Businesses are seeing the importance of social networking sites like Twitter and LinkedIn. Microsoft has planted it’s flag squarely in the social media playing field by incorporating social networking features into Microsoft Outlook. Outlook is used by more than 500 million users and with this move, is attempting to turn Outlook into a hub of social information.
The Social Connector software being released in Office 2010 has been tested using LinkedIn. The LinkedIn connection allows users utilizing the e-mail program to stay in touch with any changes in contact information, job status or affiliations shared by colleagues in the LinkedIn community. Facebook and Twitter are expected to follow. Product Management Director, Elliot Shmukler, was quoted as saying, “Outlook powers the professional inbox so the match is very clear.”