How To Successfully Launch An Email Campaign In A Social Media Conditioned, Mobile Ecosystem

TRADITIONAL EMAIL MARKETING

Due to the evolution of social media connections, computer-based email usage is on a rapid decline.  Trends reveal that people are using mobile phones to read their emails, or simply replacing that medium with social network messaging.  Which means the marketing campaigns to traditional email must be adjusted to effectively be consumed.

Mobile email readers surfing their inbox are now either killing time, or glancing at their phone.  Your message should be succinct and strategically direct them back to future laptop or tablet computing for full impact.  In fact, studies revealed that 91% of email users have unsubscribed from a company email they had opted in for.  Clutter on their mobile device as they scroll through their inbox seems to encourage users to make deep cuts and prioritize the email consumption they are willing to receive in their email inbox.

Additionally, if you’re directing someone to a website through email marketing, and understand that reading email on mobile devices is the trend, it’s critical to have a mobile website optimized for mobile consumption.  Less features, big buttons (Touch interface), clear call to action without a lot of decisions to be made.

At the same time, Social networking direct messaging carries an entirely new set of etiquette.  Once a company is allowed to enter this space with an individual, it cannot be utilized as a replacement to the email inbox.  It’s an extremely personal engagement to send a message to say a facebook inbox.  Messages are invading their own profile and you will quickly be released if it’s not personalized, infrequent and user centric (read: no promoting).

You’re allowed much more latitude in the public arena of the networks in terms of frequency, but the message should still primarily remain engaging rather than self promotion.

SOCIAL MEDIA

67% of B2C companies have acquired a customer through Facebook.
57% of businesses have acquired a customer through their company blog.
42% of companies have acquired a customer through Twitter.

70% of Google search results that are clicked on are organic results – only 30% to paid search links.  SEO should always be considered due to the transfer of credibility from Google and the massive marketshare even as it evolves into a social search platform. i.e. Likes and +1 driving user experience.

MOBILE MARKETING

• 40% of smartphone users compare prices on their mobile device while IN STORE shopping for an item.
• 1 in 5 adult mobile phone users have used their device to make a purchase in the past month.

So are you following the new rules of email marketing?  If so, take a step back and review the above evolution of how we consume email messages and the technology we employ to connect.  In this age of information overload, the new genesis is that we are starting to control, and filter our devices to reveal only those content topics that we want, need or are passionate about.

I completely realize there is a strong sect of statistics which can be warped and bent to prove that email consumption is not declining.  I get that, I really do.  However it’s the way in which email is being consumed that has changed, and if your emails are optimized to the world of smartphones, pointing to mobile websites, you will undoubtedly see considerable traction on your campaigns.

Want more proof?   Chances are you only have to review your mobile habits.