We love social media. But, when it comes down to it, email marketing beats social media for building solid rapport and driving sales.

According to a recent study by Ipsos, nearly 85 percent of people who use the web will use email, compared to only 62 percent who use social networking sites.

The key difference to note here is that all social networking sites were included in that 62 percent, which means that each individual site has far less of an audience than you might think.

Worse yet, by using multiple social networks (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest), you are dividing your audience across multiple platforms.

Compare that to list building and you can quickly see how email marketing can be very powerful as a single focused distribution channel for content and updates.

Email marketing beats social media because email is universal, widely used, and still the biggest space where business is conducted online.

Email Engagement Is Much Higher than Social Media Engagement

According to data compiled by Litmus, an email marketing analytics company, email regularly offers better value per dollar spent than even search and paid ads:

It’s easy to see that an engaging newsletter is a win-win. You get to send out your valuable content to current customers and prospects who have an interest in your industry. In addition, you have the opportunity to maximize one of the most powerful, personal marketing channels available on the cluttered mess that is the internet.

Email is Made for Business

One thing to remember when evaluating why social media updates, ads, and even promoted posts are so ignored is the fact that you are competing with fun and games on social media.

When the average user logs into Facebook, they want to see new pictures from last Friday night (so they can un-tag all the evidence), updates from family members who are out of state, political debates, and witty status updates from their friends.

Email marketing beats social media in both quantity (more users) and quality (better engagement). Email marketing is simply made for business.

Email as a communication channel is personal.

As consumers, we are naturally more receptive to things in our inbox. We guard our inboxes much like a mother wolf guards her pups … because they are filled with things we choose to see.

This more intimate method of communication lends itself to more honest discussions and decisions. This is an important reason why people will always be “warmer” to being sold via email, and just another reason why email  marketing beats social media when it comes to marketing.