Savvy businesses are using social media and email marketing to promote their business online. Savvier businesses are using social media WITH email marketing. What do I mean by with?

Integrate

When designing your next html email, think about ways to integrate social media into the email. There are a couple ways to do this. You can add “share” icons/links to your stories. For example, when someone reads an article in your email, give the reader the opportunity to share it in social media. Some simple links to share on Facebook, Twitter, Digg, etc. at the bottom of your articles makes it easy for the reader to share your content.

Add your social media profile links in your email as well. You may have a Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn profile for your business. I’m sure you are always looking for ways to increase the number of qualified followers to your profiles, so link them. Adding simple “connect with us” icons/links to your profiles encourages your readers to network with you through social media. This gives you the opportunity to network with those who have already shown interest in you and your industry.

Reach

Encouraging your readers to share your content through social media increases the reach of your messages. Say for example you are emailing 1,000 people. Your reach is pretty much capped at 1,000 unless you are lucky enough to get a couple forwards here and there. When you encourage your readers to share your content, your content now has the opportunity to spread through each readers social network. And if anyone in their social network shares it, well, you probably see where I’m going with this. Don’t limit yourself. Give your content the chance to go viral.

Grow

Integrating social media into your email marketing strategy helps you grow your network. It gives you the opportunity to increase your following on each social network you include as well as provides you the chance to grow your email subscriber list as well. Syndicating your content through social media increases readers. These new readers may sign-up for your email newsletters too. Combining the two helps you grow your email subscribers and your social networks simultaneously.

Blog

A third element you can add to the mix is your blog. You can host your full articles on your blog. You should also feature a newsletter sign-up prominently on your blog. This will help you convert a percentage of your social media visitors to email subscribers. Also, include your social media profile links and social sharing links as well.

See how email marketing, social media and blogging can all sync? Each one of these tools are powerful in their own right, but when you integrate them together, you can really maximize your content and brand exposure.

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