Rethinking Social Media Icons in Your Email Footers: A Necessity or a Nuisance?

Hey everyone, welcome back to the digital dojo where today, we’re dissecting a common yet curious element of email marketing—the ubiquitous social media icons nestled at the bottom of our email messages. Like many of you, I’ve also stamped my emails with these tiny, clickable badges, but I’ve often found myself pondering their true purpose and effectiveness. So, let’s unravel this together!

A Dive into the Data

In a burst of curiosity, I conducted a casual survey of my inbox, pulling emails from 50 diverse brands. The results were intriguing:

• 58% had those familiar icons waving up from the footer.
• Breaking it down further, only 50% of B2B editorial emails played host to these icons, while a whopping 80% of B2B e-commerce messages included them.
• Over in the B2C realm, 60% of newsletters had them, but this jumped to 90% for e-commerce emails.
• Interestingly, among transactional emails—a mixed bag of B2B and B2C—only 10% featured social media icons.

This little experiment highlighted a clear trend: E-commerce is all in, but when it comes to newsletters and transactional emails, the enthusiasm wanes.

Why Do We Even?

The big question then looms—why do we stick these icons in our emails? On the surface, they offer a low-commitment touchpoint for potential customers. A curious click can lead to a non-committal browse through your Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, or Instagram pages. No strings attached, no information surrendered.

And if they like what they see? They might just hit ‘follow’. But here’s the kicker: that’s a rather loose tie. If they ditch the platform—or if the platform pulls a MySpace—your connection vanishes into the digital ether.

The Limitations of Social Media Icons

Social media is inherently a one-to-many broadcast. You can’t finely tailor your content to the nuanced interests of your followers as easily as you can by segmenting your email list and targeting content. So, why loop people back to a less targeted, more generic interaction after they’ve signed up for a direct and personalized email dialogue with your brand?

Moreover, for brands dealing with customer service issues on social platforms, directing your happy email subscribers to a potential minefield of disgruntlement could backfire spectacularly. It’s a bit like inviting your friends over for a quiet chat and accidentally sending them to a bustling, noisy hall!

To Include or Not to Include?

Here’s the dilemma: those icons are rarely clicked. They sit there, gathering digital dust, because, honestly, if someone has committed to your email list, they’re already beyond casual social interactions with your brand. They want the real scoop, directly from you, not a superficial social media skim.

So, should these icons stay or go? In my case, I’m leaning towards streamlining my email footer. After all, if we’re already connecting in a meaningful way through email, let’s not dilute that with a detour to the less engaging realms of social media—unless, of course, there’s a specific, engaging reason to visit those pages, like a vibrant discussion or a can’t-miss event recap (in which case, that should be an item in your email newsletter).

Conclusion: Your Email, Your Rules

As we wrap up, here’s my take: evaluate the real value these icons are adding to your emails. Are they enhancing your communication and building deeper connections? Or are they just another checkbox in the email design template? Your email strategy should be as dynamic and thoughtful as your brand, so choose elements that truly amplify your message and resonate with your audience.

And with that, I’m off to reconsider the real estate at the bottom of my own newsletters. Maybe it’s time for a little spring cleaning! What do you think? Keep those social links or cut them loose? Let me know your thoughts!

Until next time, be safe, stay well,

jj

This post was originally published on April 16, 2024 on the Email Optimization Shop by Jeanne Jennings blog; if you enjoyed this post, check out the blog and subscribe to our free email newsletter to get even more great content for email marketing professionals.