Young adults are likely to be influenced by email marketing messages, research has found.

Wednesday, 22 October 2008

A study by ExactTarget and Ball State University's Centre for Media Design has found that email and direct mail are the means by which 18 to 34-year-olds are most led to make purchases.

This is despite more than half reporting that they use social networks and text messaging during the day.

Director of insight and research at the Centre for Media Design Mike Bloxham explained that consumers' awareness means that the popularity of social networks does not necessarily make them the best means to reach young adults.

"It is too easy to assume that the media consumers choose for their own news, information and entertainment are, by default, the best media to use for marketing messages," he said.

This week a survey of US businesses found that 83.6 per cent are planning to maintain or increase their email marketing budgets.