A recent article in the Wall Street Journal points to a brewing backlash against social media giants. Whether it’s because of their controversial approaches to user data or their reputation for sharing “fake news,” the current state of social is driving many marketers to re-think the way they use it.

While criticism grows, we can still all agree that social media has staying power and will remain of value to marketers for many years to come. But as more drama unfolds, here are six reasons email might be a better choice for reaching your target audiences in 2019:

1. Data scandals and unwelcomed content: Regular users of social media platforms such as Facebook often view the sponsored content put in front of them (selected by algorithms based on their search histories) as uninvited and off the mark. Data privacy issues and data breaches have also added fuel to the fire, causing many users to scale back on their Facebook use – or even opt out entirely.

2. Email more real and ready: As social media costs escalate for marketers, email allows them to cost effectively connect with both prospects and loyal customers. It’s a communications channel that is widely used and trusted. And when marketing via email, businesses can create authentic, valuable content that their audiences want – in direct contrast to the mash-up of content that dominates the social sphere.

3. A more focused audience: While social media platforms often promise to reach large swaths of potential prospects, their approaches seem similar to those outdated television or radio ads that “message to the masses.” Email, on the other hand, allows marketers to target more specific, focused groups of email users who they are actually trying to reach.

4. Email use growing: In spite of social media’s growth over the last decade, email continue to expand as well. Tech analyst Radicati Group says the number of emails sent continues to grow at 4% annually, with a record 281 billion emails sent per day in 2018.

5. Email more open: Another factor behind email’s success compared to social media is the fact that, like the internet itself, it’s an open standard – no one controls it. Not only are emails free of annoying auto-playing videos, they typically don’t have the privacy-hacking trackers commonplace to webpages and apps.

6. Email’s proven ROI: While reaching prospects via social media can be hit and miss, the return on investment for email continues to be unwavering. The Data & Marketing Association says that email offers the highest ROI per marketing dollar spent. According to Campaign Monitor, for every $1 spent on email marketing, $44 is made in return. Finally, consumers who purchase products through email spend 138% more than those that don’t receive email offers.

The reality is, social media – or any single channel for that matter – shouldn’t be relied upon as your only go-to-market vehicle. An omni-channel approach is often best when it comes to optimizing your reach to targeted prospects and customers. And when it comes to omni-channel, we at OMI see email playing a central role. It continues to be the workhorse behind today’s most innovative digital campaigns and it also serves as the most important link between a business and its customers and prospects.

How has your approach to social media marketing changed this year?

Outward Media’s accurate, targeted email data can enable you to achieve better email marketing ROI by targeting your best prospects – including top-level executives -- and, ultimately, converting more prospects into customers. Take a look at our case studies to find out more.