tomorrow Today, the creation of Jamie Riddell and business partner Katherine Riddell – is one of just two firms still in the running for the Best Small Business category of the New York-based “Shorty Awards”.

The occasion is widely viewed as the social media world’s equivalent of the Oscars, recognising businesses and individuals from across the world which are leading the way with technical innovations for platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Vine.

Birdsong was launched in 2011 and has customers in over 100 countries, serving more than 5,000 users with pay-as-you-go analytics for Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts.

Although targeted at small businesses, it can also count among its users a number companies from the Fortune 500 listing of leading US businesses and some global not-for-profit organisations.

“Learning that you’ve made the final list for any awards is a great boost for a business, but to know we’re now being ranked among the very best across the globe is just incredible,” said Jamie.

“We developed BirdSong to help every business get the most of social media and have seen significant growth over the last 12 months.

“We have had some great feedback from our customers but to receive this industry-specific nod to what we’ve achieved is a really significant moment for our team.”

The Shorty Awards ceremony takes place in April in New York and will be live-streamed to a global audience. Past guests at the event have included the likes of Ricky Gervais, Stephen Fry, and Kiefer Sutherland.

The name of the ceremony is derived from that of the Real-Time Academy of Short Form Arts and Sciences, which is responsible for selecting the winners.

Birdsong recently unveiled a new UK Election-specific platform to help chart which political parties are engaging best on social media, and which appear to be most popular as the race for voters’ supportheats up ahead of polling day..