Surprise: Email Tops Social Media When It Comes to Consumer-Brand Interaction

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Despite its large and still growing public presence, social media is not the ideal platform when it comes to brand interaction, according to a new digital consumer brand survey from email marketing specialist Campaigner.

It turns out that email continues to occupy an important place among the digital communications channels that consumers prefer most when following developments or otherwise engaging with providers of brand-name goods. Forty-four percent of respondents cited email as one of their most preferred digital communications channels for brand interaction. In addition, three-quarters of online shoppers said they are either somewhat likely or very likely to open an email from brands.

Just shy or one-quarter (24%) of online shoppers surveyed cited social media among their preferred channels for interacting with companies who own, market and sell brand-name products or services.

Campaigner’s study reveals where brands should, and should not, invest when it comes to engaging with those customers who do take to social media when engaging with brands.

Social Media Pull

Among social media sites, Snapchat sees relatively little in the way of brand interaction coursing over its network. Just five percent of respondents said they use the social media platform to keep in touch with brands, Campaigner highlights.

Unsurprisingly, Facebook tops Campaigner’s ranking. Well over half (54%) of respondents said they use Facebook to follow brands. At the other end of the spectrum, just three percent said they use Twitter to do so.

Image-heavy in terms of social networking content, Pinterest and Instagram tie for second place regarding social media and brand interaction. Approaching one in five (18%) of respondents said they use each of them to engage with content related to brand-name products.

 

Perhaps surprisingly, survey results revealed that young adult Millennials are the most likely to engage with marketing email. More than one in five (22%) said they were very likely to open an email from a brand. That compares to 15 of the survey group overall.

 Just shy of three in 10 (29%) said they prefer to hear from a brand less than once a month. Just 11 percent said they prefer to receive messages from brands more frequently than once per week.

Just over half (51%) of Millennials ranked email among their most preferred brand interaction channels. Forty-seven percent said they use social media. Again, Facebook was the clear leader, accounting for 65 percent. Instagram followed, cited by 37 percent. In addition, Campaigner found that Millennials are three times more likely than the average online shopper to use Snapchat for brand interaction.

Commenting on the results, Campaigner general manager EJ McGowan said. “The findings signal that in this day and age, consumers both expect and appreciate email messages from their favorite brands.

“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.”