Email Marketing Better than Social Network Marketing

Is email marketing better than marketing through social networks? Yes, according to a new study from ExactTarget and Ball State University’s Center for Media Design. The study reveals that:

“. . . 18- to 34-year-olds claim they are more likely to be influenced to make purchases based on e-mail marketing messages and direct mail than marketing messages on social networks,” said Mike Bloxham, director, insight and research, Ball State University’s Center for Media Design. “It is too easy to assume that the media consumers choose for their own news, information and entertainment are, by default, the best media to use for marketing messages. This is a dangerous assumption to make in a time when consumers are becoming increasingly aware of their level of control over their media experiences.”

The study outlined six personas and how they interact with different media, including where they prefer to receive marketing messages:

Wireds: 20% have subscribed for marketing communications via SMS, more so than any other group—but they want to receive texts only for urgent customer service issues such as financial alerts or travel updates. Young Homemakers: More than half use social networks and SMS during the day, but direct mail and e-mail are their two preferred marketing channels.Retireds: 81% have purchased online and 94% have been influenced by some form of direct marketing to make a purchase.College Students: Very spam-savvy, they believe private communication channels such as SMS and social networks are off limits for marketers.Teens: They use social networking more than any other group but are more likely to make a purchase from direct mail, followed by e-mail, SMS and social network sites.Established Professionals: Women in this group are more likely than men in this group to use new digital media channels such as IM, SMS and social networking to communicate with friends and family—but men and women alike shop online with 92% having made an online purchase.

I’d have to say that I think most people agree with college students on this one—”private communication channels,” SMS and social networks are not where we want to receive marketing messages. Of course, we’d apparently still like for brands to be there just in case we need them.

The full white paper is available from ExactTarget.

via

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13 Responses to “Email Marketing Better than Social Network Marketing”Michael Says:
October 21st, 2008 at 12:09 pm

That’s an interesting point. I guess the integration of social to email marketing would follow that social media can get someone to your site to learn more, opt in, etc. And then the follow up with email could work that way. Does that sound about right?

Adi Says:
October 21st, 2008 at 12:53 pm

And yet I’ve seen several surveys this year highlighting how people increasingly love to discuss their purchasing with other people, and nearly always consult user reviews prior to purchase.

I think many non-marketing folk regard advertising as pretty much all we do so it’s perhaps not surprising to hear this, but there still lies an awful lot of importance in getting information to people at all stages of the buying process, not just when they have their wallet out.

Jordan McCollum Says:
October 21st, 2008 at 1:19 pm

I think that’s the difference between push and pull marketing. It’s one thing to have customer reviews available; it’s another for a company to sent its customer reviews to you on Facebook or your cell phone.

Brian Carter Says:
October 21st, 2008 at 4:43 pm

I’d echo Adi in saying that marketing is more than “direct marketing”- email to house lists has been proven to be a superior online marketing investment if you’re looking only at cost to email and immediate returns.

However, branding is also part of marketing, and exists on a gray continuum with PR and customer service, and in this, social media plays an essential role.

Measuring the results of SM/SN, just like PR, will not be as easy or as satisfying to the ROI-focused as direct marketing channels will be.

~ by ecommercesnews on October 22, 2008.