Social Media and E-Mail: Users Know the Difference

Despite reports of e-mail’s demise at the hands of social networks, research continues to show that social media is not a threat to e-mail but rather a potential partner.

In a poll of e-mail users, Windows Live found that most prefer e-mail to social networks for communicating with friends and family—and that text messaging may pose a greater challenge.

The study also indicated that, in several respects, people don’t consider social networking and e-mail interchangeable. For one thing, as Google found out the hard way with its rocky roll-out of Buzz, e-mail users’ contact lists have relatively little overlap with their social networks—well under 50% for most users of all four services studied.

Different contact lists go hand in hand with different reasons to contact people. Respondents to the survey said they used mostly e-mail when it came to communicating with family members and companies, professional communications, talking about a “serious topic” or setting up a meeting with several people.

Social networking was considered more appropriate for casual communications, talking to friends, organizing social gatherings as well as announcing major events.

The launch of full e-mail services within social networks could change the game, but marketers should note that users do still differentiate between the two forms of communication.