Best of TLNT 2017: Microsoft Integrates LinkedIn With Outlook

Editor’s Note: It’s an annual tradition for TLNT to count down the most popular posts of the previous 12 months. We’re reposting each of the top 30 articles through January 2nd. This is No. 22 of 2017. You can find the complete list here.

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Microsoft today released a LinkedIn integration with Outlook.com, enabling Office 360 users to view profile information of senders without leaving their inbox.

The integration, coming 16 months after Microsoft’s $26.2 billion acquisition of the business networking company, is more of a convenience, a productivity help, than anything approaching a game-changer. Still, it simplifies finding out more about a contact without having to click over to LinkedIn.

Recruiters will find it far quicker to research candidates, not only because employment, education and other profile data will pop-up with a click, but they’ll also see who in their network they have in common.

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The feature, along with several others unrelated to LinkedIn and included in Office 360, was  formally announced today. However, the LinkedIn integration among some other 360 features was first previewed in September and even earlier, was hinted at by LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner when the acquisition was first announced.

According to a TechCrunch report on the preview briefing last month, LinkedIn integration will soon be included in the Microsoft CRM, Dynamics 365 for Sales.

John Zappe is the former editor of TLNT.com and contributing editor of ERE.net. John was a newspaper reporter and editor before transitioning to digital media. In 1994, he launched one of the  first newspaper sites. Before joining ERE Media , John was a senior consultant and analyst with Advanced Interactive Media and previously was Vice President of Digital Media for the Los Angeles Newspaper Group where he developed and managed a team of developers, content producers and digital advertising and marketing specialists.

Today, John is a contract writer producing whitepapers, blog posts, thought leadership articles and marketing content and managing  social media programs. He also works with organizations and businesses to assist with audience development and marketing.His website is JohnZappe.com.

In his spare time he can be found hiking in the California mountains or competing in canine agility and obedience competitions.

You can contact him here.

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