LinkedIn started building the direct messaging option similar to the ones already offered by Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. The roll out will be slow and incremental, starting with just “10 percent ramp to English global members.” LinkedIn will be last in line to launch the messaging product and although users could send private messages it was more like a e-mail interface with a not so intuitive interface. The new feature will open up new avenues for the professional networking site and it might also introduce a premium messaging services for the recruiter. Mark Hull, LinkedIn director of product management told in a blog post, that “We’re excited about concepts like intelligent messaging assistants that can help suggest people you should message or provide you with relevant information about that person before you start a conversation.” The fact that he was referencing the Facebook’s personal assistant extensively in the post speaks about how even LinkedIn might come up with something similar, thus making a foray into Artificial Intelligence space. LinkedIn will have the freedom to expand the messaging services across to offer multitudes of services including video chat. In all likelihood the company will try to build a comprehensive tool to help recruiters hire talent remotely, which might also include online tests and assignments. Although LinkedIn is late to join the messaging bandwagon it sure has a different value proposition as a product and this new feature will help connecting professionals, in a better way.
