A couple of local companies have garnered some international attention for their social media innovations.

The Mobile Inspector app developed by Edmonton-based cDemo has been named as a finalist for two 2011 Mashable awards.

The social media mega site asks the public to vote on the best products in the digital and social media world.

Mobile Inspector has been listed as a finalist for Most Innovative Mobile App and Most Useful Mobile App.

cDemo's Director of Business Development, Jay Radke, said the app was "empowering for consumers to capture good data and be able to play ball on an even playing field with retailers that have bigger budgets."

The app connects vehicle information to social media.

"It takes the guess work away from how to look and get proper details on your vehicle," Radke explained.

The company builds relationships with advertisers allowing the information captured by the app to be uploaded immediately.

"It's just a single hot key on the iPhone in our app to be able to make that data flow."

It allows consumers to see what a vehicle has to offer through pictures, video and a list of options and equipment.

Empire Avenue has also been nominated for a Mashable award.

The social media company runs a social stock exchange and has been named a finalist in the Up and Coming Social Media Service category.

Chief operating officer, Ric Williams, said the website was a game platform.

"You yourself actually become a company on the social stock exchange and people can buy and sell your shares."

Participants use a currency called Eaves to invest in other users and to buy luxury items.

The site was in the running for the Mashable awards last year but didn't make the finals.

Williams said they were excited about this year's nomination.

"It's fantastic.

"We're really proud to be out of Edmonton."

He said the site had over 100,000 users, "From all over the world. Over 150 countries now."

Radke said cDemo was very honoured to be in the running for the awards.

"We definitely knew we had a shot because of the problem we solved with the app.

"It's going to be very interesting to see how it plays out."

Final voting will end on December 16 and the winners will be posted on the website three days later.

This is the fifth annual Mashable awards.

To vote click here.