Facebook Messages- How will they affect your Email Marketing Efforts?

By now, you should have seen at least one email address ending in @facebook.com. Being that we are still in the early phases of this incorporation, there are many things that you can do to ensure that your email marketing efforts will not be negatively affected by this new format. By following the KobeMail blog, you are off to a good start. Here are our suggestions:

1. Measure new users: You, along with your email service provider, should be keeping an eye on the volume of facebook.com email addresses added to your database.

2. Tease your readers: Subscribers who use @facebook.com email addresses will not be able to view a subject line. That being said, you need to heavily focus on the first line or so in order to gain the attention of the subscriber. By default, Facebook will show the plain text part of your email, and only the HTML version if the subscriber hits an expand link. You are going to need to “tease” the reader early on in the message in hopes to get them to read further.

3. Get out of the “other” box: Facebook clearly states that users will only be able to view email addresses in their normal inbox if they are sent from their friends, or someone who is a friend of one of their friends. All other messages will go into an “other” box. If you segment your messages, you will have a better chance of getting your email moved from the other box into the inbox.

4. Take advantage of “permission”: Within Facebook, readers only get to read messages that they have allowed permission to. In theory, this means that the reader wants to read your messages and is expecting them. Your messages sent to all users, especially @facebook.com users, should be enticing and to the point.

5. Prepare: Take the previously stated tips and build from them. Facebook messages are expected to be completely rolled out within the next few months. Being that Facebook is one of the leading social media sites, it would be no surprise if the majority of subscribers in your database made the shift. Be prepared for the change in advance and you should see positive campaigns.

Author: Peter Schirripa

Editor: Courtney Dillsworth