What’s More Effective, Social Media Marketing or Email Marketing?

The potential reach alone is enough to advocate for social media marketing.

Users of social will reach 3.5 billion in 2020 according to Social Media Statistics and Facts by market.us; approximately 7.9 billion people inhabit the earth and over a third of them are using one platform or the other.

And it gets sweeter for savvy marketers willing to study each channel’s unique advantages.

The app developers have a deep understanding of their users, and that information is wickedly valuable and widely available.

A quick Google search later, and you can learn that:

• LinkedIn is the number one channel for B2B marketing with 90 million accounts being senior-level influencers
• Snapchat’s user base is almost exclusively Millennials
• TikTok is dominated by teens and is one of the fastest-growing platforms in the world

What’s the takeaway?

Research the demographics of your primary customer and compare them to the users on each platform; find the channels that align and narrow your focus when necessary.

Here’s an example, given Facebook is favored among Gen Xers and Baby Boomers, it’s ideal for promoting a gym’s ‘Fit over 40’ workout program. Likewise, if you’re launching a product suitable for teens, Snapchat and TikTok are a perfect match.

When you pair user stats with other facts of social, your marketing becomes even more effective. Instagram tells us that over 200 million of the app’s users visit a business profile daily, while three-quarters of shares to an e-commerce site originate from Facebook.

Which means by consistently posting and linking back to your online store, you give consumers a reason to return to your feed each day and get more leads landing on your website.

What you share, and don’t share, is driven by how much you know about your audience. And there’s a lot to be gleaned from their behavior online.

Through clicks, comments, and shares, you can track and measure what content users find the most engaging, view how they’re interacting with your brand, and hear what they’re saying about your competitor’s products and services.

Makes sense on paper, but let’s break it down into actionable items you can execute right away:

• Review Facebook groups for content ideas and key contributors – identify common topics, comments that sparked controversy, and the most influential members
• Research the competition’s social channels – note their top-performing posts, which ones flopped, and areas of disconnect that you’re able to bridge
• Reflect your followers’ language and emotional triggers in your messages – speak in their own words and create a personal connection using empathy

Each app is packed with audience insights making social media the path to a rich understanding of what matters most to your target market.

Remember, the next time you’re at a loss for post ideas, your audience holds the map.

Social monarchs know the marketing opportunities their channels provide businesses. The result is a price being put on your audience’s eyeballs and limitations to your organic reach on social media.

This means you can’t just rely on posting compelling content through your target’s network of choice – if you want to be seen by as many people as possible, you must pay to play.

However, the good news is that app developers also know you won’t waste your budget on an ineffective medium. They work diligently to offer as much value as possible when using their advertising technology.

The organic reach on Facebook is only 6.4%, but if you pay The Man and boost a post, it jumps to 27.3%.

You need more than posting compelling content through your audience’s network of choice to reach as many people as possible. You must be willing to invest in paid advertising.

The silver lining is that app developers recognize advertisers need to get value for their budget. They continually work to enhance the effectiveness of their advertising technology.

For instance, Facebook’s organic reach is a mere 6.4% of your followers, but by investing in paid promotions, you can boost this reach to 27.3%. This means that paid advertising can significantly extend your reach on social platforms.

5 Tips for Social Media Marketing

But you can avoid wandering into the uncanny valley with these five tips (applicable for both social media marketing and email marketing):

1. Knowing is half the battle – consumers might not know how algorithms work, but you should; gain an understanding of the technology so you realize when to take a step back.
2. Honesty is the best policy – when Amazon recommends a book, they’re upfront by telling you their suggestions are based on your past purchases and recent searches.
3. Set the boundaries – knowing where the valley begins for your audience determines how far you can step before they start pushing back.
4. Don’t get too personal – using click-through behavior to retarget your customers is one thing but including private data in your messaging is going too far.
5. Timing is everything – the right message at the wrong time can be unsettling; some caffeine lovers might get confused by seeing coffee ads at midnight

Unleashing the Potential of Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing emerges as a formidable force in the dynamic digital landscape. Its extensive reach encompassing diverse demographics and age groups offers businesses a compelling platform to engage their audience.

Targeted Product Launches on Snapchat and TikTok

Platforms such as Snapchat and TikTok are gaining significant popularity among younger audiences. These channels aren’t just places to have a presence; they’re fertile grounds for strategically launching products aimed at teens and young adults.

An effective Snapchat campaign, leveraging features like Snap Ads or Sponsored Lenses, can generate substantial buzz around your latest offerings. Meanwhile, TikTok promotions, whether through influencer collaborations or paid ads, open doors to potential customers who might otherwise remain out of reach.

However, making a significant impact on these platforms requires a deep understanding of user behavior, from content preferences to interaction patterns.

Tracking User Engagement on Social Media

User engagement extends beyond mere likes; it encompasses conversations sparked by your posts and shares that spread your brand across networks of friends and family.

Leading social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter offer built-in analytics to help you measure how well your content resonates with your target audience.

To go even deeper, look beyond the numerical metrics and into qualitative aspects, including sentiment analysis. This involves assessing public opinion based on online discussions’ tone, content, and context. Such analysis helps pinpoint areas for improvement, enhance customer satisfaction, and drive sales.

Leveraging Competitive Analysis

In today’s competitive business environment, knowledge is power. Keeping an eye on what your competitors are doing provides valuable insights into industry trends and ways to differentiate your offerings.

Social media provides a window into your competitors’ activities, allowing you to observe their strategies and adjust your plans accordingly.

Consider using tools like SproutSocial Listening to conduct competitive analysis, uncover consumer behavior, and reveal gaps in the marketplace that you can fill.

While gathering intelligence on your competition is valuable, simply copying their tactics is unlikely to yield the desired results. Instead, aim to learn valuable lessons and apply them uniquely to your situation.

Reaching a Global Audience on Social Media

The sheer potential reach of social media marketing is staggering. According to Social Media Statistics and Facts by market.us, there were 3.5 billion social media users in 2020, accounting for over a third of the world’s population.

Harnessing User Demographics

App developers have in-depth knowledge of their users, and this information is incredibly valuable and readily available.

By researching the demographics of your primary customers and comparing them to the users on each social media platform, you can find the channels that align with your audience and narrow your focus when necessary.

For instance, platforms like LinkedIn are ideal for B2B marketing, with over 500,000 senior-level influencers. As mentioned, Snapchat primarily caters to Millennials, while teens dominate TikTok, one of the fastest-growing platforms globally.

Amplifying Your Marketing with User Insights

Pairing user statistics with other social media facts enhances the effectiveness of your marketing efforts. For instance, Instagram reports that over 200 million users visit a business profile daily, while three-quarters of shares to an e-commerce site originate from Facebook.

Consistently posting and linking to your online store can give consumers a reason to return to your feed daily, resulting in more leads landing on your website.

The content you share or choose not to share should reflect your deep understanding of your audience. To gain this understanding, you need to examine their online behavior closely.

Unearthing Audience Insights

You can gauge which content resonates most with your audience by monitoring clicks, comments, and shares. This approach lets you understand how they interact with your brand and what they say about your competitors’ products and services.

Practical steps include:

• Reviewing Facebook groups for content ideas and key contributors. Identify common topics, comments that sparked controversy, and influential members.
• Researching your competitors’ social channels to understand their top-performing posts, failures, and areas where you can bridge the gap.
• Adapting your messaging to match your followers’ language and emotional triggers, forging a personal connection through empathy.

Each social media platform is a treasure trove of audience insights, offering you a map to navigate when you need help with post ideas.

The Argument for Email Marketing

Some marketers are scratching their heads wondering if email is dying, which is a legitimate question given its prehistoric nature.

I like to think of it as the OG in digital marketing; it’s been around since the dawn of the internet.

But just like Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, email is still rockin’ hard.

In fact, HubSpot’s Email Marketing Stats for 2020 supports the argument by reminding us that 99% of consumers check their email daily, and it towers over social media with 5.6 billion active accounts.

That’s over half of the world’s population.

Email is also one of the most cost-effective forms of marketing out thereby generating $38 for every $1 dollar spent, which is an astonishing 3800% ROI.

No, that’s not a typo, email marketing offers a 3800% return on your investment. Not only does it save you money, but it earns you more as well.

Gaining Email Consent

What about anti-spam laws in the U.S. (CAN-SPAM) and Canada (CASL), you ask?

That only makes a stronger case for email’s effectiveness. In order to send a prospect your newsletter, they must subscribe to it or explicitly tell you to sign them up,

If they’ve opted in, that means they really want to hear from your business – they’re labeling themselves as a qualified lead who are open to your marketing messages.

An important differentiator between CAN-SPAM and CASL is that U.S. businesses are no longer allowed to email a recipient if they opt-out of a newsletter, whereas Canadian companies have adopted the opt-in model.

That said, it’s best to encourage consumers to join your list as unsolicited emails are often viewed as spam, which leads to your newsletters being ignored and your address getting blocked.

It’s important to note that 73% of Millennials, which are becoming the majority generation states the Pew Research Centre, prefer email communication with businesses.

With that in mind and knowing how familiar (and critical) they are with modern marketing, it’s more important than ever to communicate with consumers on their terms.

The Persistent Power of Email Marketing: Email Marketing’s Time-Tested Relevance

Email marketing has been around since the inception of the internet and is still a vital part of digital marketing strategies.

HubSpot’s Email Marketing Stats  revealed that 4 billion people check their email daily, and over 306 billion emails are sent and received worldwide.

The Astonishing ROI of Email Marketing

What’s truly impressive about email marketing is its cost-effectiveness. According to Litmus, email marketing generates $36 for every $1 spent, equating to a staggering 3600% return on investment (ROI).

No, that’s not a typo – email marketing can deliver such a remarkable ROI.

Not only does it save you money, but it also boosts your earnings.

This raises a legitimate question: what about anti-spam laws such as CAN-SPAM in the U.S. and CASL in Canada?

The Strength of Opt-Ins

These regulations actually reinforce the case for email’s effectiveness. To send your newsletter to a prospect, they must subscribe or explicitly ask you to sign them up. Opting in signifies a genuine interest in hearing from your business, marking them as qualified leads who welcome your marketing messages.

It’s important to note the difference between CAN-SPAM and CASL. While U.S. businesses can no longer email recipients who’ve opted out of a newsletter, Canadian companies follow the opt-in model.

Therefore, encouraging consumers to join your list is crucial.

Unsolicited emails often end up in spam folders, causing newsletters to be ignored and your email address to be blocked.

Interestingly, 73% of Millennials, the majority generation according to the Pew Research Centre, prefer email communication with businesses. Given their familiarity with modern marketing, engaging with consumers on their terms is more important than ever.

Email Guides Consumers Through the Sales Funnel and Beyond

Technology empowers businesses to act as shepherds and turn leads into customers and repeat buyers.

Utilizing Customer Relationship Management Tools

This process is facilitated by Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools like Mailchimp, Constant Contact, and ActiveCampaign. These tools provide you with the means to create comprehensive customer profiles, gaining insights into their unique buying journeys.

The Power of Segmentation

Customer Relationship Management tools (CRM) such as Mailchimp, Constant Contact, and ActiveCampaign give you the ability to build customer profiles and gain an understanding of their individual buying journeys.

With CRM tools, you can segment your email list based on each contact’s specific needs. For example, consider a hardware store that sends a welcome email to new subscribers, inviting them to select the product categories they’re most interested in: Automotive Parts, Gardening Supplies, Kitchen Appliances, or Storage Systems.

Each subscriber is then placed in a separate list based on their selection. A day later, they receive another email tailored to their chosen product category, offering incentives like:

• 10% off their first purchase
• A related guide (e.g., “Top 5 Organizational Systems to De-Clutter Your Storage Closet”)
• A link to a video tutorial (e.g., “How-to Make Your Neighbours Jealous with These Easy Landscaping Tips”)

Personalizing offers for leads within each segment of your list is vital. In this example, the marketing manager noted the preferences observed in relevant Facebook groups. She recognized that auto parts prospects were motivated by discounts, while those with multiple children sought home organization solutions.

Automated Sequences and Follow-ups

Taking it a step further, an email sequence is in place to follow up with non-buyers, presenting them with different offers or more personalized messages to encourage conversion. Similarly, those who made a purchase receive emails featuring related products or information about the store’s loyalty program.

The Impact of Niching Down

By niching down and speaking to customers as individuals through email, businesses are witnessing a remarkable increase in revenue. This approach builds trust unmatched by any other form of marketing.

Businesses see a 760% increase in revenue when targeting niches – speaking to your customers as individuals through email builds trust unparalleled by any other form of marketing

As demonstrated, the power of automated sequences, combined with optimization, personalization, and segmentation, is undeniable in guiding customers through the sales funnel and beyond.

Integrating Social Media and Email Marketing

Combining social media marketing with email strategies can create a comprehensive content approach. This union doesn’t just engage users effectively across multiple touchpoints and amplifies your digital presence, customer engagement, and sales.

Crafting Cohesive Content Across Platforms

Cohesion in your content strategy is the secret ingredient that adds flavor to your brand consistency and enhances the user experience. It’s not about duplicating messages across different platforms; it’s about utilizing each platform’s unique features to reinforce your overall message.

For example, consider using Instagram or Facebook for initial teasers and providing in-depth information through email. Share snippets from long-form blog posts on Twitter linked back to the full article sent via email newsletters.

Engaging Users at Multiple Touchpoints

When brands interact with their audience, they do so at multiple touchpoints. These touchpoints can range from raising awareness to guiding purchase decisions. Integrating social media and email marketing offers ample opportunities for consistent interaction throughout this journey.

Social media provides immediate interaction avenues, such as responding directly to comments and tracking trending topics. In contrast, emails offer personalized communication tailored to subscribers’ interests based on data gathered over time, like browsing history.

This method effectively engages users across multiple mediums, promoting exclusive discounts to those following certain accounts and delivering further details through email.

Striking the Balance

Balancing the frequency of social media posts with email campaigns is crucial when integrating these two powerful tools into a cohesive plan. Strive to stay top-of-mind with your target audience without overwhelming them with unnecessary information, which can lead to negative perceptions and potentially result in unfollows and unsubscribes.

According to Mailchimp, the average open rate across industries hovers around 21.33%. If you notice significant drops in open rates, it may indicate the need to adjust your posting schedule to avoid spamming your contacts with too many messages in a short period.

Tools like Hootsuite’s Analytics allow you to monitor real-time performance and gain insights to optimize future communications based on channel preferences and audience behaviors.

Privacy Concerns When Utilizing Social Media and Email Marketing

An additional challenge in social media marketing is the growing concern among users about privacy invasion. Some individuals believe that social media apps eavesdrop on their conversations.

It is best to maintain a little distance between you and your customers, as getting too close can create discomfort instead of brand affinity.

The “uncanny valley” is a concept that explores the intricate connection between humanlike robots or AI entities and the emotional responses they evoke. For instance, when individuals encounter highly realistic robots, it often triggers a sense of unease. Currently, AI technology stands at a juncture where it balances between mimicking human qualities and maintaining a certain uniqueness.

Professor Masahiro Mori initially introduced this terminology during the 1970s. He conceived this idea by observing that as robots grew more humanlike, they generally became more attractive — but only up to a certain point. Beyond that point, as individuals encountered these lifelike entities, they often experienced an eerie or unsettling feeling.

In essence, the uncanny valley represents the discomfort and adverse reactions people may experience when interacting with incredibly humanlike robots or AI tools.

To prevent your marketing efforts from entering the uncanny valley, consider these five tips applicable to both social media and email marketing:

1. Understanding Algorithms: Consumers might not fully grasp how algorithms work, but you should. Gain a solid understanding of the technology to know when to step back.
2. Transparency: Honesty is essential. Like Amazon, when making recommendations, be upfront about the data and reasoning behind them.
3. Setting Boundaries: Recognize where your audience’s comfort zone begins, and don’t overstep those boundaries.
4. Respecting Privacy: Using click-through behavior for retargeting is acceptable, but avoid including overly private data in your messaging.
5. Timely Messaging: Timing matters. Ensure that your message aligns with the right moment, as inappropriate timing can unsettle your audience. For example, inviting vacation lovers to visit local beaches in frigid weather might be poorly received.

FAQs on Social Media Marketing vs Email Marketing

What Determines the Choice Between Email Marketing and Social Media Marketing?

The choice between email marketing and social media marketing isn’t about one being inherently better than the other. It depends on various factors, including your business goals, target audience, and the nature of your product or service.

Why is Email Marketing Still a Potent Tool?

Email marketing remains a potent tool due to its ability to provide direct communication with potential customers who have expressed interest in your brand. This direct line of communication often results in a higher return on investment (ROI).

Is E-Marketing the Same as Social Media Marketing?

No, e-marketing, or electronic marketing, is a broader term encompassing all digital strategies, including SEO, PPC ads, and email campaigns. On the other hand, social media marketing focuses explicitly on platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

What Makes Social Media Marketing a Powerful Tool?

Social media marketing’s strength lies in its capacity to instantly reach a wide demographic range. It also offers real-time engagement metrics, providing businesses valuable insights into their audience’s behaviors and preferences.

Choosing Between Social Media Marketing or Email Marketing

So, what’s more effective, social media marketing or email marketing?

The answer remains dependent on what best suits your business. However, the most effective approach involves utilizing both in tandem to dance your way to success.

Creating cohesive content across platforms engages users at multiple touchpoints and strikes a balance between social media posts and emails.

Social media advertising is critical. Platforms like Snapchat and TikTok allow businesses to target younger audiences while tracking user engagement.

Simultaneously, email marketing continues to prove its relevance. With its impressive return on investment (ROI), it remains a reliable method for converting leads into customers.

In essence, it’s not about choosing one over the other but leveraging both social media marketing and email marketing for maximum impact.

Your overall content marketing strategy aims to nurture leads and transform them into paying customers. Social media platforms provide an interactive and insightful way to engage consumers, offering valuable data on their interests, language, and preferred content.

With this data, you can inspire your audience to interact with your posts, visit your website, and ultimately click through to your landing page. Beyond selling your products or services, the goal is to entice visitors to subscribe to your newsletter.

Reward them for doing so and commence the nurturing process by crafting persuasive emails with compelling offers. This is content with a purpose, leading to a harmonious dance between social media and email marketing.

It Takes Two to Dance the Marketing Tango

Let’s twirl back to the original question of what’s more effective, social media marketing or email marketing?

The answer still depends on what’s best for your business, but an effective approach involves utilizing both in conjunction and boogieing your way to success.

When it comes to your overall content marketing strategy, the goal is to nurture your leads and transform them into paying customers.

Social media platforms let you engage with consumers in a fun, interactive way and provide incredible insight into what they’re interested in, the language they use, and the content they care about most.

Using this data, you’ll inspire your audience to like, share, and comment on your posts, and more importantly, click to your website or landing page.

From there, beyond selling your products or services, the goal is to encourage visitors to subscribe to your newsletter. Reward them for doing so and begin the nurturing process by curating persuasive emails with compelling offers.

Now that’s content with a purpose.

At okwrite, we specialize in helping businesses elevate their digital communication by leveraging social media marketing and email campaigns for maximum impact. Let us transform your approach to digital communication today!

Contact us to learn what we can do for you.