Many marketers wonder if email will remain relevant in a social media driven world.  A recent comScore, study, called "U.S. Digital Year in Review," looked at trends and rankings in U.S. Internet activity.  The bottom line is that email usage among teenagers age 12-17 declined 59 percent in 2010, and declined by 18 percent among the age group 18-25. The only increase was among users age 55 and older where email usage increase during 2010.

This has lead to three conclusions: 

While social media usage has been increasing, email remains an important tool for ecommerce marketers..

1. Social media uses email. For every Facebook wall post or new Twitter follower, an email is sent to notify the user of updates. The world of social media would not have the stickiness it does without these constant reminders flooding our inboxes, driving us back to those sites. Asking a consumer to log into several different sites on a daily basis to check updates is a large commitment. Many rely on their inbox as their one-stop notification center to help manage the clutter.
2. Business communications depend on email. Most online transactions require users to enter their email address, and users expect to receive timely notifications afterwards. Businesses and consumers use email to communicate, not only promotional offers and newsletters, but also electronic versions of bank statements and order confirmations.
3. Consumers react differently to social media. Social media is social. It's a vehicle to stay in contact with friends, family and professional colleagues. For consumers, it can be a vehicle to voice opinions and make requests. Many businesses that use social media have found that consumers request coupons or deals that will directly benefit them.

In conclusion, a large percentage of consumers depend on email. Most of them also use social media regularly. Marketers will continue to use email as a communication channel. By using both, social and e mail, marketers enhance their brand, effectively communicate across a message spectrum and grow their sales.