Email marketing and social media are like peanut butter and jelly—they’re good on their own, but together? Unstoppable.
Think about it:
✅ Social media is where you discover and engage with new audiences.
✅ Email marketing is where you nurture and convert them into repeat customers.
But here’s the thing: not everyone opens your emails (average open rates hover around 23%), and not everyone follows you on social. The trick? Use email to promote your social media accounts, so your subscribers can stay engaged even when they’re not checking their inboxes.
Here are five simple ways to drive more social media followers through email marketing.
1. Ask Them to Follow You
The easiest way to promote your social media? Just ask.
Sure, adding social buttons to the footer of every email is fine—but let’s be honest, no one clicks those. Instead, dedicate an entire email to the ask. Make it clear, engaging, and actionable.
Here’s how to do it:
✅ GOOD AMERICAN keeps it straightforward, linking directly to their social profiles with bold, clickable text.
✅ The Black Tux takes it a step further with an email inviting subscribers to follow them on Snapchat using fun visuals and personality.
Pro Tip: Make your “follow us” email as engaging as possible. The more creative you are, the higher your chances of driving clicks.
2. Promote Branded Hashtags
User-generated content (UGC) is a goldmine for social media. It builds community, humanizes your brand, and creates free exposure when customers tag you.
How to leverage it:
✅ Highlight your favorite customer posts in your emails, like Paravel does. Include their Instagram handles and encourage subscribers to tag your brand or use your hashtags.
✅ Offer incentives for posting with your branded hashtag, like a chance to get featured or win a discount.
The result? More UGC, a stronger social presence, and a steady stream of free promotion.
3. Show Them What They’re Missing
Why do people follow brands on social media? They want to be inspired, entertained, or informed. So, if your Instagram or Facebook is packed with valuable content, show it off in your emails.
Urban Outfitters nails this by showcasing their most-liked Instagram posts in an email with multiple CTAs to follow them.
Here’s how you can do it:
✅ Highlight your best-performing posts in your emails.
✅ Tease exclusive content, like behind-the-scenes looks or upcoming launches.
✅ Remind subscribers that following you means they’ll always stay in the loop.
4. Encourage Social Referrals
Referrals are the holy grail of eCommerce—people trust their friends. Use email to power your referral program by driving social sharing.
Uber does this brilliantly by automating emails that let customers share referral links on social media with a single click.
Here’s how you can replicate this:
✅ Create an email automation encouraging subscribers to share your brand on social.
✅ Offer an incentive, like a discount or freebie, for every successful referral.
Think of it as creating a “lookalike audience” for your email list—just without the ad spend.
5. Start the Story on Email… Finish It on Social
Don’t try to fit everything into one email. Use email as the appetizer and social media as the main course.
Medium does this perfectly by sharing blog post teasers in their emails, then linking to their platform for the full article. You can do the same with your sales, videos, or content.
How it works:
✅ Tease a product sale in your email but direct subscribers to Instagram or Facebook for daily updates.
✅ Announce a Facebook Live event in your email and invite subscribers to join the conversation.
The idea is simple: use email to drive traffic to your social accounts by creating curiosity and urgency.
Final Thoughts
Adding social buttons to the footer of your emails might drive a few clicks, but if you want to grow your social media channels at scale, you need a focused strategy.
Dedicated emails that highlight your social accounts, tease exclusive content, and encourage engagement will take your email marketing to the next level.
The possibilities are endless:
✅ Run a 7-day sale where each day’s deal is revealed only on Instagram.
✅ Host a Q&A on Facebook Live and invite your email subscribers to join.
At the end of the day, email and social media aren’t competitors—they’re teammates. Together, they can build your audience, strengthen your brand, and drive serious results for your eCommerce business.
Ready to level up your email marketing game? Blossom Ecom can help you create campaigns that grow your audience, drive engagement, and boost revenue.
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Let us take the hassle of managing your email marketing channel off your hands. Book a strategy call with our team today and see how we can scale your revenue, customer retention, and lifetime value with tailored strategies. Click here to get started.
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