Microsoft acquires LinkedIn

Several days ago, the startling announcement was made that Microsoft has closed a deal to acquire LinkedIn for a crisp $26.2 billion. For many years Microsoft has expressed a keen interest in Social Media. Nonetheless, the acquisition of LinkedIn still came as a huge surprise to many of us. Not only does the LinkedIn acquisition represent the largest acquisition in Microsoft's purchasing history, it also constitutes a significant foray into the digital spectrum on Microsoft's part. For many years now, Microsoft has been rebranding itself as something other than a traditional software company. Acquiring LinkedIn will enable Microsoft to make an aggressive move into Social Media. The consequences from this move will be colossal. Just how will LinkedIn rebrand itself now? Will job search as we know it change significantly now? Or will it remain the same? Will Microsoft offer new LinkedIn certifications in the same vein as Microsoft Office certifications? Perhaps. Then again, perhaps not. Perhaps Microsoft understands the cardinal rule "If it's not broke, don't fix it." Perhaps Microsoft may allow LinkedIn to continue unchanged with perhaps only a subtle rebranding of its corporate image. Only time will tell. Either way, we can be guaranteed of one thing. This acquisition will have massive consequences for all digital media companies. Microsoft could once again become the number one player within this domain. This article on the Wall Street journal is worth reading to glean insights on the subject.