Despite intense competition from social media heavyweights, such as Facebook and Twitter, e-mail remains a formidable marketing stalwart, according to a new study released in May by Market Tools (www.markettools.com). The researchers found that e-mail use was actually up among 45% of the 1,268 professionals and students over 18 who were interviewed for the study. And only a few—4%—said that their use of e-mail had decreased over the 12-month period included in the study.

Marketers looking to get a handle on social media as a promotional tool have found an easy solution: Integrate the medium into existing e-mail marketing programs. The pioneers of this method say that a little creative contact with current and potential customers on social networks, such as Facebook, Myspace and Twitter, can add new muscle to tried-and-true e-mail.

While e-retailers have made a sport of predicting when mobile e-commerce should really be taken seriously, a new report from market researcher Gartner indicates that the time for guessing games is over.

In a move that is raising eyebrows in the online marketing world, Google is intimating that companies with websites that download faster than those of competitors could soon be given preference in Google search-engine returns.

Automakers spent a good deal of effort at this year’s auto shows focusing on electrics, plug-in hybrids and a range of alt-technology hopefuls.

Other than powertrain components that have to coexist with vehicle on-board computers, mobile-electronics components can often be the most complex specialty-equipment accessories added to a vehicle.

SEMA is continuing in its goal to help the specialty-equipment industry pave the way forward with a recently added member benefit: MySEMA, a social networking tool available on the SEMA website.

With 73% of online retailers seeing customer reviews as a key priority in 2009, according to a recent Forrester report, it’s no wonder the cultivation of online reviews is becoming an art form.