Why Email is Better than Social Media for Marketers

[Nick_S]

Social media is essential for multi-channel marketing and business strategies because of its vast reach. In 2024, over five billion people were using social media worldwide, a number projected to increase to over six billing by 2028. Create a post, and you have instant access to a ready-made audience that, in the past, took years to build. 

But there are drawbacks. Platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Bluesky are dictated by algorithm changes that can reduce the visibility of your posts. This leaves you wondering which followers are truly engaged and which are just passing by.

The solution has been with you all along: Email Marketing! While social media is great for brand awareness, you need to leverage your social channels to convert followers into email subscribers. After all, a subscriber list is the foundation of your business.

When you own your list it means you’re future-proofing your business from frequent platform updates, which social media loves to do.

Own. Your. List.

We've all heard the rumors that email is dead and that social media reigns supreme. But is it?

I follow a lot of artists on social media. In recent months, after unpopular algorithm and policy changes reduced engagement on their posts and called into question the ownership of their work, I've seen many of them promote their websites and email lists more actively.

They use incentives, like sharing future artwork exclusively with subscribers or providing access to a private blog where fans can read about their artistic process. The more followers they convert to subscribers, the more control and confidence they gain, knowing their hard work reaches people invested in their artistic growth and who might purchase their artwork.

Email marketing significantly expands your reach, with an average open rate of Email marketing extends your reach well beyond social media, given the various social platforms reach less than 10% of your followers. Conservatively, emails are opened by 30% of recipients. So get sending!

If the algorithm changes, they still have access to their most invested fans because those subscribers trusted the brand enough to provide their email address or even their phone number to receive regular updates.

Email lets you personalize your connections

On social media, like Facebook, you might have tens, hundreds, or even thousands of followers, but your content most likely often takes a one-size-fits-all approach. It probably would take considerable effort to understand the unique, individualized profiles of your followers, if there are even features available where you could target them effectively. And so, you post the same content for everyone in the hopes that it’s relevant to someone.

An email marketing platform, like Constant Contact, has tools that allow you to learn about your subscribers and organize them all within a centralized system. Features include link tracking to see what contacts are clicking on, automatically sorting contacts into new segments based on what they click on, or heat maps that tell you what content or images are resonating with your audience the most.

Plus, when you’re creating content to send to them, you can personalize what different contacts can see within the same email, or control on a more granular level which contacts receive which communications based on their interests or engagement activity.

More personalization means you can achieve higher conversion rates when the right messaging is in front of the right people.

The truth is, email marketing offers depth and control that social media can't match. But, it’s important to make sure that you’re not just adding new subscribers blindly. Ask the right questions and you’ll have a wealth of information to tap into when building out your business plans.

Get to know your social followers with Constant Contact’s Lead Magnet

If you’re looking for a way to expand your reach beyond social media algorithms and into your audience’s inbox, all by offering a more personalized experience, then Lead Magnet might be the tool for you.

Forget about designing and integrating landing pages or sign up forms. Lead Magnet scales down your workflow by utilizing artificial intelligence to generate a visually appealing 5-question survey customized to reflect your brand.

If you’re looking for more customization options, learn more about our lead generation landing pages and other sign-up form tools.

The questions are designed to make the sign-up process more engaging and to give you greater insight into what your subscribers want to hear from you. Plus, if you create or already have additional digital content or coupon codes, you can configure the microsite to provide this information after the survey. If not, when the survey finishes, they will be greeted with the option to fill out the sign-up form.

Additionally, you will receive an email notification every time someone completes the survey, so you can stay on top of new sign-ups and engage with them promptly. Once they're added to your email list, you can tap into the power of email marketing by setting up Welcome triggers and other automations to nurture your new subscribers into super fans.

Related: Automate Your Customer Messaging with Automation Path Builder

Additionally, Lead Magnet isn’t limited to your social media pages. Consider hyperlinking the URL in your email campaigns, on your website, or assigning it a QR code people can scan at events, in your store, and elsewhere.

Take it for a spin

Strategies are great and all, but it’s helpful to see the Lead Magnet in action. Check out this microsite we created.

Lead Magnet is just the beginning of how we’re revolutionizing lead generation. With planned features for deeper insights and enhanced integration, you’re investing in a tool that grows with your business.

In a world where algorithms dictate reach, owning your audience is key. With Lead Magnet, you’re not just gathering leads—you’re building lasting connections that drive results.

We’d love to see how you’ve customized Lead Magnet for your business. Drop a link or screenshot of your microsite in the comments and inspire others!