How to integrate email and social media

Remember when social media first appeared on the marketing scene? Many proclaimed that “email is dead!”. That it should step aside. Make room for its newer, sexier, more exciting contender.

Fast forward to 2020. Email is still very much a leading channel in the marketing space. However, so is social media.

In fact, after website, email and social media are ranked the two most effective channels for a digital marketing plan to include.

So, how can email benefit social media, and vice versa? Essentially, in the following two ways:

1. Email helps build your social media network
2. Social media helps build your email subscribers

In this post, we will take you through our top tips to combine both email and social media to achieve successful, and harmonious, marketing campaigns.

Using email to build your social network

Promote your social channels via email

Including social media icons within your emails is hardly new. However, if you’re not doing it, now’s the time to get started.

We suggest taking this one step further by encouraging users to engage with your brand on your favourite channels. Boldly show your audience the great content and community that they’re missing out on.

This could be through a singular email, a visual feed, or promoting your hashtag.

Offer social as an alternative channel

You can extend this strategy by offering social media as an alternative communication channel for those who just aren’t engaged via email.

Yes, email is one of the most popular and successful marketing channels available today. However, some audiences simply ‘get’ social media more.

Instead of risking losing these recipients, suggest that they move over to your social media channels to continue the conversation.

Promote social media campaigns and competitions

Everyone loves a freebie. Right?

It’s part of the reason why social media competitions have such a high engagement rate. For example, Facebook competitions generate, on average, a 34% increase in new fans.

That being said, engagement can always be improved on. So extend the reach of your social media campaigns and competitions by promoting them through email.

Just as some audiences are more active on social media, others respond better to email.

Using social media to build your email subscribers

Show off your newsletter and email campaigns

Does your social media community even know you have a newsletter? Possibly not.

Simply reminding your network that you offer updates, promotions, and content via email can be the first step in engaging with them via this channel.

You can easily do this by offering previews of your email content alongside sign up incentives, such as exclusive content or email-only discounts.

Once you’ve given your network a flavour for what they’re missing out on, make it easy for them to sign up with a clear call to action and link to your sign up form.

Host a social media promotion or competition

Promotions and competitions are proven ways to successfully build your email database.

Whether it’s to win a holiday, a shopping spree, or a free product, competitions and promotions are perfect for social media. They are fun, engaging, and don’t involve a heavy sales message.

Some social media campaigns are kept purely on that specific platform. So to ensure you are building your email list, direct your audience to a landing page where they can enter their email address and details for the chance to win.

Add a sign up CTA to your profiles

This is such a simple option, but one that is often overlooked.

While your audience are busy engaging with your social media profiles, ensure that your email signup CTA is front and centre.

You can do this by simply adding a sign up CTA on your profile. You could choose from a dedicated button on Facebook. Or even a written CTA in your Twitter bio.

Simple, but effective!

 Stuck for inspiration?

Are you excited about combining these two channels, but don’t know where to begin?

If you need a little help and inspiration, then our experts are full of ideas!

So don’t hesitate to get in touch, we’re always on hand to have a chat.