The NutshellMail system works by collecting and organising latest updates, activity and messages from social media sites including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and MySpace and presenting them as an email snapshot.

Users can customise which content they receive from each site and how frequently they receive an email. They can also keep tabs on what is being said about them, their company and brand or product.

NutshellMail co-founder Mark Schmulen (pictured) said: “We started NutshellMail to help solve the problem of social network overload. As part of the Constant Contact family, we’re going to help some of the busiest people on the planet, small business owners, turn what might seem like social media chaos into a smart marketing tool for growing their business. It’s like a DVR for your social networking activity.”

Schmulen and fellow co-founder David Lyman will take the roles of general manager of social media and director of software development at Constant Contact and remain in California to help the email marketing firm establish a new office there.

Constant Contact CEO Gail Goodman added: “We’ve made email marketing simple for small businesses and nonprofits. Now we’re going to make social media marketing simple for them.”