The way we communicate is altering.  Whereas once, we may have unthinkingly sent someone an email, the rise of social media and websites like Facebook mean that many of us now use them instead, sending someone an instant message here or writing on their virtual wall there.  This will inevitably have consequences for online marketing.

New results from Jupiter Research show that 22% of email users said that they use social networking sites instead of email and many more signifying that they used instant messaging, text messaging and mobile phones instead of email.  Not only this, but since last year there has been a significant dip in consumer spending as a direct result of decreasing effectiveness in email marketing.  In 2007, 51% of users said that email inspired at least one online purchase and 47% said the same for off-line transactions.  However, in their report, titled “The Social and Portable Inbox: Optimizing E-mail Marketing in the New Era of Communication Tools” of 2008, these figures dropped to 44% and 41% respectively.

According to Jupiter Research’s David Daniels the reason for this is that nowadays people receive so many emails that they simply cannot pay attention to every one.  He stresses the importance for marketers to be relevant and succinct when sending messages to purchasers’ inboxes.  Indeed, consumers do not have the time to sift through reams of text before being told what is on offer within the emails they receive, let alone to sift through numerous emails from different companies that all use the same rather lacklustre format.

More than this, many are becoming suspicious of emails sent to them from companies whose messages are simply irrelevant.  In response, they choose to use uninterrupted forms of communication like text messaging and social networks, which allow for a more direct communication and is not interspersed with spam and inappropriate marketing messages.

Things are indeed changing but it must be stressed that email marketing is not dead.  It is important to remember that email advertisements offer a direct entry into the consumer’s existence not relying on page impressions to be seen and gives the advertiser an extended voice with which to sell their product.  The power of the format needs to be utilised for optimum effect.  Copy must be kept short and the message punchy.  Design should be eye-catching but not dazzling, working in tandem with the copy to relay the email’s message in the most appealing way possible.  Ultimately, email lists should be treated with care, rewarding users for signing up, not pestering them so relevance is key.

In addition to this, a recent study by ThirdAge and JWT Boom significantly attributes the change in behaviour to the younger generation’s preference for social media over email.  Baby boomers and older generations, conversely, continue to use email and many shy away from social media sites.  As with all behavioural trends, advertisers need to be aware that many potential customers are using other forms of communication.  The only way to keep in touch with their market is to adapt strategies to cope with such change but each must also importantly be aware of those older consumers who, by and large, continue to use email.  An entertainment campaign for under 30 year olds might make more use of social media advertising whereas something like a new mortgage offering may be targeted at the over 30s via email.

What marketers must be wary of is favouring one approach of marketing over the other at this stage.  Whilst habits are changing, the use of mixed media is the only real way to ensure that the right audience is being reached and addressed in the right way.

Justin Drummond,

Chief Executive - Media Corporation plc