Jive targets distributed workforces with new communication apps

"For 14 years our traditional focus has been large enterprises, but we've seen over time that there's a segment of companies that are not as large but tend to have a large geographic footprint," said Colleen Jansen, vice president of global marketing at the enterprise social networking company. "These companies are growing quickly and need to get everyone connected."

Toward that end, Jive Daily, which is due to arrive Feb. 18 on the App Store and Android Market, is designed to help companies communicate with their employees, including delivering tailored news feeds and fostering conversations.

It will allow employees to receive, "like" and comment on news from executives and colleagues using their mobile devices. Among the benefits for companies using the app are improved strategic alignment and employee engagement along with metrics for tracking the impact of individual messages, Jive said.

Jive Chime and Jive People, meanwhile, will deliver consumer-style messaging and corporate-directory capabilities, respectively. Chime will enable both one-to-one and group conversations; included in People will be the ability for employees to list and get endorsed for their skills.

Jive Chime is expected to arrive in the second quarter, with Jive People arriving the following quarter.

Each app in the new suite can be purchased and used independently or in an integrated fashion along with the others. An administrative console spanning the whole suite will also be available.

Jive Daily will be priced at $2 per user per month. Jive Chime will be free for end users, but administrative controls and Active Directory sync capabilities will cost $2 per user per month. Pricing has not yet been determined for Jive People.