eMarketer: Social Media Boosts E-Mail Marketing

Marketers are putting more money toward social media, but also toward e-mail

NEW YORK (Mar. 24, 2010) -- Social media is no longer an experiment. For many marketers it is an integral part of a business’ marketing strategy. As a result, many marketers are increasing their budgets for social marketing endeavors. But they are also upping budgets for e-mail, the tried-and-true channel. That’s a sign that e-mail’s effectiveness is still valued.

According to MarketingSherpa, companies in 2009 devoted an average of 19% of their online marketing budget to e-mail and 11% to social media. In a StrongMail survey, e-mail and social media topped the list of marketing tactics for which respondents expected to increase spending in 2010.

That’s because there is a link between social network sites and e-mail usage. Consumers need an e-mail address to register for a social network, and many sites send notifications by e-mail. Plus, frequent social network users tend to be more frequent e-mail users.

2010 will be the year social media makes e-mail marketing more powerful. Social media is a partner, not a threat, to e-mail marketing because it provides new avenues for sharing and engaging customers and prospects.

“Even though people are spending more time using social media, they are not abandoning e-mail,” said Debra Aho Williamson, eMarketer senior analyst and author of the report “Maximizing the E-Mail/Social Media Connection.”

“The two channels can help each other, offering the opportunity for marketers to create deeper connections,” Ms. Williamson said. “People like to receive information and share content through multiple channels.”

Source: eMarketer