The Reign of Email Marketing: Why It Still Dominates in the Age of Social Media

In a digital landscape filled with new social media platforms and emerging marketing trends, there is one channel that continues to outshine the rest - email marketing. In this article, I'll break down five key reasons why email marketing is still the king of digital marketing.

1. Enhanced Reach and Control

Unlike social media algorithms that determine which posts reach your audience, email marketing enables you to bypass those restrictions and reach your subscribers directly. If you've built trust with your audience by providing valuable content, you can have confidence that your message will be seen.

A 2016 Limtus-Fluent survey highlighted the impact of the sender, subject line, and preview text on open rates:

• 42% look at the sender,
• 34% consider the subject line, and
• 24% read the preview text before opening.

Simply using your name or brand name, adding a compelling subject line, and including preview text (something I will never take for granted again) can make a huge difference in the success of your email campaigns.

I've seen this with both my LinkedIn newsletter, which is delivered straight to your subscribers inboxes, and my average email statistics. On average, my LinkedIn articles get the same number of reads within the first 24 hours regardless of the images I use, people I tag, or headings.

Why?

Well, it's simple. When the article hits their inbox, my loyal readers open it and read the article because I wrote it and they enjoy reading the things I write.

Similarly, my open rate for email campaigns is 50% and higher regardless of the number of images, content, or subject lines and the click-through rate is a steady 3%. Again, this is because I've built a community of readers who trust and enjoy my content.

You can do that, too.

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Additionally, you can control the frequency and timing of your messages without feeling beholden to an algorithm that might limit your reach. By taking the time to craft personalized emails, you'll be able to make sure your message gets in front of the right people at the right time—and that's a win for everyone.

Finally, with the right email marketing tools, you can see who hasn't opened your emails and resend it at a different time, with a different subject line or an alternative preview to A/B test what they respond to best. Then, once you have enough data put those who opened the second round in a group labeled with the metric you tested.

For example, if you send your weekly email on Mondays at 1 p.m., but only 10% of your subscribers open it, resend it to everyone who did not open the initial email 2 - 4 days later (i.e. Wednesday through Friday) at the same time. Change nothing other than the day of the week. Then, repeat the test until you clearly have two groups. Those who read your email on Mondays at 1 p.m. and those who read your emails on Wednesdays at 1 p.m. Next, find a way to group everyone who consistently opened the emails sent on Wednesday and label it send on Wednesday. Rinse and repeat, changing one element at a time until you find what works.

2. Personalization and Customization

Email marketing allows you to personalize your communication in ways that other marketing channels simply cannot match. By segmenting your email list based on customer preferences, demographics, or behaviors, you can tailor your messages to suit their needs and interests precisely.

For instance, last month, I mentioned my Kickstart Your Freelance Business interactive playbook and saw a spike in subscribers. Because the resource is linked to a specific form, the email marketing tool I use automatically groups subscribers who downloaded that resource.

The next time I make something related to launching a freelance career, like a webinar or article, I'm likely to announce it first to that group. Why? I know they're interested in the topic and I can save time by not having to send the message to the whole email list.

Additionally, segmentation can help me learn more about my subscribers so I can continue to create content and products that they find useful.

3. Direct and Intimate Communication

Emails provide a direct line of communication between you and your audience. A simple feature like addressing someone by name can make them feel seen, heard, and appreciated. It's like having a one-on-one conversation with each subscriber, allowing you to establish trust, showcase your expertise, and demonstrate genuine care for their needs. Unlike social media, where your posts are part of a noisy feed, email offers a more intimate space where you can deliver valuable content, share insights, and address pain points with undivided attention.

4. Conversion Powerhouse

When it comes to driving conversions, email marketing is unparalleled. It still boasts the highest return on investment (ROI) of any digital marketing channel, at $36 earned for every $1 in marketing spend according to a Hubspot report. That's a 3,500% ROI! Moreover, in 2021, 64% of B2B marketers reported that their email campaigns successfully helped achieve their business objectives.

The reason behind this lies in the fact that email subscribers have already shown interest in your brand by opting in. By building a relationship through consistent, valuable content, you increase the likelihood of turning subscribers into loyal customers who eagerly anticipate your offerings.

Email marketing is a powerful tool for any business. With the right strategy and execution, any business can use email marketing to generate more leads, build relationships, and increase sales.

5. Measurable and Data-Driven Results

One of the advantages of email marketing is its measurability. Analytics tools provide valuable insights into open rates, click-through rates, conversions, and other key metrics, giving you a clearer understanding of the impact of your email campaigns. With this data, you can continuously refine your strategies, test different approaches, and optimize your campaigns for maximum effectiveness.

Time To Take Email Marketing Seriously

My email stats are above average, which is awesome. Yet, I haven't put much effort or thought into it, if I'm honest. So, over the next three months, I'll be leveling up my email marketing game.

I want to increase my subscriber numbers by 100%, increase the click-through rate from 3% to 5%, and execute at least two campaigns.

And of course, I'll share every step of this new challenge with you.