Facebook’s Quiet Coup Opens A Door To Social Media Email Marketing

by George Konetes | Jul 10, 2012 | Digital

Recently, most of the social media world received a new email address without realizing it. The announcement was made by means of a single notice that appeared one time, then disappeared whether it was read or not. This was part of Facebook’s new email roll-out where approximately one billion people had their profiles personal email quietly replaced with Firstname.Lastname@Facebook.com or a similar variant. You may want to check yours…

Sure, you can switch back to your personal email address, but most people were unaware anything ever happened. One could complain about Facebook’s attempted monopolization of communication in general, but perhaps it would be more productive to ask the question, “What can be done to make the most of your new Facebook email?”

The New Twist

Granted, the new Facebook email address system is not all that new. It was just recently imposed upon all users without their consent in an attempt to increase awareness and usage.

Once upon a time, you could only send a Facebook message to someone else on Facebook. Now you can send that same message to any email address, and any email address can send messages back to your Facebook inbox.

My first response was somewhere between shock and outrage that Facebook would roll out this feature without my awareness or consent. However, about 10 seconds later I came to a different conclusion: This could be useful!

Social Media Email Marketing is Born

Facebook’s social media email integration adds a deeper dimension to the ever-increasing importance of social media. For better or worse, marketers can now effectively send emails into someone’s Facebook account and they appear as Facebook messages. So, marketers can add Facebook emails to their current contact lists or create targeted Facebook lists. While marketers still need to gain access to those email addresses first, this innovation opens a new and unique channel of email communications. As with most things concerning Facebook, it could be revolutionary.

Are you using Facebook email? How are your FB friends responding?

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