That was my response to an article posted on eMarketer recently, titled “How Are Email, Facebook and Twitter Audiences Different?” Research by email provider ExactTarget not surprisingly found that social media channels like Facebook and Twitter were not cannibalizing email communications. The gist: email remains a viable marketing channel alongside social media.
Funny enough, an article posted by eMarketer a day later titled “Why Email Metrics Are in Decline” suggests otherwise. The challenge, it would seem, is that stand-alone email marketing is struggling against the tide of list fatigue and competing channels.
All signals are pointing to the question none of these articles asks – which is “how do marketers leverage digital channels in unison to meet their business objectives.” As ExactTarget’s research points out, channels are not cannibalizing one other, but co-exist in the eyes of consumers.
The reason the title of this post asks how the audiences are the “same” versus “different” is because any consumer who opts in or follows your brand is a customer or potential customer. The key then is realizing it’s all about relevance, or how you approach the consumer, that determines success or failure. ExactTarget’s research suggests as much. Consider:
“The report suggests using Facebook for both informative and entertaining communications would be most effective.“
“Twitter appeals most to consumers who want to feel up to date and in the know, suggesting information about new products and services or other brand initiatives would be of interest.”
So it would figure that smartly marketing across these channels is a winning formula.
Emerging cross channel marketing solutions are purpose built for this challenge. Recent research into cross channel marketing by Forrester, and reported on MarketingProfs.com, illustrates the need:
“35% also cite integrating traditional marketing with social channels (as key).”
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