Report: New media is eroding email's effectiveness

Your email plans may need to be adjusted. According to a recent report from JupiterResearch, social networking, texting and mobile phones are eroding the effectiveness of the traditional email campaign. The report finds that 22% of consumers using email find social networking sites more useful then email.

by Kristina Knight

Instant and text messaging numbers are even higher than that.

Just last year (2007), consumers said that email caused them to make at least one purchase online and 47% said email inspired them to make at least one off line purchase. In 2008, only 44% of consumers reported buying a product online because of email and only 41% said the same about off line purchases.

Why the drop?

"Consumers' confidence in email has become shaken by irrelevant communications and high message frequency," said David Daniels, Vice President, Research Director and Lead Analyst for the report. "It is so important for marketers to be relevant and succinct when they send messages to consumers' inboxes."

How can email become more effective?

Because consumers receive so much email, make sure you are sending what they want when they want it. Include a personalization page that allows consumers to tell you what they are most interested and how often they want to be contacted. Change up your communications; give frequent clickers and buyers a bigger incentive or a chance to directly take part in a future campaign. Finally, make sure you communicate exactly what list members can expect from your marketing campaigns.