All of the UK's political parties would benefit from integrating social media and email marketing as part of their digital election strategies, though the Conservatives currently have an edge over the competition.

That's according to new research which suggests the main parties could be missing out on lucrative opportunities to influence voters in the run-up to May's anticipated general election.

During the two-month period studied, the Tories sent 12 email messages compared to Labour's one and the Liberal Democrats' none. All 3 failed to send welcome messages after people signed up to receive email updates on their campaigns.

In a discovery many might deem alarming, the British National Party (BNP) was found to have sent more emails than its contemporaries, highlighting the organisation's skilful harnessing of digital media to make an impact on the upcoming election.

When it comes to social media links, only the Conservatives and the BNP have incorporated them into their emails, leading the research team's Margaret Farmakis to point out that the rest are neglecting "fantastic forums" for conducting true two-way conversations between politicians and voters.

"Parties that don't incorporate social media links in their emails are missing a trick, and depriving themselves of a quick and easy way to grow their communities online," she affirms.

Academic bookshop chain Blackwell is ramping up its affiliate marketing and social media activity to build online awareness of its website and engage with appropriate audiences over the next 12 months.

Its representatives say affiliate marketing is currently responsible for around ten per cent of the chain's sales and they consider the channel to be a key platform for growth.

Targeted social media activity will be launched in university towns and communities as part of the plans, with localised Facebook campaigns rolled out and microblogging site Twitter used to promote in-store events, the Blackwell brand and its website.

"We're looking to build online communities where we can really engage with customers," confirmed Jessica Armishaw, head of online at Blackwell UK. "It's an extension of communities that exist in our stores."

She continued: "Affiliate marketing has always been appealing as our brand name is so widely known – we have a great deal of affiliation with universities and corporate institutions through our academic bookselling heritage."

Publisher Random House also recently unveiled plans to launch a social network so fans of its Vintage books can communicate online and write reviews, an initiative aimed at connecting with customers and driving product sales.

Student insurance specialist Endsleigh says its new eCommerce strategy has already seen bounce rates go down by as much as 36 per cent, alongside a 12.five per cent uplift in web page visitors.

The firm's SERP rankings have also improved by up to 6 places for key motor, home and student products, while client log-on rates have gone up eight.5 per cent.

Ian Passmore, Endsleigh's managing director, notes that the website forms the centre-piece of his firm's customer interaction strategy, offering flexibility rather than the "one-dimensional" experience often provided by online outlets.

"The solution has been designed to allow us to display more relevant and targeted propositions – it can also be used by our underwriters to develop more competitive propositions and offers," he explains.

"Customers will not only benefit from a website which is streamlined and easier to navigate, but also from specifically tailored products and advice designed to suit each individual."

The whole insurance sector is aware of the dominant role the internet now plays, Passmore concludes, predicting the new website will lead to "even bigger" business growth.

Endsleigh decided to close its branch network and invest in its online offering after carrying out a "lengthy review" of how consumers wanted to buy insurance.