How to integrate social media with your email marketing strategy

Social media and email marketing are two of the most powerful tools at a marketer’s disposal.

They were both ranked among the top three most effective marketing channels and offer unmatched reach when connecting with your customers where they’re most active: their phones.

So, how do you get them to work together?

They’re fundamentally different, serve different purposes, and can clash if not used effectively.

But the immediacy of social media combined with the personal touch of email is a match made in marketing heaven—when you know what you’re doing.

Better together: Social media and email marketing

Social media is all about grabbing attention in the moment and drawing potential customers in, while email focuses on building lasting connections. Combined, they create a well-oiled machine that keeps your audience engaged at every touchpoint.

Platforms like Instagram or TikTok are perfect for eye-catching visuals, quick promotions, and driving traffic to your email list. On the flip side, email provides the ideal space for deeper storytelling and personalised offers that social posts might not allow.

The key is using each platform's strengths to complement the other. Turn followers into subscribers or drive email readers back to your socials; either way, integrating these channels is a win-win for visibility and engagement.

Integrating social media with your email marketing strategy

Email and social media can mutually benefit each other in more than a few ways. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most advantageous and how to implement them:

Turns social media followers into email subscribers

Your social media followers are already interested in your brand, making them the perfect audience to convert into email subscribers. The key to turning casual scrollers into loyal recipients is to make your newsletter enticing and your sign-ups effortless.

Here’s how we would do it:

Promote your newsletter regularly

Make it a habit to mention your newsletter on your social platforms. Instagram Stories, TikTok posts, tweets—use them all to highlight what makes your emails unique. You might share exclusive content, early access to sales, or special promotions. Add a direct link to your sign-up page in these blasts to streamline the process.

2. Incentivise sign-ups

Give followers a reason to subscribe by offering value they can’t resist. Discounts, freebies, or access to exclusive content can be powerful motivators. For example, “Sign up for our newsletter today and enjoy 10% off your first purchase” can turn interest into action.

3. Show them what they’re missing

Tease highlights from past newsletters on your socials. Let followers see the kind of value-packed or behind-the-scenes content they’re missing. You could share a clip of a helpful guide or mention a recent email-only discount that subscribers loved.

4. Make signing up easy

Start by creating a signup page tailored to social media users. These tend to be slightly difference in terms of ToV and visuals compared to usual promo-driven pages (e.g. platform-appropriate copy, optimised for mobile only, value-driven and community focused).

Reduce friction by adding your sign-up link to all your social bios and posts. Use clear calls-to-action like “Join our newsletter for exclusive updates” or “Never miss a thing—subscribe today.” Consider running targeted ads with direct sign-up links to reach even more potential subscribers. Remember to tailor your approach to the platform’s strengths. For example, a QR to a YouTube video is a clever way to drive engagement from platforms like Instagram Stories or TikTok. Or on Pinterest, for instance, you can create visually engaging pins with a direct link to your newsletter sign-up page. These pins can feature sneak peeks of email-exclusive content to entice users who value visual inspiration.

Tip: If your social media followers can see the tangible benefits of your email content, they’ll be far more likely to take that next step. Keep promoting and providing clear value, and you’ll see that list steadily grow.

Grow your social following through email

Your email list is already filled with loyal subscribers who engage with your brand—why not invite them to join you on social media too?

Here’s how to make it happen:

1. Highlight your social accounts in emails

Include callouts for your social platforms in your email campaigns. Use phrases like “join the conversation on socials” or “follow us for behind-the-scenes moments." Pair these with direct links to your profiles for easy access.

2. Promote exclusive content

Tease what subscribers can expect by following you on social media. Real-time updates, behind-the-scenes looks, or limited-time giveaways all give them a reason to stay connected across channels. Check out how Outdoor Voices leveraged their email list to boost engagement, promoting a giveaway contest that encouraged subscribers to follow their Instagram page to enter the promo.

3. Introduce a recurring format

A cool idea is to include a recurring format like "Highlights from Our Socials" in your emails. This could showcase your most popular posts, viral content, or user-generated content from the past month. Not only does this drive email engagement, but it also gives subscribers a reason to follow your socials for more.

This leads us on to our next point...

Encourage user-generated content

UGC is a great way to bridge the gap between email and social media. It turns your customers into brand advocates while providing authentic content to share across both platforms.

Here’s how to incorporate UGC into your strategy:

Post-purchase encouragement

Use post-purchase emails to invite customers to share their experiences. For example, “Tag us in your photos on Instagram for a chance to be featured." This not only incentivises interaction but also helps build a sense of community around your brand and serves as a bit of a free promo for you.

2. Showcase UGC in campaigns

Repurpose the content you collect. Share customer photos in your newsletters, even as part of your welcome series with captions like “As seen on...” or repost their stories to your social platforms. It builds trust and shows new customers how your products look in real life.

Integrating UGC into email and social media campaigns creates a feedback loop of engagement and helps grow your brand’s presence authentically.

Creating cross-channel campaigns

A seamless flow between your email and social media efforts can amplify your campaigns and reach a wider audience. Cross-channel promotions not only boost engagement but also encourage interactions on multiple platforms.

Here’s how to integrate the two:

Exclusive giveaways

Run contests that require participation on both platforms. For example, “Subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram for a chance to win [prize].” This grows your social following and increases list engagement.

2. Coordinated campaigns

Align your email and social messaging for cohesive campaigns. Announce a sale via email while running complementary ads or posts on social media to create a unified experience. Subscribers might see the email first and then engage further on social, building stronger touchpoints but also re-peaking interest and reminding them of an event they might’ve forgotten.

When email subscribers can engage with your social content and vice versa, you build a community that stays connected wherever they are. But it doesn’t stop there—omnichannel marketing is key to creating a seamless experience across all touchpoints. By aligning your email and social strategies, you're laying the groundwork for a fully integrated approach that unifies your brand's messaging, whether on a website, in-store, or through ads. Starting these integrations is crucial to a cohesive customer journey that keeps your audience engaged at every stage.

Which is more effective: email or social media?

It’s much debated whether email or social media is the superior channel when it comes to marketing. According to recent studies, 50% of consumers made a purchase from an email in the past year compared to 48% from social media ads, suggesting there might not be much in it at all.

This isn’t about picking sides. The truth? Both are incredibly powerful in their own ways and it really doesn’t matter which is better when both can serve your brand.

If you want to get the most out of your marketing channels, stop viewing them as competitors. Instead, use them to complement each other and maximise your marketing efforts. Nonetheless, email is a great place to experiment without much risk. Meaning you can test your promotions, product launches, and community efforts before taking them to social media on a larger scale.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re using Instagram to grow your list, TikTok content in your campaigns, or directing email subscribers to your socials, integrating email and social media can create a seamless loop that nurtures your relationships and keeps driving results. Remember, your social media audiences will be different depending on the platform. But you can use this to your advantage, creating email segments and tailoring your welcome series to differ for TikTok vs Instagram vs Facebook users, etc.

Need more help doing this for your brand? Don’t hesitate to get in touch with our boutique team of experts.

Better together: Social media and email marketing