The popularity of social
networks among people has only resulted in the increase of email usage.
There's a general belief that social networks have gradually
changed the way people communicate. If this were the case, social
networks would probably reduce email usage. However, according to the
preliminary data collected by Nielsen, the popularity of social
networks has resulted in increased email usage. The reason for this
increase is that social networks send updates via emails for any user
activity or comments made on posts by fellow users.
To conduct this research, Nielsen divided the Internet
community into four groups: three 'terciles' of social network usage in
minutes and a group of people who do not use social networks at all.
The company observed each group’s email usage over a year. Based on the
statistics, they subtracted email usage from the number of people who
don’t use social networks from the number of people who do. Jason Gibs,
VP of Media Analytics at Nielsen, said that people use social networks
for preliminary contact with others and then maintain them through
emails or phone conversations or meetings.
Undoubtedly, email is still a very useful medium for
communication and marketing. This was corroborated by the Direct
Marketing Association’s estimate that email marketing could give a ROI
of $43.52 in 2009; which is two times higher than what one could earn
from search or other marketing forms.
Because email is the most popular mode of communication among
people, Benchmark Email offers a free email
marketing for life plan called Free Edition. Through this
plan companies and people can place signup boxes on social networks,
build email lists and communicate with each other beyond the platform
provided by social networks.
Higher ROI, greater personalization and better campaign
tracking systems are some reasons that should encourage businesses and
people to initiate and continue email
marketing campaigns. No matter what new communication
platforms come into being, it seems emails will remain the lifeblood of
Internet communication for some time to come.
Source:
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=114515
