Why Email is Still the King of Marketing Channels

Every year, a new marketing trend comes along that’s supposed to replace email. Chatbots. Social media ads. Influencer marketing. And yet, email is still here—still performing, still driving sales, and still delivering the best return on investment of any marketing channel.

Drawing on my own experience I’ve seen the evidence of this many times. In previous e-commerce venture, email campaigns consistently brought in sales – we were active on social media and ran Facebook and Google ad campaigns, but those email campaigns never failed us. Now I have a new e-commerce venture and I’m seeing the same results – well crafted emails not only draw sales but keep my brand in customer’s minds, helping to build long-term relationships.

This isn’t just true for e-commerce. In my previous roles I’ve seen just now much impact a targeted email campaign can have on driving real world actions whether it be securing donations or boosted event attendance. A well-timed email won’t just remind people about your brand, it will motivate your audience to take action.

Relying only on social media to reach your audience is like renting a shopfront on someone else’s land. One algorithm change, and suddenly, your reach disappears. Facebook’s organic reach for business pages is often less than five percent. Instagram? Heavily pay-to-play now. TikTok? Unpredictable at best. Meanwhile, email lands directly in your customer’s inbox—no algorithm deciding who sees it. And if you’ve built your list ethically, those people want to hear from you. They’ve given you permission to show up in their inbox, and that’s powerful. If you don’t yet have an email list, now’s the time to start. Even a simple lead magnet—like a discount for first-time customers or a free resource relevant to your audience—can get the ball rolling and result in your email marketing success. (If you need help setting this up, please get in contact – I’d love to help you.

If you’re going to invest time and effort into any marketing channel, email is a smart choice. According to the Data & Marketing Association, email marketing delivers an average of $42 in return for every $1 spent—higher than any other digital channel. It’s cost-effective, scalable, and when done right, it feels personal. Unlike social media, where your audience is bombarded with distractions, an email is a one-on-one conversation. You have their full attention—for at least a few seconds. And in marketing, a few seconds is all you need.

Want to go deeper into how email marketing outperforms social media? This HubSpot report breaks it down with useful stats.

Here’s some tips on how to achieve email marketing success: Keep your content short and valuable; people don’t want essays in their inbox. Segment your audience so you’re sending relevant content based on their interests, not just blanket emails. And most importantly, don’t just sell—nurture your audience with useful content, behind-the-scenes updates, and storytelling.

Is email still king? Absolutely yes.

Are you using to its full potential? That’s up to you!

?? What’s your experience with email marketing? Have you seen success, or do you struggle to get engagement? Reply and let me know.