Of all the digital marketing channels available, email consistently ranks as the top contributor to marketing ROI. Here is why that is still true.
Email offers an almost unbeatable ROI
Email marketing is cost-efficient in a way few other channels match. Research shows it generates over R30 for every R1 spent, and some businesses see returns as high as R75 for every R1 spent.
Email connects your digital marketing efforts
Almost every other marketing activity you run can be supported by email. Publishing a new blog post? Running a social media contest? Driving traffic to a landing page? Promoting an event? Email ties all of it together. Whatever else you do in digital marketing, email is usually at the centre of it.
Email reaches more consumers than social media
Social media audiences keep growing, but they still do not match email in raw reach or daily reliance. According to OptinMonster, more consumers use email and depend on it for daily communication than any single social platform.
Emails have a longer lifespan than social posts
A tweet or Facebook post loses visibility within hours. An email sits in a subscriber's inbox until they act on it or delete it. That gives your message a meaningful window that social content simply does not have.
Email makes genuine personalisation possible
Personalisation goes well beyond adding a subscriber's first name to a subject line. You can segment your list, tailor message content, change dynamic blocks based on subscriber preferences, and include fields like job title or location. Sending relevant, targeted messages to the right people at the right time is what separates good email programmes from forgettable ones.
Subscribers are in control, and that is a good thing
More than 75% of people say they prefer email marketing because they control the relationship. For your customers, email is a welcome change from intrusive social ads. If they no longer want to hear from you, they unsubscribe. That opt-in dynamic means the people on your list actually want to be there, which makes them far more valuable than a boosted-post audience.
Almost everyone has an email address
Radicati estimated that by 2022, 4.25 billion email users would maintain an average of 1.86 accounts each. An email address is a prerequisite for most online activity, from opening a bank account to signing up for a social media profile. That means nearly everyone with internet access has at least one active email address.
Businesses that do not build and maintain an effective email programme are leaving the highest-ROI channel on the table. An engaged email database is one of the most valuable assets a marketing team can own.
Get in touch to find out how TouchBasePro can help you get more from your email marketing.
Frequently asked questions
- What ROI can I expect from email marketing?
- Research shows email marketing generates over R30 for every R1 spent on average, with some businesses reporting returns as high as R75 for every R1 spent. Results vary based on list quality, segmentation, and the relevance of your content.
- Why does email outperform social media for marketing?
- Email reaches a larger audience, gives messages a longer lifespan, and lets you personalise content at a granular level. Social posts lose visibility within hours, while an email stays in an inbox until the subscriber acts on it. The opt-in nature of email lists also means your audience is more receptive than a paid social audience.
- How does personalisation work in email marketing?
- Modern email platforms let you go well beyond a first-name greeting. You can segment your list by behaviour or profile, swap out dynamic content blocks based on subscriber preferences, and include personal fields like job title or location. The more relevant the message, the better the engagement.
- How many people actually use email?
- Radicati estimated 4.25 billion email users by 2022, each maintaining an average of 1.86 accounts. Because an email address is required for most online activity, almost everyone with internet access has at least one active account.