Email is Dead, Long Live Email

OK, so many of you think that I am being a little too hasty in writing a Eulogy to email in B2B. Since I definitely respect your opinions and your input, I wanted to rethink this entry on my list and reconsider.

Is Email really dead, or is it just "Maturing" like a good whiskey?
 While web based email usage is definitely declining in favor of mobile email, email still has a commanding presence, and is still used by most businesses as the primary method of communication.

According to a recent comscore study, "in November 2010, the number of visitors to web-based email sites declined 6 percent compared to the previous year, while email engagement declined at an even greater rate. During the same time period, the number of users accessing email via their mobile devices grew by 36 percent as an increasingly complex digital environment influenced consumers’ communication habits."

In addition, Target Marketing Magazine's 2011 Media Usage Forecast shows that 2011 use of email as a delivery method for customer acquisition is actually estimated to increase from 81.5% to 85.5%.

So clearly, email has a commanding presence as the #1 preferred channel of communication which delivers the strongest ROI. But what also is noted is that Mobile marketing is up to 50% from 34% in one year, while email is now stable.

The Comscore study also shows that web based email usage in home, work, and universities is declining among all age categories except the 55+. Perhaps this is an indicator that the 55+ age group are slower to adopt mobile technology?

Web-based Email Category Usage for PC-Internet* November 2010 vs. November 2009 Total U.S. – Home, Work and University Locations Source: comScore Media Metrix
	% Change Unique Visitors	% Change Total Minutes	% Change Total Pages
Age
Age 12-17	-24%	-48%	-53%
Age 18-24	9%	-10%	-14%
Age 25-34	1%	-11%	-15%
Age 35-44	1%	-14%	-18%
Age 45-54	-6%	-12%	-16%
Age 55-64	16%	15%	9%
Age 65+	8%	17%	13%

So, what does this mean?
Traditional web based email will continue to decline, while mobile based email will continue to grow. Technology convergence will continue and businesses and consumers will ultimately rely on one mobile device.

Will it happen overnight? No, but take a look at the increasing amount of spam you see in your inbox, and consider the prevalence of firewalls and spam filters in the office. This is limiting businesses ability to reach active, engaged and interested business people at their place of work.

And who controls your mobile device? The company? The office?

I say, it is you.  

So for the time being, web based email maintains it's top spot, but in time, I believe that it will yield its prominence to mobile, and live content and successful, along with its mature traditional friends -- direct mail and telephony.

Cyndi