Email and social media, a better fit than you think

For years I've been harping about how I think blogs and email play well together as marketing tools. Now, a B2B Ask the Expert article aptly suggests email has a place within social media as well. Who'd thunk it!

"E-mail marketing could not be better suited to enhance your social media efforts; in fact, it is the key ingredient in launching a successful social media marketing campaign," states the article. "The rise of social media is pushing the evolution of e-mail marketing from blast campaigns to more personal, one-to-one engagements."

How do most Facebook, Ning and other online communities keep members informed? Email is the obvious choice. For example, I manage the IBNMA Facebook group and use FB's email messaging component all the time. It's ability to proactively "push" content is the key -- as opposed to the more passive RSS feed.

Speaking of RSS, in spite of the fact it's been around since 1995 (a long time in Internet years), it's rate of adoption among non-techies still pallors in comparison to old-fashioned email.

Those who prophesied email's demise must surely chagrin (if they even remember what they said). Email is far from dead. In fact, I can't see a time when it will die, even with RSS, Twitter, Friendfeed and all the other choices.

The bottom line is that, today, we have multiple options for how we receive information. The fact that email is still one of them - and a significant one to boot - is a good thing.

What do you think?

Comments

[Webconomist]

Great post, and I agree with you. Email will "evolve" and I'm curious to see how. I read a stat recently that 80% of Web users have 2.5 email accounts on average each (usually personal & business.)

I use one Webmail account just for all my subscriptions to things/services! There's probably a more intelligent way of doing that!

[Bernie Borges]

This topic hits on a sore spot for me. Personally one of the biggest attributes of social media is the ability to connect and collaborate with people outside of email. The fact you can email people when a new blog post is submitted or a new item is posted to a group in Facebook is more than a little annoying to me. I already get too much legitimate email that needs my attention. More clutter in my inbox is the last thing I want. I live for the day email is replaced with some new killer social media tool that cuts out the clutter. Either that, or I may one day go sell ice cream and disable my email address. The latter is just a dream...

[Rolv Heggenhougen]

eMail marketing is VERY effective yet it is always mass emails and often come from “do-not-reply” addresses. These emails also arrive with a red x where there are pictures and then the recipient must right-click to download – this is where over 50% are lost as people hit the delete button.
Seems like WrapMail is the only company that seamlessly focuses on the REGULAR external emails we all send every day:
You have a website.
You send emails.
WrapMail, without installing anything on any desktop or cell phone facilitates:
Every email becomes a showpiece for the organization.
Every employee becomes a marketer.
No other marketing or advertising medium is as targeted as an email between people that know each other (as opposed to mass emails). These emails are always read and typically kept.
WrapMail turns your everyday email into a branding and research tool (yes, the system reports who is clicking on what and when) for your business at a cost of $5 per user per month. That includes the WrapMaker™ where clients make their own wraps.
And……..WrapMail’s show up WITHOUT the red x and message to download images!

[Paul Chaney]

@Webconomist - I have four accounts the last time I checked!

@Bernie - I think email provides the wake up call people need to remind them to visit the social network site. For instance, I belong to a fast growing site very vibrant site, The SWOM (www.theswom.com) and, even with that, I need a reminder to visit it.

Similarly, I receive emails from Facebook, Plaxo and other socnets reminding me of activity on my profile there. If I didn't receive them, I really don't know how often I'd be prompted to visit. So, for me, they provide a useful service.

@Roly - I'm going to let that comment remain even though it's nothing more than subtle spam. It is on-topic, so I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt.

[Hal Lublin]

I think this blog makes an excellent point. Since it's important to keep a presence across several platforms (especially if you're using it for business purposes), email can provide a hub for all of your data collection, allowing you to keep tabs on your different networks without necessitating a visit to several different sites.

[Calandra the Email Marketing Junkie]

Hi Paul,

There's a significant force when one
uses social media and email marketing
together. On one hand, you can drive
traffic to your site to increase your
email list. Then on the other hand you
can use your email newsletter to drive
clients and subscribers to your social
media profiles and blogs.

It seems as if people are getting the
picture with email marketing and the
power of building relationships. We're
marketed to all day long, so now it's
time to provide value to current clients
before another catches their attention.

LOL! It's like we're living just as it
was portrayed in the movie Minority
Report with Tom Cruise. :o)

Life Life to Leave a Difference,
Calandra Jackson

[Social Media Manager]

To be smart you have to promote your business to a wider and larger audience. You need to spread the word about your business as much as possible, and get the most online presence at any one time.