Social Media and Email Marketing – Do You Need Both?
If you’re active on social media, do you still have to have email marketing? Or maybe you’ve built a great list of subscribers. Do you really need to invest time in social media too?
If you’re here, you probably already know the answer—you’re just trying to piece it all together.
I know why you’re questioning it. They feel like very different strategies. Social media is fast-paced, it’s flashy and it grabs attention. Email is more personalized and consistent to keep the conversation going.
The first thing you need to know is that these are not two different strategies. These are both tactics to support and execute that single strategy.
If you’ve been trying them but haven’t been getting results, let’s break down some mistakes that could be getting in your way.
Content Fatigue
Have you ever been around someone who tells the same stories every time you see them? You start to tune them out. The same kind of thing happens when your audience feels bombarded or overwhelmed by too much content from you. That’s content fatigue. You over post on social media, they start to ignore your content or they unfollow your accounts.
The Spam Trap
Your email subscribers are like your VIP club—they’ve let you into their inbox and you need to give them special treatment. They should feel like they’re getting a backstage pass. They should get to see the human side of your brand, get exclusive offers, early access to new products, insider updates, and content they can’t get anywhere else.
But if you’re blasting out generic, “one size fits all” emails to everyone, there’s a number of subscribers that won’t resonate with it all.
Even if you’re only emailing once a week, if you don’t segment your audience and tailor your content to what they actually care about, they’ll feel like you’re spamming them. That’s the spam trap. They’ll unsubscribe, and you’ll lose your connection with them.
The Analytics Gap
Even if you look at your analytics, there can be a disconnect that happens between the actual data and the data interpretation. A map is no good to you if you don’t know how to read it.
Your analytics tell you what’s working. Which posts are driving engagement? Which emails are getting opened? What’s leading to conversions?
Without knowing how to interpret this information, you’re left guessing, which makes it impossible to refine your strategy or improve results.
When content consistently outperforms the rest, a specific time of day drives more engagement, or certain email subject lines drive the most opens, learn why.
If you don’t, you risk wasting time on what doesn’t work and losing the interest of your audience.
Here’s 5 Ways to Make Social Media and Email Marketing Work Together
1. Reuse Your Best Content
Don’t overthink it! Take what’s already working on one platform and adapt it for the other. If an email you sent gets a lot of clicks, turn it into a few social posts. If a social post gets a ton of likes, expand on it in an email.
Example: An email with “5 Ways to Save Time” can be turned into five Instagram posts, each focusing on one tip, and link back to your email or website for the full list.
2. Grow Your Email List Through Social Media
Your social followers are already interested in what you do. Invite them to join your email list and offer something exclusive. Tips, deals, or behind-the-scenes updates—to make it irresistible.
Example: Want more tips? Join our email list for more like these. PLUS, get exclusive offers, behind-the-scenes content, VIP-only discounts, sneak peeks at upcoming products, and first dibs on special events. Sign up here!
3. Tease Your Emails on Social Media
Use social media to get people excited about what’s in your emails. Hint at what’s inside and let them know they’re missing out if they’re not on your list.
Example: Big news in today’s email! Subscribers are getting early access to our new launch—are you on the list?
4. Share Social Proof
If you get a great comment or review on your social, share it in your next email. Did someone reply to your email with a glowing testimonial? Screenshot it (with permission!) and post it on social.
5. Pay Attention to What’s Working
Look at what your audience loves, and do more of it. If a social post takes off, use the same idea in an email. If an email subject line gets a lot of opens, try using it as a caption for a post.
Tip: You can repost a social media post as is, or refresh it by changing the picture, changing the first sentence, or changing the call to action.
If you’re still wondering which approach is the best fit for you—or if you’re in a position where you need to choose one over the other—this breakdown can help:
Use Social Media When:
You have time to engage in real-time with your audience through comments, likes, and DMs.
You’re focused on growing your audience and increasing visibility.
You’ve identified which platforms your ideal customers are scrolling.
You’ve got a steady stream of content, including visuals and engaging copy.
You enjoy sharing fun, lighthearted content like memes or behind-the-scenes moments.
Use Email Marketing When:
You’ve built a solid subscriber list.
You’re looking for higher conversion rates - whether it’s a sales, a sign-ups, or responses.
You don’t want to compete with an algorithm – your emails land straight in their inboxes.
You like that emails don’t disappear like social posts; they’re there until someone opens them (or saves them for later).
You’ve got offers, stories, or tips that need more room to breathe than a quick social post.
Both tools are powerful, but they shine in different ways. Whether you lean into social media, email marketing, or both, the key is using them intentionally to build relationships and drive results.
Want us to go undercover and find the right marketing strategy for your goals? Let’s talk budget, tools, and tactics to get you where you want to be.