Email Marketing vs Social Media: Which Drives More Sales?
Email marketing and social media both boost sales, but in different ways…
Email Marketing:
Higher ROI: $36 return for every $1 spent
Better conversion rates: 21.73% open rate, 3.57% click-through rate
More effective for older generations
Social Media:
Huge reach: 4.7 billion users worldwide
Great for brand discovery: 52% of online brand discovery happens here
More popular with younger audiences: 56% of Millennials buy from social ads
Key Takeaways:
Email excels at converting existing customers
Social media shines for brand awareness and reaching new audiences
Combine both for best results: use social media to grow your email list
Choose based on your audience and goals. For most businesses, a mix of both channels works best.
Social media marketing vs email marketing: which is better for sales?
How to Measure Success
Let's cut to the chase: when it comes to driving sales, email marketing and social media aren't created equal. Here's the lowdown on how to measure their impact.
Sales Rates and ROI
First things first: cold, hard cash. Email marketing is the undisputed champ here:
Email Marketing ROI: $1 spent = $42 return. That's a 4,200% ROI. Not too shabby.
Social Media ROI: A respectable 28% on average, but it's no email.
But it's not just about the money. Let's talk engagement:
Click-through rates: Email wins again with 2.5% vs social media's 0.88%.
Value of shares: A forwarded email is worth $12.41 in potential business. A social media share? Just $5.62.
The numbers don't lie: email marketing often leads to more clicks, more conversions, and more bang for your buck.
Cost to Get New Customers
Now, let's talk Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC). It's simple:
CAC = (Sales + Marketing Costs) / Number of New Customers
Here's a real-world example:
A hair product company spent $1,000 on two campaigns:
Social Media: 5 sales = $200 per customer
Email Marketing: 20 sales = $50 per customer
Email marketing brought in customers at a quarter of the cost. But hold your horses - these numbers can vary wildly depending on your industry and audience.
As digital marketing expert Carlos Gil puts it:
"Email marketing is not just alive but thriving, and how it can future-proof your brand in an era dominated by social media algorithms."
So while email often wins on cost, don't count social media out. Its reach can be gold for brand awareness and long-term relationships.
Setting Goals and Tracking Progress
To really measure success, you need SMART goals. For example:
Boost email subscribers by 20% in Q2 2025
Up social media engagement by 15% in 6 months
Clear goals let you track progress and see which channel is bringing home the bacon for your business.
But don't just focus on quick sales. Keep an eye on:
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)
Repeat purchase rate
Brand awareness (for social media)
Email open rates and list growth
These give you the big picture of how each channel is contributing to your bottom line.
How Email Marketing Drives Sales
Email marketing is a sales powerhouse. Here's how it can boost your bottom line:
Building and Using Email Lists
Your email list is your marketing goldmine. It's not just a bunch of addresses - it's a community of people who want to hear from you.
Offer something good: Give people a reason to sign up. Madewell, for example, uses smart discounts. They offer bigger discounts to inactive customers and smaller ones to regular shoppers. This grows their list and wakes up sleepy subscribers.
Make signing up easy: Put sign-up forms where people will see them. Exit pop-ups can work wonders. In fact, online stores can save up to 35% of visitors who were about to leave by using these pop-ups.
Spread the word: Don't just rely on your website. Talk about your email list on social media, at events, even in your email signature. Canva does this well. They send short, snappy emails that make you want to click through to their site.
Once you've got your list, break it down. Group people based on who they are, what they like, or how they buy. This lets you send emails that really hit the mark.
Automatic Email Follow-ups
This is where email marketing shines. It can recover lost sales and encourage purchases without you lifting a finger.
Make it personal: Don't send the same email to everyone (please!). Show you get what each person needs. Salesforce nails this with their after-conference emails. They give people different options based on where they are in their buying journey.
Get the timing right: Set up emails to go out based on what people do (or don't do). Chewy, the pet supply folks, sends reminders when it's time to reorder. They even fill up your cart for you and use catchy subject lines like "nothing lasts forever (fortunately, you can always reorder)."
Give something useful: Every automated email should have a point and offer something good. Maybe it's a special deal, helpful info, or first dibs on new stuff.
Ryan Day from Convertcart puts it well:
"Many marketing influencers will say 'email is dead'. But email consistently proves to be one of the biggest sources of traffic for an eCommerce store."
The numbers back this up. For every $1 you spend on email marketing, you can get $42 back. That's a pretty sweet deal. With smart automation and personalization, you can tap into this potential and watch your sales grow.
How Social Media Drives Sales
Social media isn't just for cat videos and vacation pics anymore. It's a sales powerhouse. With billions of users scrolling their feeds daily, these platforms are goldmines for connecting with potential customers and boosting sales.
Let's break it down by platform:
Facebook: This giant boasts 3.03 billion monthly active users. And get this: 54.6% of them use it to connect with brands. That's a LOT of potential customers. Facebook ads are crushing it with a 9.21% average conversion rate.
Instagram: 2.35 billion monthly active users can't be wrong. 130 million of them tap on shopping posts every month. It's like a virtual mall where people actually want to window shop.
Pinterest: Don't underestimate the power of Pins. 83% of weekly users have bought something based on brand Pins they saw. Conversion rates range from 1% to 8% across industries. Not too shabby.
TikTok: The new kid on the block is making waves with a 1% industry-wide conversion rate. It might not sound like much, but for retail businesses, it's a game-changer.
X (formerly Twitter): It's upping its game, sometimes outperforming Facebook in conversion rates. Who would've thought?
Shopping Features: Making It Easy to Buy
Social media platforms are all about that "see it, want it, buy it" life now.
Instagram Shopping: It's like your favorite store and social feed had a baby. Browse, buy, never leave the app. Retailers love it, shoppers love it, everyone's happy.
Facebook Shops: Free digital storefronts for businesses? Yes, please. Mark Zuckerberg says:
"If you visit someone's shop, you're going to be able to see that small business's story, you're going to see their featured products, and even check out and buy their items right there."
It's like combining window shopping with storytelling. Genius.
TikTok: It's not just for dance challenges anymore. As 1Digital® Agency puts it:
"Do yourself a favor and make TikTok advertising part of your 2024 marketing strategy."
Short, snappy, and sells like hotcakes. Especially to the younger crowd.
Want to crush it on social media sales? Here's the game plan:
Customize your content for each platform. One size does NOT fit all.
Use those shopping features. Make buying as easy as possible.
Chat with your audience. Build relationships, not just follower counts.
Leverage user-generated content. It's like word-of-mouth on steroids.
Keep an eye on those metrics. What gets measured gets improved.
Social media sales aren't just a trend. They're the future of e-commerce. So get on board, or get left behind.
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Benefits of Each Method
Email marketing and social media both pack a punch when it comes to driving sales. Let's break down what makes each one tick:
Email Marketing: The ROI Champ
Email marketing is like that reliable friend who always delivers. Here's why:
It's a money-making machine. For every $1 you spend, you get $36 back. That's a 3600% return on investment. Not too shabby, right?
It's great at turning lookers into buyers. With a 21.73% open rate and a 3.57% click-through rate, email outperforms social media in the conversion game.
It's personal. You're talking directly to people who've said, "Hey, I want to hear from you!" That's powerful stuff.
It works while you sleep. Set up automated email sequences and watch them nurture leads and recover lost sales without you lifting a finger.
Social Media: The Reach Master
Social media is like the popular kid in school - everyone knows them. Here's what it brings to the table:
It's huge. Facebook alone has 3.03 billion monthly active users. That's a lot of eyeballs on your brand.
It's where people discover new brands. About 52% of online brand discovery happens on social media. It's like a never-ending trade show for your business.
It's chatty. You can talk to your audience in real-time, building a community around your brand.
It's visual. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok are perfect for showing off your products. In fact, 130 million Instagram users tap on shopping posts every month.
Joe Kindness, Founder & CEO at AgencyAnalytics, sums it up nicely:
"Email marketing might be a stronger marketing approach overall, but social media is still a great option to grow your clients' audiences and build their lists in the first place."
The Big Differences
Targeting: Email lets you get super specific with who sees what. Social media is more of a broad strokes kind of deal.
Content Lifespan: Emails stick around in inboxes. Social media posts can disappear faster than free samples at Costco.
Cost: Once you've built an email list, ongoing costs are usually lower. Social media might need constant cash to stay visible.
User Mindset: Email folks are often on a mission - looking for deals or info. Social media users might just be killing time.
Measuring Success: Email gives you clear numbers on opens, clicks, and sales. Social media can be a bit fuzzier to track.
Real-World Example: Chewy's Double Whammy
In 2022, online pet supply retailer Chewy showed how to use both channels like a pro:
Their email game: They sent personalized product recommendations based on pet profiles. Result? A 110% jump in click-through rates compared to generic emails.
Their social media play: They ran a TikTok campaign showing pets unboxing Chewy deliveries. It racked up over 20 million views and boosted new customer sign-ups among 18-24 year-olds by 35%.
This shows how both channels can work their magic when used right. Emails converted existing customers, while social media reeled in new ones.
Using Both Methods Together
Combining email marketing and social media creates a powerful strategy that can boost your sales. Here's how to make these channels work together:
Connecting Your Messages
The key is consistency across platforms:
1. Create a unified content calendar
Plan your promotions, events, and content updates to hit both email and social media at the same time. This way, your audience gets the same message, no matter where they see your brand.
2. Cross-promote your channels
Put social media icons in your emails and promote your newsletter on social platforms. Litmus, an email marketing company, tried this and got great results. Tracie Pang, their Email Marketing Manager, said:
"After a year of promoting Litmus newsletters on our organic social channels, a sizable 40.7% of those who signed up were net new subscribers."
3. Repurpose content
Take your best social media posts and turn them into email content. Or use parts of your emails to create social media posts. This saves time and hammers home your message across channels.
4. Use social proof in emails
Put user-generated content from social media in your emails. This builds trust and gets people to engage. For example, showing customer reviews or Instagram photos in your emails can make more people click through.
5. Leverage email for social growth
Author David Burkus has a smart trick to grow both his email list and social following:
"I use YouTube to boost my list growth by pitching a three-day email course at the end of my videos. Those who watched a video all the way to the end and then sign-up for a three day free course are much more likely to stick around on my list and read my emails."
When you combine email marketing and social media, you're not just adding two channels together – you're creating a multiplier effect. As Erik Harbison puts it:
"If Social Media is the cocktail party, then email marketing is the 'meet up for coffee'. The original 1 to 1 channel."
With EdgyMuse Marketing's help, you can host the party and have that coffee date too, all while selling more and building stronger customer relationships.
Key Takeaways
Email marketing and social media both pack a punch for driving sales. Here's the scoop for small business owners:
Email Marketing: Conversion Champion
Email marketing is a sales powerhouse, especially for businesses with an established customer base:
ROI Superstar: $1 spent on email marketing? You get $36 back. That's a 3600% return.
Conversion King: With a 21.73% open rate and 3.57% click-through rate, email beats social media at turning leads into customers.
Personal Touch: Email lets you speak directly to your audience's needs and interests.
Social Media: Brand Awareness Dynamo
While email crushes conversions, social media shines in other areas:
Reach for the Stars: With 4.7 billion users worldwide, social media's potential for brand exposure is off the charts.
Discovery Central: 52% of online brand discovery happens on social media. It's a magnet for new customers.
Engagement Central: Social media lets you chat with your audience in real-time, building trust and community.
The Age Game
Here's where it gets interesting - age matters:
Young Guns: 56% of Millennials and 51% of Gen Z have bought stuff from social media ads. Only 33% of Gen Z are swayed by email.
Old School: Baby Boomers and Gen X still prefer email for brand engagement and shopping.
Small Business Game Plan
Know Your Crowd: Targeting youngsters? Go social. Older folks? Email's your friend.
Mix It Up: Use social media to grow your email list. Alex Cattoni, founder of Copy Posse Agency and Academy, says:
"If all you're looking at is sales, social media isn't all that impressive. My sales conversion rates on social are significantly lower than my conversion rates on email."
Mobile Matters: Make sure your emails and social content look great on phones.
Get Personal: Use data to tailor your messages. Segmented email campaigns get 30% more opens and 50% more clicks than one-size-fits-all campaigns.
Track and Tweak: Keep an eye on your campaign performance. Email often gives clearer ROI metrics, but don't underestimate social media's brand-building power.
FAQs
Which marketing channel has the highest conversion rate?
Email marketing often takes the cake when it comes to driving sales. Here's why:
Email generates a whopping $36 for every $1 spent. That's a 3600% ROI! Compare that to social media's $2.80 for every $1 spent, and you'll see why marketers love email.
But it's not just about the money. Email consistently outperforms social media in terms of engagement:
Email open rates: 15-25%
Email click-through rates: 2.5%
Facebook click-through rates: 0.9%
And get this: 60% of consumers have bought something because of a marketing email. Only 12.5% say they'd consider buying directly through social media.
But hold on. Different channels shine at different stages:
SEO crushes it for new customer acquisition (10X ROI vs PPC's 2X)
Social media is great for brand awareness
Email excels at nurturing existing relationships
As digital marketing expert Carlos Gil says:
"Email marketing is not just alive but thriving, and how it can future-proof your brand in an era dominated by social media algorithms."
The bottom line? Email often has the highest conversion rates, but don't put all your eggs in one basket. A mix of channels is usually the way to go! Questions?? Reach out anytime, I’d love to chat about eggs, cocktail parties, or even email marketing ;)
