After experiencing a decline in earnings, Twitter has caught the attention of potential suitors who see its potential value. Among the contenders, Microsoft stands out as the most fitting candidate. With its recent acquisition of LinkedIn and its integration plans with the Office suite, Microsoft could greatly benefit from adding a powerful social network component like Twitter.
Enhancing Office with a Social Network
Twitter boasts over 300 million active users per month and has a total reach that approaches 800 million people when considering tweets displayed outside the platform. However, Twitter recently reported only a 1% increase in quarterly users, which disappointed investors.
To address this stagnant growth, Twitter introduced Nuzzel, a client app that highlights the most shared links among a user’s followed accounts. They also added a moments tab to deliver more relevant content directly to users. Yet, the challenge of efficiently accessing the vast volume of Twitter’s content remains a concern for users, such as students or professionals conducting research.
The Microsoft Advantage
Imagine the integration of Twitter into the Office suite under Microsoft’s ownership. This would offer users unparalleled convenience and productivity. For instance, Outlook could enable users to tweet portions or entire emails to selected groups with a few simple clicks before sending them to their intended recipients.
In Word, users could effortlessly tweet sections of documents or entire files to chosen groups. Excel could allow for the tweeting of spreadsheets, while PowerPoint and Publisher could facilitate the sharing of presentations with selected groups. The real-time feedback alone would be invaluable.
While Access might not be as relevant for tweeting tables or entire databases, the integration of Twitter into the Office suite would undoubtedly enhance the user experience across Microsoft’s flagship productivity tools.
Seizing the Opportunity
Considering Twitter’s current valuation, Microsoft should seriously consider acquiring the platform before other potential suitors trigger a bidding war. By incorporating Twitter into the Office suite, Microsoft could provide users with an unparalleled social networking and productivity experience.
