Miranda Paquet
Email and social media can be like the unruly siblings of online marketing.
Email, the oldest, is mature and reliable.
Social media, the wild child, is more outgoing and harder to pin down.
And all too often, the two bicker back and forth, fighting for attention.
But what if email marketing and social media could spend less time competing? Imagine the impact the two could have if they worked together to achieve a common goal.
Using a Facebook Ad to promote your email is one of the most effective ways to combine the power of email marketing and social media.
When you share your emails on Facebook, you’re keeping your fans up-to-date on all the great stuff you have going on at your business.
You’re extending your email’s reach and encouraging your fans on social media to sign up for your email list.
Running a Facebook Ad takes this one step further. By promoting an email on Facebook, your message will be seen by a whole new audience that is targeted based on the interests and behavior of your existing fan base.
But how do you know which emails are worth promoting?
Not every email you send out will be a good fit for a Facebook Ad. To have the best impact, you have to start with a goal in mind.
Do you want to get more people at an upcoming event? How about drive end-of-year sales or donations? Maybe you want to make a big announcement for a new product or service.
Whatever your goal is, offering timely and useful content with a clear call to action will get you the best results.
Here are four types of emails to promote on Facebook:
1. Seasonal offer
An email with a timely offer is a great way to attract attention for your business and drive sales. Think about what kind of discount you could offer — maybe it’s 15 percent off swimwear for summer or a free financial consultation during tax season.
Keep your content concise and make it easy for your readers to understand how they can take advantage of the offer.
You should also be careful with your timing — make sure your offer is still available for at least a week or two after you promote your email. You don’t want to disappoint fans with an expired offer.
Here’s an example from Feat on the Street:
2. Upcoming events
If you’ve got an event coming up, there’s a good chance you’ve been emailing your subscribers about all the details. Choosing to promote your email invitation could be the difference between a quiet event and a full house.
When you’re promoting an event-related email, double check that you’re including details like time, location, price, dress code, and contact information.
If event registration is required, make sure the registration link is prominently featured in the email and that users can sign-up easily from a mobile device.
Here’s how The ALS Association, Rocky Mountain Chapter promoted their event:
3. Major announcements
Promoting an email with a new product or service announcement will get the word out to a much larger audience.
Keep in mind that your announcement should make sense to an audience that hasn’t interacted with your business before.
For example, if you’re announcing new yoga classes at your studio include some photos of the studio and a link to your website and full class schedule. That way someone who has never interacted with your business before can get a good feel for what you have to offer.
OXXO Care Cleaners ran a Facebook Ad to promote an new interview with their company president:
4. Deadline reminders
Reminding your subscribers of deadlines is a great way to create a sense of urgency and drive action.
If you’re running a promotion for free 30-day trial, promote an email a couple weeks before the deadline. This might be the motivation people need to give your product or service a try.
First-time offers are ideal for Facebook Ads because you’re likely reaching people who are new to your business.
Here’s an example from Magyar Bank:
Get more from your emails.
Promoting your emails on Facebook is a great way to make sure two of your best marketing channels are working together towards a common goal.
Start by choosing the right email with a clear goal in mind. Then, make sure you’re also following these best practices:
- Use a mobile-friendly email template: A majority of Facebook visitors now come from mobile. Choose an email that can be read on any device.
- Customize your title and caption: Your title and caption will be one of the first things users will see. Make sure the copy of your ad aligns with your email’s call to action.
- Include a Join My Mailing List link in your email: Make it easy for a new audience member to sign up to receive future emails from your business.
(165)
