6 Smart ways to integrate email marketing and social media

It�s true that email marketing and social media are different by nature and each one has its unique characteristics.�

However, as the digital marketing space is becoming more and more competitive, and customers expect an omnichannel experience, it is only logical to combine two of the most effective marketing channels to get the best results possible.

Interestingly, it seems that businesses have understood this and they�ve started adopting a more holistic approach to marketing.

So, in this post, we�re going to explore ways that you can integrate your email marketing with a social media strategy. But first, let�s take a look at the differences between these two channels.

What is Email marketing?

Email marketing is a strategy that involves sending marketing messages via email to a group of people that have opted in to receive them.�

It is an extremely cost-effective way to generate revenue, boasting an impressive 5400% ROI which means that for every $1 spent you get approximately $54 in return.

Email marketing is particularly useful in nurturing leads and guiding them down the digital marketing sales funnel. Through it, brands are able to send personalized messages to their audience and establish a relationship of trust with them. This is why 72% of people would rather receive marketing materials from brands through their email than through another channel.

What is Social media?

On the flip side, social media marketing is the process of promoting content on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, etc.�

Content needs to be tailored to the specific characteristics of each platform to ensure engagement and boost lead generation. For example, if you�re marketing on Instagram high-quality visuals and short captions are important, while on LinkedIn storytelling is more appropriate.

The defining trait of social media is its huge reach. Social media penetration has reached an astounding 51%, so if you want to bring your product or service in front of a lot of people, social media is a no-brainer. (Image source)

Finally, social media is about targeting your audience where they hang out and humanizing your brand with user-generated content, for instance. So, I believe it�s clear how beneficial it would be to combine social media and email marketing in order to create a formidable digital marketing strategy.

Now it�s time to show you 6 effective tactics that you can use to integrate these two channels for better results.

1. Transform your emails into social media campaigns

If you want to maximize your social reach, then running a campaign specifically designed to promote your social channels is ideal.�

Such a campaign doesn�t need to be complex or unique. It just needs to showcase the benefits the subscriber is going to enjoy when he becomes a follower in each social media channel. This tactic is great because it allows you to grow your social follower base exponentially.

Here is a spot-on example of what I�m talking about.�In this campaign, Handy uses a beautiful email newsletter template to promote its three different social media accounts through eye-catching visuals and short copy. This campaign achieves its purpose since the message is clear and readers immediately see the value of becoming their subscribers, from prizes to time-saving tips.

2. Add social media buttons in your email marketing campaigns

This is probably the most obvious thing but it is of paramount importance.

You�ve probably noticed that the majority of emails a person receives contain various social media buttons. The one below is an example of what I�m talking about.

Including social media buttons in emails is the most common email and social media integration practice that most businesses out there use.

By adding those buttons, you give your subscribers a chance to communicate with you through multiple social channels. Sending them directly to your social profiles allows them to follow your brand and engage with your content. Moreover, if you write a few words about what interesting things they can find there, you can intrigue them to consider joining.

Most importantly, though, you�ll be guiding them to a place where they will be able to share their experiences with other users and create user-generated content.

Consequently, you�ll see an increase in your brand�s visibility, establish your credibility, and at the same skyrocket the numbers of your social media followers.

3. Grow your email list through social media

Another thing you can do by leveraging the power of social media is to encourage your social media followers to sign up for your mailing list. There are numerous ways that you can achieve this.�

One of the best is by utilizing your Facebook page�s main call to action button. The only thing you need to do is turn your Facebook CTA into a newsletter sign-up button and that�s it! It�s really easy to set it up, so that�s a plus. In this way, it will be obvious to your target audience that you want them to join your mailing list and you�ll have provided them a straightforward way to do so through the platform they use.

To put things into perspective, this is what CoSchedule does on its Facebook page. It�s simple, discreet and effective.

To turn your CTA into a sign-up button, visit your brand�s page and click the �Create Call-to-Action� button. Then, select �Sign up� from the dropdown menu and add the appropriate URL from your website.

Alternatively, you can use Twitter�s lead generation cards, which allow you to collect email addresses directly from within the platform. They usually include a customizable image, a small description, and a CTA. And nothing else, just as simple as it gets when it comes to integrating social media in email marketing.

You can attach those cards to a tweet that you�ll share with your followers or promote it to other audiences through sponsored tweets. Here is an example from Litmus.

In this way, Twitter users will be able to join your mailing list effortlessly with the click of a button.

4. Create a newsletter signup tab

If you don�t want to sacrifice your precious CTA, Facebook�s brand pages provide customizable tabs that you can create to attract new email subscribers. This opt-in tab allows Facebook fans to sign up to your newsletter without the need to visit a landing page or your website.

[optin-cat id=7239]

A sign-up tab can be particularly useful for eCommerce businesses. These businesses prefer to use their main CTA to promote their products. Creating a separate tab allows these businesses to boost their sales while at the same time increase their sign-ups. Take a look at MoonPie�s Facebook page.

As you can see, the main CTA �Shop Now� is preserved, and there is a separate tab for sign-ups in the drop-down menu.

It is therefore clear that this tactic works great for businesses that want to emphasize different CTAs while giving their social media followers an easy way to join their list.

5. Upload your list on social platforms

Another excellent way to merge your email and social media marketing strategies is to upload your subscriber lists on social platforms. You can use these uploaded lists to follow your subscribers on social media, personalize your customers, and run promoted social media campaigns.

You can use Facebook�s Custom Audiences to increase your success using paid reach, by importing a CSV or TXT file with your customer list.

The same can be done on Twitter with the Audiences tool. In your Twitter Ads account, find the option Tools and click on Audiences from the drop-down menu. You�ll see that you have various handy options as to what Custom Audience you can create.

Additionally, you�ll be able to gather valuable information about their interests and preferences. This will allow you to engage them better by creating personalized campaigns.�

In a nutshell, the more you know about your subscribers, the better your emails and social media posts will be.

6. Make social sharing of your emails possible

Email marketing allows you to create campaigns that will motivate your subscribers to click on your CTA. Even if your email audience is enough to bring the conversions you want, expanding the reach of your message. It can be done through social media will lead you to greater results.

The practice of social sharing will give you the chance to make your emails shareable and thus bring extra visibility and conversions.

Here is an instance of social sharing in action by Fancy.

Allowing your subscribers to share your email content provides you access to their industry-related peers. It also increases your email CTR cost-effectively.

Conclusion

Having a more holistic approach to digital marketing will allow you to deliver a multi-channel experience to your customers. While email marketing and social media may be different by nature, integrating them can help boost your customer lifecycle marketing endeavors.

So, no time to waste! Start integrating your email marketing with social media and get the best of both worlds!

About the author�

Author John Desyllas works as a Content Writer for email marketing automation software Moosend. He is very passionate about marketing and business translation. In his free time, he enjoys searching for new technology gadgets to experiment with.