Big news out of LinkedIn headquarters—the next version of Microsoft Office will include LinkedIn integration by way of the Outlook Social Connector. For Outlook users, that’s good news, since it means they’ll no longer have to complete an additional download to sync with LinkedIn.
The Outlook Social connector will give users access to photos, contact information and LinkedIn profile details without having to leave Office. That sort of integration is huge, especially across the enterprise. You may not think this is a big deal, but for tons of enterprise-level LinkedIn users, this integration removes a barrier to using the social networking service and makes access infinitely easier.
“You just have to sign in once with your LinkedIn credentials and immediately you’ll start seeing rich profile information, like photos and LinkedIn network activity for any connection that emails you,” writes LinkedIn’s David Breger. “You’ll also see LinkedIn profile data surface when you view a People Card throughout the new Office experience.”
After all, it makes sense to connect a professional networking platform with email, since that’s where so much conversation takes place. And Breger’s description makes us think the functionality will be similar to Rapportive, which we’re already huge fans of—and find incredibly useful when it comes to making new connections (and catching up with our existing networks).
And let’s face it—this is an important step (and a no-brainer) for LinkedIn. They’re motivated to not only attract new users, but to keep users active on the network. The easier they make that for users, whether they’re networking, prospecting, recruiting or job searching, the better. It’ll be interesting to keep an eye on LinkedIn’s usage data once the Outlook feature is live to see how it impacts the site’s user base.
Additional features are in the works, too, including a new LinkedIn for Outlook application for Microsoft’s newly opened Office app store.
Outlook users, what say you? Are you excited about this news? And does the social connector functionality make you want to buy the new version of Microsoft Office more quickly?
Image via BusinessInsider
Shelly Kramer is a Principal Analyst and Founding Partner at Futurum Research. A serial entrepreneur with a technology centric focus, she has worked alongside some of the world’s largest brands to embrace disruption and spur innovation, understand and address the realities of the connected customer, and help navigate the process of digital transformation. She brings 20 years’ experience as a brand strategist to her work at Futurum, and has deep experience helping global companies with marketing challenges, GTM strategies, messaging develoment, and driving strategy and digital transformation for B2B brands across multiple verticals. Shelly’s coverage areas include Collaboration/CX/SaaS, platforms, ESG, and Cybersecurity, as well as topics and trends related to the Future of Work, the transformation of the workplace and how people and technology are driving that transformation. A transplanted New Yorker, she has learned to love life in the Midwest, and has firsthand experience that some of the most innovative minds and most successful companies in the world also happen to live in “flyover country.”
