The Wall Street Journal recently published an article titled, “Why Email No Longer Rules … And what that means for the way we communicate.”
My first wise-cracking thought was, “That’s what I hear about newspapers, too.”
But after I got that out of my system, I read on.
The article was referring to how social networking sites and other online services were replacing email as the preferred form of communication. Email’s reign was over, it stated.
It’s true that email is not the only way to communicate online. There are other choices like social networks, texting and instant messaging. But that doesn’t mean that email is on its way out. It’s just evolving, like everything else on the internet.
It’s just what happens when new technology is introduced. Like when television burst onto the scene. At the time, many thought that radio would be phased out. Not so. Radio just evolved as did the marketing and advertising it supported.
It’s the same with email. It’s may not be used for all communications, but it’s an essential part of an online marketing strategy. Because it delivers what other communication channels don’t.
Email still rocks and here’s why:
Email is private, not public. The article referred to the constant stream of tweets and updates as a “river” of information that visitors can join at any time. Because this river is public, the information is not as targeted or personal as an email.
Email comes to you. You don’t have to go the river. Email comes right into your inbox. In marketing terms, it’s the difference between reading a billboard when you’re driving along the highway or receiving a letter addressed specifically to you.
Email Gets Their Undivided Attention. When you’re on a social network, your update does not stand alone. There are many bits and pieces competing for attention. However, once an email is opened, all the real estate is yours to communicate exactly what you want.
Email is a longer format. Email is not limited to 140 characters or one link or one image. You have the opportunity to develop a longer conversation, rich with links to your website, PDF downloads, videos, social networks and more.
Email consolidates your social networking. With social networking, you can make connections at many different sites such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Delicious and such. But the person looking at your update may not be aware of the other places they can find you. With email, you can include links to all your social networks, giving your subscribers more ways to connect with you.
So after reading this article what did I do? I blogged about it, posted it on Facebook and Twitter. Then I subscribed to Wall Street Journal’s e-newsletter so they can deliver emails directly to my inbox telling me how emails no long rule.
But enough about what I think. I’d love to hear what you think. How do you communicate online? Do you use email more than the social networking sites? Please comment below.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi, this is a comment.
To delete a comment, just log in and view the post's comments. There you will have the option to edit or delete them.
Great info, thanks for useful post. I’m waiting for more