The success of Yammer
As you know, Yammer is an enterprise social network designed for employees to communicate and collaborate better with each other. Proof of its success are the figures showing the growth and acceptance of the social network from the companies:
- Registered users have increased by 55% to nearly 8 million.
- The user activity (measured by posts, groups and files) doubled
- The paid subscriptions have grown by over 200% year on year.
Roadmap established by Microsoft to integrate Yammer with Office 365
Phase 1-Basic Integration
Since early this month, Office 365 customers can replace the newsfeed (newsfeed) SharePoint Online by Yammer. This new capability enhances the social experience that SharePoint provides, somewhat limited and that many organizations could be insufficient.
Microsoft provides a useful guide on how to make the change you can check here
Phase 2 – deeper connections
During the fall Microsoft will release a new update that will allow deeper integration with social network:
- Single sign for both products as well as adding the link to Yammer in the Management Portal Office 365 and the navigation bar.
- Capabilities to edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint from the browser using Office Web Apps.
- Translation of messages and conversations in real time with the machine translation system, Microsoft translator covering 39 languages
Phase 3-Connected Experiences
Microsoft will continue to work on new social improvements, which will be announced as we move into 2014, and we aim to make communication tool Yammer main company. To give you an idea of ​​the future plans of Yammer, here are some of the projects currently in development:
- SharePoint Search Integration: Ability to search Yammer talks
- Yammer messaging enhancements: Improved Yammer’s user experience by adding the ability to send messages to multiple groups at once.
- Integration with Exchange Online: Microsoft works to help you use Yammer and electronic mail together. You can monitor a subject of Yammer, reply to messages and participate in discussions via email.
- Integration with Lync Online. Capabilities instant messaging, voice and video.
- External communication. Improved messaging infrastructure to facilitate the addition of users outside the company Yammer conversations.
- Mobile applications. Phones and devices are a means to use Yammer, indeed Microsoft announced in early June a free application of RSS to users of Yammer, ready for download in the Windows Store website. However, the company is working to improve the user experience in Windows 8, Ipad, Iphone and Android.
Should I make the switch to Yammer?
The first step of integration with Yammer is optional for customers. However, Microsoft suggests that we make the change with these words of Christophe Fiessinger, product marketing manager for the Microsoft Office division “Our recommendation is to use Yammer as it is our best bet at the office of the company and we are committed to make our social layer below all our products ”
In conclusion, Office 365 and Yammer will enable you to transform communication and collaboration of employees in your company, having the best and most innovative ideas in your organization. You bet!