If you’re looking to supplement your online communications in a way that can be more direct than a post on a social network, consider adding email newsletters with social media integration tools to your marketing mix. You may already be using e-newsletters to reach existing customers as well as prospects, but if you aren’t, now could be the time to try one.

Many of the popular email marketing platforms incorporate social media features such as:

• Quick ways to publish posts that lead back to an online version of your e-newsletter
• Easy-to-add social media icons in the footer of your emails with clickable links
• Sharing buttons allowing your newsletter subscribers to share content from your newsletter to their social networks

To start building your email list, you can add a link or a subscription form on your website. You can also add the Subscribe Action Button feature at the top of your Facebook page.

How should you use an e-newsletter?

E-newsletters don’t have to be content-heavy. Think about an action you want a subscriber to take. Keep your emails informative but focused on facilitating that action.

While publishing an e-newsletter might seem daunting, they do not have to be long. Use an email newsletter to:

1. Announce sales, discounts, special promotions, and events
2. Provide information to showcase your expertise
3. Share company news or behind-the-scenes glimpses
4. Educate your customer and prospects about your products or services

One major benefit of email newsletters as a supplement to your social media posts is that they give subscribers more time to peruse your message and act on the content. Posts on social networks disappear down the news feed quickly, particularly if someone hasn’t liked or clicked on to read more. An email newsletter can sit in an email inbox for a few hours or a few days and still be available to be read rather than completely disappearing from view.

How much do email marketing platforms cost?

Prices vary depending on the tool you use. Many email marketing platforms use a freemium model, meaning they have a lite version that is free and then one or more paid tiers. Some offer month-to-month subscriptions or a discounted rate if you pay for an annual subscription in advance. Some popular email marketing platforms include:

Mailchimp - Starts with a free plan and price goes up with subscriber count. Lowest paid level is $13/month. A good option if you’re looking for low cost and integrated social posting and advertising with Facebook, Instagram, and X. Embedded share buttons.

Constant Contact - Plans run from between $12 and $35/month. Connects with Facebook & Instagram to create and schedule posts, run ads plus LinkedIn support for social posting. Embedded share buttons.

MailerLite - Free level and small paid plans starting at $10. A low-cost alternative to Mailchimp. Has dedicated blocks for embedding social posts into emails, Connects with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and other social networks using Zapier, an online automation tool.

Rethinking the email newsletter

Some newsletters, such as Substack and beehiiv, set up e-newsletters as entry points to online communities where conversations with subscribers are encouraged. Substack, for example, has integrated forums where people post updates and comment on each other’s updates like a social network. Both Substack and beehiive also let you monetize your e-newsletters so you can offer a limited free version and provide more in-depth content to paid subscribers.

As with any online tool, AI features are being incorporated into email platforms. AI is used for automation, content creation, and personalization. For example, Mailchimp added AI-generated automations and an email generation tool that includes both design and content.

What makes an effective email newsletter?

Open rate is a key measurement for a successful email marketing campaign. How do you get someone to open your email to access your e-newsletter? Start with a concise, compelling subject line. Some experts say that including the recipient’s name in the subject line, if you have it, may increase the open rate. Including their name in the newsletter opening salutation can also help capture attention.

The day and time you send your email newsletter can also make a difference in terms of open rate. Some of the popular email marketing platforms use AI to help optimize the schedule for when emails are sent. Some can even send emails in batches instead of all at once.

While most e-newsletter solutions have design templates, yours doesn’t need to be heavy on the graphic design to be effective. A simple branded banner and an embedded image or two could work just as well. The key is to stay on-brand both visually and content-wise.

Overall, adding an e-newsletter to your social media marketing mix should be intentional and integrated into your current process. Include it in your strategic planning and social media marketing calendar. Use all available social media integration features and keep track of open rates and conversions to measure success.