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Can email survive social media’s rise?

April 18, 2008 | Internet Marketing

The popularity of social networks shouldn't spell the end for email marketing but rather the beginning of a harmonious relationship, as email marketing has been called the original social networking tool.

Maybe you’ve heard these sentiments or read articles about how email is being edged out by social media websites like MySpace, Facebook or LinkedIn. There is no doubt that these sites have gained tremendous popularity over recent years. But, if you’ve taken notice and are wondering, “What do I do now that email is dead?” let’s take a step back from the hype and, hopefully, put your mind at ease.

When RSS (really simple syndication) began to pick up speed and seemed to enter its tipping point in gaining widespread popularity. There was uproar in the industry and I saw similar headlines in the news.

Email marketing has been called the original social networking tool. If you think about social networks in general, email plays a large role in them. LinkedIn, as an example, relies heavily on email to keep its users connected. Many of the groups that have been popping up of late are essentially opt-in lists for the group owners (which entail everything from networking groups to vaguely named and thinly disguised marketing initiatives). When done right, this can be a great way to capture new subscribers you may not have access to otherwise.

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