Integrated Email Marketing Campaign into Social Profiles

Do you know those top brands such as Nike, Intel, The Gap, Pepsi, Sony, HP, Home Depot, Lane Bryant, Circuit City, Saks Fifth Avenue, Polo Ralph Lauren, Lands’ End, and J.C. Penney included Social Media within email marketing messages?

As expected, since 2007, the number of email campaigns that contained links to Facebook and Twitter dramatically increased, becoming the two most prominent links integrated in all email marketing initiatives in 2009. As of June, the number of campaigns that included a link to the branded Twitter account grew to 41,399, with 41,052 for Facebook, according to McCloskey’s report.

In an updated 2010 Marketing Trends report that published by StrongMail survey team reported that nine in 10 planned to either increase or maintain their marketing budgets in twenty ten (2010). And what was at the top of the list? Email marketing. What was second? Social Media.

The survey reflects the attitudes of more than 1,000 business leaders in regards to their planned marketing budgets, preferred marketing channels, social media adoption and anticipated customer revenue in 2010. The survey also shows that businesses are optimistic about how much their customers will spend.

Marketing Programs Expected to Receive Increased Budgets

69% – Email marketing

59% – Social media

42% – Search

28% – Advertising

22% – Mobile

21% – Direct mail

20% – Trade shows and events

19% – Public relations

In regarding to the most important email marketing initiative in 2010, the survey found out that improving the performance of email campaigns come to the first place 59% and follow by improve segmentation and targeting 46%.

When come to the question of are you planning to integrate Social Media into your email marketing campaigns in 2010? The answers are:

27% – Yes, we have formulated a strategy and have already implemented our program

24% – Yes, we have formulated a strategy and are researching tools for implementation

18% – Yes, but we don’t know where to start

11% – No, but it sounds intriguing

5% – No, I don’t see the value in integrating email marketing with social media

11% – I don’t know

4% – Other

Here is 2010 Marketing Trends Report, it is in PDF format, so easy for you to download and study it.

I think integrated two marketing together is great, however, if a companies haven’t’ build up an active social media community BEFORE they begin linking the sites to their e-mail campaigns. The results could go totally different way, instead of gain benefits to the business, it could get worse results.