Given that social networks like MySpace rely on email to connect with users and pull then back to the network, it wouldn’t surprise me if reports are true that MySpace is in the process of launching a branded webmail product. The article in TechCrunch today mentioned that “The company has been reassigning internal email addresses (employeename@myspace.com) to a new domain name (@myspace-inc.com), which is exactly what Yahoo and others did when launching webmail services.”
The article went on to say, “It doesn’t seem like much, but this is as good as confirmation that we’ll be seeing MySpace launching a full webmail product in the near future.”
This could be a good thing for marketers as it puts them one step closer to the growing use social networks. Marketers are still trying to crack the code of how to communicate in this highly personal and private space. Understanding the sensitivities is likely the best place to start.
Our 2008 Channel Preference Survey showed that all age groups are more accepting of permission-based promotional messaging via email than via social networks. While 72% of the respondents said that receiving permission-based promotions via email is acceptable or highly acceptable (giving it a 4 or 5 on a 5 point “acceptability scale”), only 27% of respondents said they’d feel comfortable receiving permission-based promotional messages via their social network.
Back in February, I called Email Marketing and Social Networks a marriage made in heaven. Are they? I think they are. We all just need to take a breath or two before crashing the party. Tools like ShareThis! help us get invited in. Without that, perhaps a branded webmail app from the social networks will help.
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