E-mail More Influential Than Social Networks

For marketers trying to reach the 18- to 34-year-old demographic, e-mail may actually trump those trendy social networks in terms of effectiveness.

While Facebook and MySpace are the sexy channels of communication with this age group, research conducted by Ball State University and ExactTarget show that consumers between 18 to 34 prefer to be targeted through e-mail and direct mail than ads and marketing messages on online social networks.

“It is too easy to assume that the media consumers choose for their own news, information and entertainment are, by default, the best media to use for marketing messages,” said Mike Bloxham, director of Insight and Research at Ball State University’s Center for Media Design.

“This is a dangerous assumption to make in a time when consumers are becoming increasingly aware of their level of control over their media experiences.”

This tarnishes the easy assumption that since social networks are the hot new spot for 18-to-34-year-olds to gather and meet, advertisers should follow their trail and bombard them with ads on those sites.

Of the 1,555 Web users surveyed for the study, those between 18-34 also seemed open to being reached by way of text messaging marketing communications.

In fact, 20 percent of these consumers have already subscribed to receive these communications through text messages. Marketers should not see this as a huge opportunity though, since these consumers only want SMS messages concerning pressing customer service issues like financial alerts and travel updates.

While receptivity to e-mail marketing communications grows with the age of the consumer, the opposite is true for text and instant messaging.

College students were quicker to express dislike for receiving marketing communications through SMS and social networks.

Samantha Skey, formerly with Alloy Media + Marketing, said while students are a “highly reachable” group, “they are also quite protective.”

She added that receiving ads during an online conversation were off-putting to students.

Word-of-mouth remains the most useful form of advertising, according to college students who use the Internet, according to a study conducted by Harris Interactive and released by Alloy Media + Marketing.

Sources:
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/index.cfm?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=93243

http://www.adotas.com/2008/10/study-targeting-18-to-34-year-olds-on-social-sites-05-flop/

http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?id=1006657