LANHAM, MD:  Vocus continued its shopping spree by purchasing startup North Social, maker of software that helps brands create and manage Facebook pages, for $7 million in cash.

The Oakland, CA-based startup launched May of last year, and since then has signed about 1,300 monthly subscribers. “They are growing like a weed,” said Vocus chief operating officer Bill Wagner.

For Vocus, the acquisition bolsters its digital PR and marketing products. “We realize that everyone is going to be using Facebook to ...