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 Whereoware conducted a survey of retailers and vendors at the 2012 summer gift and home shows, with questions ranging from how they use email to where they see the biggest growth in the next 12 months. When we combined that information with data from our own clients and outside sources, we saw 5 key trends emerging again and again.

We’ve talked about the benefits of working social media into both your website and email campaigns. With any luck, the two efforts will play off of each other, encouraging site visitors to sign up for emails and driving email recipients to your site. But how do you know if your social media efforts are having any effect?

Some important social metrics can’t be measured by Google Analytics, such as the number of comments on your blog posts, number of followers who are sharing your content or the number of followers who like your content. The Google Analytics platform, however, is a great place to look for information on the effects of social on your website.

Your inbox is likely awash with holiday emails, but as 2012 approaches, marketers are already gearing up for their next targeted campaigns. Don’t fall behind the pack - here are some trends to watch that’ll keep you in the game.

Social media marketing is on fire right now. It seems like every advertisement, commercial, or email refers the customer to a Facebook or twitter page with a promise of special offers or other enticements. Why is this? Perhaps it’s because the speed of social media enables users to take advantage of viral marketing. Perhaps marketers appreciate the immediacy of the medium, which allows brands to be at the top of customers’ minds for an extended period of time. Or could it be that people like to communicate on a more personal level rather than receiving just a list of sales and dates?

More and more we are seeing social media and email marketing converge. It makes sense. Both channels can work together to extend your reach, create meaningful conversation with customers and increase conversions.

The three ways

1. Include your social media channels in the header of your email. Many email platforms have made this super simple with plugins. Even if your email platform doesn’t have a plugin, it is easy to find free social media icons to add to your email header (hint: just Google free social media icons). Once you add them to your header, don’t forget to link them to your social media platforms.
   
    

It seems almost everyone has Facebook and Twitter links on their website these days, but how effective are they? If you only have a pretty little icon in the bottom corner of your website, you probably aren’t directing as much traffic to your social network profile as you think you are.

Users are humans after all, so while they respond well to visual objects, they process language commands even better. Try wording your social links with actionable terms like this, “Follow ABC Inc. on Twitter.” Get even more click-throughs with something like this, “You should follow ABC Inc. on Twitter now!” You’ll be surprised to see how many more followers, or fans, you collect!