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Feb 17, 2023
In 2023, email marketing is still considered to be a valuable tool for businesses of all sizes. With the increasing popularity of social media and other digital channels, business owners often question the effectiveness of email marketing. As an email marketing expert, I know that email is and will continue to be one of the most direct and personal ways for businesses to reach and engage with their target audience.
Email is an affordable marketing tool with a low barrier to entry and can offer a high return on investment. By segmenting their email lists and targeting specific groups with personalized messages, businesses can increase the relevance of their emails, which can lead to higher open rates, click-through rates, and conversions.
Moreover, email also provides valuable data and insights into customer behavior, preferences, and interests, allowing businesses to continually refine and improve their email marketing strategies over time.
But what if we compare email marketing to social media? Is there a clear winner?
| Pros of email marketing on social media | Pros of social media on email marketing |
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Table of Contents
The following statistics should only be used as a guide s and your specific results may vary based on your target audience, the quality of your content, and the specific email or social media marketing campaign that is being executed.
Open rates: On average, email open rates range from 15-25%. The exact open rate can depend on the subject line, sender reputation, and segmentation of the email list.
Click-through rates: The average click-through rate for emails is around 2.9%. Again, this can vary based on the specific email and its content.
Conversion rates: The average conversion rate for emails is around 8%. This can vary widely depending on the goals of the email, the product or service being sold, and the audience being targeted.
Return on investment (ROI): On average, for every $1 spent on email marketing, the average return is $36 (in the retail, ecommerce, and consumer goods sector, ROI is higher with 45 dollars per one dollar spent).
Personalization: Personalized emails have higher open rates (26%) compared to non-personalized emails (15%).
Mobile optimization: Over 40% of all emails are opened on mobile devices, making it crucial for businesses to optimize their emails for mobile viewing. Most newsletter templates are now mobile responsive, but make sure to test them before sending them out!
> More statistics about email marketing here
Engagement rates: Engagement rates on social media can vary widely depending on the platform, the type of content being shared, and the size of the audience. On average, engagement rates tend to be lower on social media compared to email marketing.
Reach: On average, organic reach for businesses is decreasing. In 2022, Instagram average reach rate is around 13.51%, Facebook’s average reach rate is only 8.60%.
Conversion rates: The average conversion rate for social media is around 3%. However, this can be significantly higher for certain industries and products.
Popular platforms: Facebook and Instagram are the most popular social media platforms, with billions of monthly active users.
Video content: Video content has a higher engagement rate compared to other types of content on social media, with video content accounting for over 80% of all internet traffic.
Influencer marketing: Influencer marketing on social media can drive significant results, with influencer marketing campaigns delivering 11x higher ROI compared to traditional forms of digital marketing.
Everyone’s different, some people wake up and check their Instagram or Facebook page first thing in the morning, while others may head straight to their inbox. The user preferences for email vs social media are very much dependent on the individual and their specific needs and interests. However, here are some general observations:
Older demographic: Older individuals tend to prefer email as their primary means of communication, with seniors and baby boomers being more likely to check their email regularly.
Business communication: Email is often the preferred method of communication for business and professional purposes, as it provides a more formal and structured environment for exchanging information. If your target audience is B2B, email is for you.
Long-form content: Email allows for longer and more detailed messages, making it a good choice for conveying complex information or lengthy updates.
Younger demographic: Younger generations, such as millennials and Gen Z, tend to prefer social media as their primary means of communication and information sharing.
Personal communication: Social media is often used for personal and casual communication between friends and family, and for sharing personal updates, photos, and videos.
Short-form content: Social media is designed for short and quick updates, making it a good choice for sharing short snippets of information or real-time updates.
This may not apply to every individual. You have to understand your target audience and which channels your audience prefer in order to reach them effectively. In some cases, businesses may find that a combination of both email and social media is the most effective approach.
Email has a large reach, as it has been around for over four decades and is used by billions of people worldwide for personal and business communication. According to Statista, there are over 4.3 billion email users worldwide.
Social media has a massive reach, with billions of monthly active users across multiple platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and others. Social media has seen rapid growth in recent years, making it a crucial component of any digital marketing strategy.
Yes, social media has the potential to be more viral than email marketing.
Social media is designed to facilitate the sharing of information and content among users, with features such as “share” and “like” buttons. This can lead to rapid and widespread dissemination of information, increasing the potential for viral reach.
Email marketing relies on the recipient forwarding the email to others or sharing the information through other means, like screenshots. While email can still be a powerful tool for spreading information, it may not have the same potential for rapid and widespread dissemination as social media.
However, note that just because social media has the potential for greater viral reach, it doesn't guarantee results.The success of a viral campaign depends on the quality of the content, the target audience, and the timing of the campaign. Businesses should carefully consider their target audience, the type of content, and the specific goals of their marketing campaign when deciding whether to use email marketing or social media.
Email marketing has a proven track record of driving sales, as it allows for targeted and personalized communication with customers and leads, and has a high return on investment (ROI).
Social media can be a powerful tool for building brand awareness and engaging with customers, but may not drive sales as directly as email marketing. However, social media can still play a crucial role in the sales process by building brand awareness, establishing thought leadership, and driving traffic to a company's website or product pages.
Ultimately, the most effective approach is to use a combination of both email and social media in a holistic and integrated marketing strategy. This allows businesses to reach their target audience through multiple channels and drive results across the entire customer journey, from awareness to conversion.
Email marketing can be a highly effective tool for small businesses, as it allows for targeted and personalized communication with customers and leads, has higher open and click-through rates compared to social media and has a high return on investment (ROI). For these reasons, I’d definitely recommend putting together an email marketing strategy.
You may find our guide on how to build an email list helpful if you’re just getting started. We’ve also put together a list of the best email marketing services. You might be thinking Mailchimp is the best ESP, but we'd encourage you to check out our top Mailchimp alternatives first.
Nonetheless, social media can be an excellent tool for small businesses looking to build brand awareness and reach new audiences, as it has a massive reach, is designed for real-time communication, and is an inexpensive marketing channel.
Small businesses can use social media to build brand awareness and reach new audiences and then use email marketing to engage with their existing customer base and drive sales.
I guess the key takeaway from this article is the importance of having a well-rounded digital marketing strategy that incorporates both email marketing and social media. Utilizing the strengths of each channel can help your business to reach its target audience effectively and drive results.
Let us know how you’re using social media and email marketing to drive sales in the comments section below!
If you need help designing the perfect newsletter, check out our guide to email creation.
Our email marketing course for beginners – ideal for small and medium-sized businesses, online stores and bloggers. It shows you all the steps you need to send your first newsletter. Best of all, it’s free! Sign up to receive your copy immediately!
Our email marketing course for beginners – ideal for small and medium-sized businesses, online stores and bloggers. It shows you all the steps you need to send your first newsletter. Best of all, it’s free! Sign up to receive your copy immediately!
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