Consumer Trust in Email Brand Mentions Second Only to Editorial

Posted on April 5th, 2010 by Paula Skaper

It’s good news for online marketers. American consumers are increasingly likely to act on brand advertising they find online, with all channels rated as more trustworthy than in 2008. It’s no surprise that brand references embedded in online editorial are the most trusted source of brand information, with 53% of consumers willing to read and respond.

Email brand mentions are the next most trusted source, with 51% of consumers “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to read and respond to brand messaging within an email message.

Sponsored search links showed the smallest growth, with only a 1 point gain to 40% over 39% in 2009. Banner ads are attractive to only 28% of consumers and 19% of respondents indicated they would respond to information in pop-up ads.

With the online channel an increasingly important influencer in the buying decision, the strategic implications for marketers are clear. Online budget allocations must give priority to:

• Professional content development is critical – including both rich media and written content, whether the information is published on the brand’s own site or through embedded content within third party sites, social media communities, or influencer blogs. Professionally written articles partnered with top quality images and/or professionally produced video content are most likely to generate a positive return.
• Ignoring email is a bad idea. Consumers are almost as likely to respond to email as they are to articles, and 20% more likely to respond to email brand messaging as sponsored search links. Smart marketers will innovate, finding new ways to employ this highly trusted channel to reach consumers.
• Search still plays a strong supporting role. Next to clicking directly on brand links embedded within both editorial and email content, search is the next most popular method consumers use to follow through on the brand messages they respond to. A solid search campaign will ensure high visibility for both brand and product related terms to maximize the returns from investment in both content development and email.

Source: Opinion Research Corporation consumer preference survey sponsored by Adfusion. 1,053 adults surveyed in March 2010.

Tagged with: brand messaging • branded email

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