From a business objectives standpoint, isn’t uni-directional social media more similar to email than it is different?
Social network connectivity is becoming the post-modern email newsletter. A way for consumers to stay up-to-date with the brand, hear about special offers, and occasionally advocate to their friends. This puts significant pressure on email to be more relevant, because most of what would be contained in an email newsletter or special offer now happens faster and more personally within Facebook, Twitter or other social outposts.
Social Media is Email Without the Database
Because social communication feels more authentic and timely in most cases, email marketers must fully embrace testing, personalization and optimization to boost relevancy for recipients. Because the real advantage email has over social is data. Email knows who you are, what you’ve bought, what you click on, what time you open. Twitter knows that you are @somecustomer, and what you Tweet about, and maybe your geography. It’s no contest.
I certainly do not support the Draconian position that somehow social networks threaten email’s existence as a marketing channel. But, if email marketers don’t actually use the data they have at their disposal to increase message relevancy, then the email versus social debate become more viable.
Unify Your Team
The first step is for companies to devise a coordinated strategy that uses email and social communication synergistically. Today, most companies have separate email marketing and social media departments, and they need to merge (or at least cooperate fully) to eliminate the unfocused, tone-deaf message conflicts that are all-too-common today.
To best develop thriving, mutually beneficial relationships with your customers, think of your social communication and email communication programs as two rungs on a content ladder. Google’s new Buzz technology recognizes this convergence, by treating email connections between us as the core atomic unit of the social Web, rather than newer, more ephemeral connections made on Twitter, Facebook or elsewhere.
The Content You Want, via the Channel You Choose
The future of integrated communications is in consumer choice and personalized preference centers. Today, most contact preferences center around phone, email (HTML or text), and direct, postal mail. But, isn’t “following” and “fanning” just a new version of “opting in”? Won’t we soon see forms that ask us to choose one or all of these contact methods:
Email newsletter
Blog (via RSS or email)
Remember, social media is an ingredient, not an entree. Will you spend some time thinking about how to integrate your social messaging, not building a throne for it?
(For an interesting look into the somewhat more distant future of email and social convergence, check this post series by the thoughtful Fred Tabsharani)
(photo by Brunogirin)
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RT @jaybaer: Social Media & Email…More Alike Than Different? [link to post]
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RT @jaybaer: Social Media & Email…More Alike Than Different? [link to post]
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RT @jaybaer: Social Media & Email…More Alike Than Different? [link to post] (via @Sue_Anne)
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RT @jaybaer: Social Media & Email…More Alike Than Different? [link to post] (via @Sue_Anne)
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“Social media is email without the database” blogs @jaybaer [link to post]
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Jay, I agree with the premise of your article that email and social media are similar, but one phrase made me shiver – “uni-directional social media” – YIKES! Isn't social media about 2-way communication?
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“Social media is email without the database” blogs @jaybaer [link to post]
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Hi Sharon. Don't be alarmed. Sure, social media is rooted in conversations, and listening to your customers and then responding on the social Web is a pillar of social media. But, it's not all conversational. If you update your company's Facebook page about latest happenings, or create a YouTube video, or write a blog post, the conversation comes AFTER the content is sent out, not before. That's what I mean when I say uni-directional social media. Messaging you deliver to your audience that creates conversations, rather than stems from them.
Great post. I was asked this question yesterday, email vs twitter and why?
Thanks Jay
For many companies – who look at Social Media as a new way to reach prospects – you are exactly right. Follow/fan/friend is just opt-in – and all you've done is agreed to be sent direct marketing.
I'm actually pretty certain that by the end of this year the “marketing” end of Social Media will be rolling into integrated direct marketing – with vendors like Infusionsoft beginning to expand from email and postcards to include Facebook, Twitter, Buzz, etc.
We need to start talking about Social Media as product (for those brands with high social utility) and Social Media as a method to improve execution (think Six Sigma or Toyota Production System).
Those two areas are a lot more interesting than the devolution of Social Media into direct marketing.
As an aside – if Social Media becomes just a Direct Marketing platform – I predict a significant backlash.
Social Media and Email – More Alike than Different http://j.mp/c0HMvN
RT @maddiegrant: Social Media and Email – More Alike than Different http://j.mp/c0HMvN
RT @jaybaer: Social Media & Email…More Alike Than Different? http://bit.ly/bonwg4
Social Media and Email – More Alike than Different http://bit.ly/aARZLa #socialmedia
RT @jaybaer The Content You Want, Via the Channel You Choose (the future of email and social media) http://bit.ly/avrDHR
RT @jaybaer: The Content You Want, Via the Channel You Choose (the future of email and social media) http://bit.ly/avrDHR
Site-less web bulls-eye, no need for a web site! @jaybaer The Content You Want, Via the Channel You Choose http://bit.ly/avrDHR
Great read Jay. Just had that very discussion here this morning.
Are email and social media more similar than we would like to think? http://bit.ly/c1YGHw
Once again, a very compelling arguement for using Facebook! And, I particularly like you thoughts on precluding the need for 'opt-in.' I thought I was going to lose you until your wrap up on 'integration.' I still see a huge value for a business to provide personal one-on-one customer service by maintaining a list of client thru e-mail marketing.
Great article!
Social Media and Email – More Alike than Different – http://bit.ly/bxpcjg (via @jaybaer)
Social Media and Email – More Alike than Different | Convince & Convert http://ow.ly/17Szw
RT @scstatelibrary: Social Media and Email – More Alike than Different | Convince & Convert http://ow.ly/17Szw
Four51 likes Jay Baer's stuff: Social Media and Email — More Alike than Different http://bit.ly/c5sCfM
Social Media and Email – More Alike than Different http://bsa.ly/4g
Social Media and Email – More Alike than Different http://bit.ly/c5sCfM RT @jaybaer
RT @jaybaer Social Media and Email – More Alike than Different http://bit.ly/bwS9PX
Jay, I should have known that you had a reasonable explanation behind the uni-directional social media phrase! Thanks for the explanation – it makes perfect sense now.
Interesting analogy between social media and email http://bit.ly/cDOh9s
RT @jaybaer: The Content You Want, Via the Channel You Choose (the future of email and social media) http://bit.ly/avrDHR
The Content You Want, Via the Channel You Choose (the future of email and social media): http://bit.ly/d6YnKu (@jaybaer)
Social Media and Email – More Alike than Different – Convince & Convert http://bit.ly/bzzePO #socialmedia
RT @jaybaer: Social Media and Email – What's Your Integration Strategy? http://bit.ly/c5sCfM
RT @jaybaer: Social Media and Email – What's Your Integration Strategy? http://bit.ly/c5sCfM
Social Media and Email – More Alike than Different http://bit.ly/c5sCfM
RT @HeatherSanford: Social Media and Email – More Alike than Different http://bit.ly/c5sCfM
Just had proof of this today in fact–Social Media and Email – More Alike than Different http://bit.ly/9K6iz9
RT @jaybaer: Social Media + Email: Whats Your Integration Strategy? http://bit.ly/c5sCfM Gr8 post-check out our results http://bit.ly/cCc4uM
Social Media and Email – More Alike than Different http://bit.ly/8Z5etG (via @jaybaer)
RT @jaybaer Social Media and Email – More Alike than Different – http://ow.ly/1oItlj {I couldn't agree more with Jay}
RT @MetroStarSystem: Social Media and Email – More Alike than Different – Convince & Convert http://bit.ly/bzzePO #socialmedia
Social Media and Email – More Alike than Different | Blogging and … http://bit.ly/d8isHl
Social Media and Email – More Alike than Different | Blogging and … http://bit.ly/d8isHl
RT @jaybaer: Why is your email and social media being handled by different people? (a vote for integration) http://bit.ly/c5sCfM
RT @jaybaer Why is your email and social media being handled by different people? (a vote for integration) http://bit.ly/c5sCfM
RT @jaybaer Why is your email and social media being handled by different people? (a vote for integration) http://bit.ly/c5sCfM
Remember, social media is an ingredient, not an entree. http://bit.ly/ayb44p
RT @jaybaer: Why is your email and social media being handled by different people? (a vote for integration) http://bit.ly/c5sCfM
RT @jaybaer: Why is your email and social media being handled by different people? (a vote for integration) http://bit.ly/c5sCfM
Great article Jay – as always. You are becoming one of my favourite bloggers! One thing that I find about email 'opt-ins' as compared to say twitter, is that a lot of people are not willing to give out a lot of data – they prefer the 'non-committal' options of SM. I find that companies need to ask for LESS information to get people to follow through to the 'Thank you page' of their forms – so I agree that it will all soon start congregating into more integrated communications where we will see forms with more SM contact options. It would be good to do an experiment to see what the consumer prefers as a form of communication?
Lucinda Callie