Email is still a more effective tool than social media when it comes to generating consumer engagement, according to new research.
The study from email marketing brand Campaigner examined the preferences of online shoppers and revealed insights into how to most effectively market to different consumer generations.
The survey reveals that less than a quarter (24 per cent) of online shoppers in general name social media as one of their preferred channels for brand interaction.
Facebook is the most effective platform with 54 per cent of those surveyed saying they use the social network to follow brands.
Pinterest and Instagram tie on 18 per cent for keeping in touch with brands. Snapchat lagged behind on 5 per cent with Twitter on 3 per cent bringing up the rear.
Email on the other hand is ranked as one of the most preferred digital marketing platforms for brand interaction by 44 per cent of respondents. In addition, 75 per cent of online shoppers are either somewhat or very likely to open email messages from brands.
Shoppers’ most common complaint (49 per cent) about marketing messages is that they simply receive too many of them. Most recipients (29 per cent) prefer to hear from a brand less often than once a month, while only 11 per cent like to get brand messages more than once a week.
“The findings signal that in this day and age, consumers both expect and appreciate email messages from their favorite brands,” says EJ McGowan, general manager of Campaigner. “However, savvy marketers must do their due diligence to research and determine what cadence of email is most effective for their audience. Acting on these insights will ensure that campaigns are successful from the perspective of both sender and recipient.”
The study also found that millennials are the most likely generation to engage with marketing emails.
Nearly a quarter (22 per cent) say they are very likely to open an email from a brand, compared to just 15 per cent of respondents overall.
With Generation X, the data suggests more receptiveness to a higher frequency of email than the rest, 27 per cent think that receiving emails from brands once a week is ideal.