When it comes to social media, we are constantly thinking about how many followers we have.

More followers means the more influence we must have, the better our business will be, and the more money we will make, right?

Not always.

Well, statistics show that in 2021, 4.03 billion people use email. Comparing this to Facebook which has 2.2 billion active users and Instagram which was 1 billion, the figures don’t even come close.

Here are 4 reasons why it still wins over social media.

The ROI Is Higher Than Social Media

In fact, the ROI on email marketing might be the highest overall of any form of marketing.

You only have so much time, money, and manpower. As a result, you need to be constantly asking yourself “what’s going to make me the most money for the time I put in?”

The average metrics you might expect are detailed here, but include:
*An open rate of 15-25%
*A click-through rate of 2.5%
*A click-to-open rate of 20-30%

Comparing that click-through rate to Facebook and Twitter, you might be looking somewhere in the region of 0.07 and 0.03% respectively.

Those figures speak for themselves to show that you’re likely to make much more money with email than social media.

Your Email List Is Like Gold Dust

Try thinking about it like this.

You have 10,000 people on your email list and the same number of followers on Facebook or Twitter.

Taking into account the stats for the click-through rate above, your numbers might look something like this:
*Email – 250
*Facebook – 7
*Twitter – 3

That’s the difference between 250 customers and 3.

The best thing about email is that the people on your list want to be there. They like you and will take the time to read what you have to say.

Social media is so fast paced that you only have a few seconds at most to make an impact before someone moves along.

With an email, however, you don’t have this problem. Your audience can read it as and when they want and can come back to it at their leisure.

Talking of which, another great thing about email is that you don’t risk losing it overnight.

With changing algorithms and the potential of your favorite social media platform changing or shutting down your account – it can wipe out all your hard work in one go.

Your email list is yours.

You can even keep a hard copy of it if you need to, so you never lose it. Subscribers are there for as long as they want to be there, giving you the opportunity to build real, personal relationships.

You Can Make It Feel More Personal

Statistics show that 47% of email recipients will decide whether or not to open an email having only read the subject line.

Audiences crave personalization.

We as people want to feel a genuine connection to the businesses and professionals we follow.

Email allows you to address your audience as individuals. Something as simple as using a recipient’s first name can make a massive difference as to whether they read it or not.

Somehow, even though we have been using email for some time now, it still feels personal to get something sent directly to your inbox.

Content put out on social media is there simply for the world to see.

An email on the other hand was sent to you. Yes, you might be on a long list with others, but it feels more direct and intimate.

It Is Reliable

As touched on above, social media can be a volatile and ever-changing place.

Email, however, is built on a rock-solid foundation.

Social media has all the power when it comes to your accounts. They can choose to shut you down whenever they feel like it without ever giving you an explanation or justification.

It does not make good sense to solely build your business around something that can be taken away from you in the blink of an eye.

Your email list is yours to run and build as you see fit. Once you spend the time nurturing it, you’re likely to keep those subscribers for a good period of time.

Email Marketing Beats Social Media

When “everyone” is on social media, it can be tempting to spend all your time there and forget about your email list.

Building up numbers of followers can look and feel really good.
The truth is – those numbers mean nothing if they aren’t converting into customers.

This is why email wins over social media.

You don’t need to worry about competing with ever changing algorithms or the devastating reality that overnight your account could be gone.

Yes, you should use social media if it feels right for your business. Best of all, use it to help grow your email list.

You cannot beat the ROI that comes with email marketing.

The ability to create personal relationships and land directly in your target audience’s mailbox is incredibly powerful and needs to be a solid part of your marketing strategy.