Let’s get real for a moment.
You’ve spent hours creating the ideal Instagram carousel. You’ve run a TikTok campaign ad. You’ve even done LinkedIn posts. And… nothing happens!
But what about that one email you want to send out? The one you were hesitant to send because it seemed “too salesy”?
Chances are you will see new website visitors and new clients from it.
In this post I’ll explain the reasons email has been proven to have a better ROI than social media and how you can begin to use it without being spammy.
You Don’t Own Your Social Media Audience
Your audience on social media isn’t really yours.
What if Meta determines your content has violated an ambiguous policy? What if an algorithm change puts your posts under a pile of cat videos? Good luck getting a new client. Social platforms are leased space. You’re a renter. And the landlord can change the locks at any time.
But email? That’s a house you own.
When someone shares their email address with you, they are saying “Yes, I want to hear from you”. That’s permission. That’s trust. And that email list? It’s all yours for eternity. Not a single platform can remove it. It cannot be deleted through a policy update.
And that is reflected in bottom line. Because you control your distribution. And controlling your reach means controlling your revenue.
No Algorithms. No Guesswork. Just Inbox Delivery.
Remember when you posted something on Facebook and your friends and followers actually viewed it? Yeah, neither can we.
These days, even with 10,000 followers you might only be able to reach 200 folks organically. And why? Algorithms. They control who gets to see what, when and why, all based on engagement, advertising dollars, and some secret sauce that nobody truly understands.
By email? You hit send and it arrives in inboxes.
Of course, there are spam filters, but if you’re sending relevant, valuable content to people who have opted in? You’re good. No need to follow trends. No reverse-engineering of the latest algorithm hack. Simply, person to person interaction.
Creative Freedom Without the Platform Police
Social media are quick to tell you what works.
“Vertical video only!” “Use trending audio!” “Post between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Wednesdays!”
It is tiring. And it puts you in a creative box that may not be good for your brand.
E-mail? You decide.
Want to send a long story of how your product affected a customer’s life? Want it to be minimalist – just a headline, a photo, and a CTA? Want to share a personal note about your business experience? It’s completely up to you.
With email, you have complete creative control – and you don’t have to wonder if your post will be hidden because it doesn’t align with their “engagement model.”
It is that freedom that allows you to talk in your true brand voice, connect on a deeper level, and ultimately convert better. Because humans buy from humans, not hashtags.
Email Builds Real Relationships
To be clear, social media is great for awareness. That’s where people find you. One of those being, “Hmm, maybe I’ll go to their website”.
But email is where the relationships develop.
Picture sending a customer a welcome email with responses to their biggest questions, social proof, and a soft nudge toward that first buying experience. Or a monthly newsletter that sends out real value – tips, insights, offers – with no strings attached.
That’s building trust. That’s how you convert strangers into loyal customers.
Social media may give you a peek. Email results in a dialogue.
Sales come from conversations.
The ROI Numbers Don’t Lie
Let’s get down to cold, hard data.
In 2023, Statista reported that 52% of marketers “doubled their return on investment from email marketing compared to the previous year”.
Why? The reason for this is that email is:
- Very focused (you are speaking to people who want you to speak to them)
- Personalized – (you can segment by behavior, interest, purchase history)
- Straight (no middleman, no feed clutter)
- Trackable (open rates, click throughs, conversions— all measurable)
Email sees a return of $36-$42 for every $1 spent, based on the industry. No, that’s not a typo. For every dollar you invest in a well-crafted email campaign, you get back at least $36.
It’s Shockingly Affordable (Even for Bootstrapped Businesses)
Email marketing doesn’t have to be expensive.
MailerLite, Mailchimp and ConvertKit all have free plans and powerful features like automation, segmentation, analytics, and beautiful templates. You can start a comprehensive email effort for no initial investment, zero dollars.
Social media? Um, no.
Looking for genuine reach on Instagram or Facebook? This will probably mean running paid ads. And those costs are significant – and add up quickly. Not to mention you’re competing against the big brands with $100k ad spends.
With email, your ad spend is your time and creativity. And since they’ve already opted in, you’re not paying to get their attention. They are expecting to hear from you.
This cost effectiveness is directly reflected in your ROI.
Precision Targeting That Actually Converts
This is where email really shines: segmentation.
You can message different people with different messages, in accordance with what you know about them.
- Not a subscriber? Implement a welcome email.
- Cart abandoners? Prompt a subtle reminder offering a discount.
- Returning Customers? Provide early access to a new product.
This is conversion fuel.
Targeted email campaigns have 14% higher open rates and 100% more clicks than generic email campaigns.
On social media you are shouting into a mob. On email you are talking to the right person at the right time. And it frequently becomes a sale.
