Email and SMS, stronger than Facebook and Instagram for marketing

Sendinblue, leader in digital marketing, analyzed changes in consumer behavior in 4 countries as well as their relationship with digital marketing tools. While the French have largely changed their purchasing behavior during the pandemic, in particular by consuming mainly in small shops, they have nevertheless retained their attachment to one of the oldest marketing tools… e-mail. Sacred e-mail that still holds up, and even holds high the digital giants, Facebook and Instagram.

Now more than ever, emails play a central role in marketing strategies. In an era when we are saturated with information on social networks, the French always seem to want to be informed of the news of their favorite businesses and brands via e-mail. This marketing staple seems anchored in their consumption habits, but not only.

The digital marketing platform Sendinblue analyzed the behaviors of Americans, British, Germans and French regarding their preference in terms of marketing targeting, in a CIRE Research survey conducted in June 2021. The results are surprising.

With the pandemic, consumers have started to open their promotional emails, text messages with promotional information and flash QR codes. Habits that seem ready to last …

In France, e-mail and SMS to receive information from small traders are even ahead, all generations combined, Facebook then Instagram!

Because the French respondents find it “practical” (55%), “easy to use” (50%), and that it “gives the feeling of being personalized” (25%). A consensus among respondents is established around one communication per week for the older generations, more often for the younger ones. Provided that the message contains promos (30%), advice (25%) and relevant, personalized content (26%).

For 62% of French people, e-mail remains the preferred means of communication for all generations.

Next come the SMS for 48%, Facebook for 36% then Instagram for 29%

They are 27% to open their marketing emails, 26% to use QR codes, 25% more SMS notifications, 21% more push notifications and + 17% live chat.

This tendency to prefer e-mail is generally shared by the 4 countries surveyed. 66% of American respondents prefer e-mail to receive information from merchants. In the United Kingdom, 70% prefer this mode of communication. The country least inclined to do so is Germany, with 52%, but still more than 1 in 2 Germans.

Overall, e-mail is widely adopted by consumers around the world (around 62%). In second place in the world, we find the SMS, acclaimed by 40% of the world population. Next comes Facebook, 36% and Instagram with only 33%.

The last on the list, by far, is the social network Twitter, with only 11% of global respondents who favor this network to receive information from small traders.

Email therefore remains the preferred means of communication between customers and businesses, far ahead of social networks. A true global trend, email reaches all populations and is becoming the most secure and accurate medium for marketers around the world.

This tendency to prefer e-mail is generally shared by the 4 countries surveyed. 66% of American respondents prefer e-mail to receive information from merchants. In the United Kingdom, 70% prefer this mode of communication. The country least inclined to do so is Germany, with 52%, but still more than 1 in 2 Germans.

Overall, e-mail is widely adopted by consumers around the world (around 62%). In second place in the world, we find the SMS, acclaimed by 40% of the world population. Next comes Facebook, 36% and Instagram with only 33%.

The last on the list, by far, is the social network Twitter, with only 11% of global respondents who favor this network to receive information from small traders.

Email therefore remains the preferred means of communication between customers and businesses, far ahead of social networks. A true global trend, email reaches all populations and is becoming the most secure and accurate medium for marketers around the world.

For France, e-mail comes in 1st position for Millennials, Gen-X, Baby boomers and in total for 62% of French people. Globally, the youngest generations (Gen-Z and Millennials) are generally more sensitive to communication via Instagram (56% of them wish to be targeted via this network) but do not exclude e-mail, to provided that it looks “interesting” (for 28% of Gen-Z) and “pro” (25%). Surprisingly, in Germany, preference for Instagram is significantly higher than in other countries, while preference for emails is lower. Germans prefer Youtube, which makes it a leading channel in this country.

50% of respondents wish to receive information once or more per week. The most inclined to receive all types of news are Gen-Z and Millennials. Gen-Z is particularly hungry for entertaining (57% once a week or more) and humorous (56%) content, while Millennials prefer to get offers (55%), personalized content (51%) and content entertaining (51%).

The younger generations are therefore looking for targeted, personalized communications that carry strong messages. For this, the Gen-Z and Millennial generations are even ready to share ultra sensitive information such as their sexual orientation (60% / 61%), their political opinions (51% / 54%) and their income (50%), in order to receive appropriate communications.

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