The popularity of social networks shouldn't spell the end for email marketing but rather the beginning of a harmonious relationship.

"Social Media is Killing Email;" "Email Falls Prey to Web 2.0."

Maybe you've heard these sentiments or read articles about how email is being edged out by social media websites like MySpace, Facebook or LinkedIn. There is no doubt that these sites have gained tremendous popularity over recent years. But, if you've taken notice and are wondering, "What do I do now that email is dead?" let's take a step back from the hype and, hopefully, put your mind at ease.

I remember when RSS (really simple syndication) began to pick up speed and seemed to enter its tipping point in gaining widespread popularity. There was uproar in the industry and I saw similar headlines in the news. There were countless articles with titles like, "RSS Kills Email" or "Bye Bye Email." But, in fact, email wasn't replaced by RSS at all (they actually compliment each other nicely) and today we are facing a similar situation with social media.

Email marketing has been called the original social networking tool and I could not agree more. If you think about social networks in general, email plays a large role in them. LinkedIn, as an example, relies heavily on email to keep its users connected. Many of the groups that have been popping up of late are essentially opt-in lists for the group owners (which entail everything from networking groups to vaguely named and thinly disguised marketing initiatives). When done right, this can be a great way to capture new subscribers you may not have access to otherwise.

Most certainly social media has picked up steam in capturing the attention of internet users across the globe. I find myself in the early stages of a Facebook addiction after getting over a LinkedIn binge. However, there is a lesson to be learned here. Instead of thinking that email is on the way out as a preferred marketing channel, try considering the role that email can play in these new marketing mediums. As new approaches and channels emerge, we should be thinking of new ways to incorporate and leverage email. Advancements will always crop up in marketing and it is our job to change perspective on where email falls within them.

Research shows that younger generations indeed may prefer to communicate through social networking websites and might not use email as often as they once did. And, if they are loyal to your brand in this way and not through email, you'll need to think outside of the box and create ways to leverage social networks to cross promote your email program.

With that being said, here are some ways you can embrace social media and weave email into it:

• If your company has a Facebook page, capture email addresses on it.
• Promote your newsletter and any benefits to your email offerings on your LinkedIn profile.
• Use these sites to communicate less urgent or regular news.
• Test messaging, calls to action and creative on social networking sites.
• Use email to drive initial traffic to these sites or features on them (this will give you a chance to measure the effectiveness of the overall effort).

Remember email and social networking can live harmoniously together. Email should be the "announcer" to subscribers when you launch new social network initiatives. How else will you get traffic in this crowded and noisy online environment?

G. Simms Jenkins  is founder and CEO of BrightWave Marketing, an Atlanta-based email marketing and customer relationship services firm.