# Weekly Email Marketing News Digest

It seems almost cliche to be discussing the value of email versus search, as it seems long established that email and social media both occupy a unique position in the marketing ecosystem. Each individual channel has its role to play in customer engagement. I’ve definitely been driven to buy more from emails than social media, but that doesn’t mean businesses should scrap social completely when it comes to a [cross-channel strategy](http://www.messagesystems.com/blog/multi-channel-systems-in-place/ "Do you have multi-channel systems in place to support your cross-channel marketing?"). When [social media and email marketing are integrated](http://www.messagesystems.com/blog/weekly-digest-019/ "Weekly Email Marketing News Digest: The Biggest DDoS Attack Ever, Subject Lines, Autoresponders, SEO & Social Sharing") into a seamless campaign, they drive results, engagement and ROI that far outweighs the benefits of using each channel in silos.

**[It Should Never Have Been Social Vs. Email](http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/204619/it-should-never-have-been-social-vs-email.html#axzz2ZE7te2lp "It Should Never Have Been Social Vs. Email")**

Chad White makes a valid point that the intention of customers when they follow businesses on social channels is different from when they subscribe to email lists. Social media is a mid-funnel channel and works best for awareness-building and customer interactions. On the other hand, email is a low funnel channel. Customers who subscribe have **buying intent** and the overwhelming reason for signing up is receiving discounts and promotions. Basically? Social media and email are sequential elements of the sales funnel, that **do not compete, but instead complement.**

**[How To Integrate Email And Social Media To Increase Engagement](http://www.business2community.com/social-media/how-to-integrate-email-and-social-media-to-increase-engagement-0557876 "How To Integrate Email And Social Media To Increase Engagement")**

I confess that I’m not immune to an email with the subject line “50% off – 48 hour sale” as it not only offers an incentive, but creates [a sense of urgency](http://www.messagesystems.com/blog/weekly-email-marketing-news-digest-emails-image-issues/ "Email's Image Issue - The sense of urgency email"). Here are other ways to drive engagement through social media integration, aside from the [subject line](http://www.messagesystems.com/blog/weekly-digest-028/ "Weekly Email Marketing News Digest: Tips on Optimizing for Mobile – Responsive Design & Subject Lines").

1.  Generate interaction with emails – ask questions and solicit feedback.
2.  Use email to inspire social interaction through like and share buttons.
3.  Use social media to boost email subscriptions such as a link to subscribe to an [email list](http://www.messagesystems.com/blog/weekly-digest-024/ "Weekly Email Marketing News Digest: Hygiene Matters. Keep Your Email Lists Clean.").

**[Brand Advocates Choose Email Over Social For Referrals](http://www.marketingcharts.com/wp/interactive/brand-advocates-choose-email-over-social-for-referrals-30748/ "Brand Advocates Choose Email Over Social For Referrals")**

A SocialTwist study shows that 55.4% of brand advocates chose email as their sharing channel, 41.8% chose Facebook and 2.6% chose Twitter. Social followers who referred brands used email as their primary sharing channel. 85% of brand advocates’ reach came from Facebook, versus 12% from email. **New customers were primarily through obtained through email.** Here’s a breakdown of  new customers by referring channels:

- Email – 50.8%
- Twitter – 26.8%
- Facebook – 22%
- Pinterest and LinkedIn – 0.4%

Perhaps the key takeaway from the researchers?

_“Marketers should avoid falling into perception traps – like email marketing is somehow vastly different from social marketing. Anything that connects consumers is social.”_

**[Email and Search Deliver More Customers Than Social Media](http://www.marketingprofs.com/charts/2013/11170/email-and-search-deliver-more-customers-than-social-media "Email and Search Deliver More Customers Than Social Media")**

A report by Custora states that 15.8% of online e-commerce customers is acquired through organic search, followed by 9.8% for cost per click. Since 2009, customer acquisition through email has quadrupled to 6.8%. Facebook accounted for 0.17% and Twitter less than 0.01%.

**[Email Isn’t Dead](http://marketingland.com/infographic-email-isnt-dead-2739 "Email Isn't Dead")**

_Want to learn how to extend your reach through email? Download our free **[Email Best Practices 101 eBook](http://www.messagesystems.com/resources/digital-library/ebooks/email-best-practices-101?src=Blog&pc=BlogDL-eBookEmailBP "Email Best Practices 101 eBook")** to increase the chances of getting into your customer’s inbox!_