Email Drives Social Networking Use

Email Drives Social Networking Use
Published on July 06, 2010
Share Email can drive social networking use, says digital marketing firm e-Dialog.


Email was clearly the primary driver to social networking activities, participants in the Global Perspectives study said. Overall, 53% said email sent to a personal account was the primary thing that drove them to social networking activity, writes MarketingCharts.

Respondents also stated that they sign in directly to social networking sites (35%) and that SMS mobile messaging also drives them to social networking activity (19%). Consumers in Asia-Pacific selected email to a personal account (42%) and direct sign-in (31%) at the highest rates, while for North American consumers, these drivers were less popular, at 25% and 23% respectively.

Email-Inspired Purchases Prompt Further Research

In addition, two-thirds of consumers indicated that email-inspired purchases have prompted them to further research a brand and its products while more than half say it spurred a peer recommendation. Moreover, roughly half of consumers revealed they are willing to act as brand advocates in order to connect email content, such as special offers and promotions, to social networks. This activity is highest in Asia-Pacific where the number of consumers indicating such behavior exceeds the global norm.

This indicates a clear opportunity for companies to maximize their marketing investments by connecting email to various digital and offline communication and commerce opportunities, e-Dialog says.