Email marketing remains one of the most effective channels for driving engagement and revenue in today’s competitive digital landscape. However, with inboxes more crowded than ever, ensuring your emails land in the primary inbox—not the spam folder—is a constant challenge. Using cold email outbound software that are designed to optimize email deliverability while seamlessly integrating with social media strategies is the best bet.
In this blog post, we’ll explore how Smartlead — a cold email outbound tool – can help you leverage social media tactics to supercharge your email deliverability, backed by actionable tips, real-world examples, and data-driven insights.
Why Email Deliverability Matters
Before diving into tactics, let’s address the elephant in the room: email deliverability. Simply put, deliverability refers to the ability of your emails to reach your subscribers’ inboxes. Poor deliverability can sabotage even the most well-crafted campaigns, costing you opens, clicks, and conversions.
21% of emails never reach the inbox. Factors like spam complaints, low engagement, and poor list quality can tank your deliverability. That’s where Smartlead comes in. By combining advanced deliverability tools with social media integration, Smartlead ensures your emails reach the inbox and resonate with your audience.
1. Building a Quality Email List with Smartlead and Social Media
A clean, engaged email list is the foundation of strong deliverability. Here’s how Smartlead helps you grow your list using social media:
Promote Lead Magnets
Lead magnets—free resources like eBooks, templates, or webinars—are a proven way to attract high-quality subscribers.
- Example: Neil Patel grew his email list by 10,000 subscribers in 30 days by promoting a free SEO guide on LinkedIn and Twitter.
- Why it works: Lead magnets boost conversion rates by 50%+.
Use Smartlead to track which social platforms drive the most sign-ups. By analyzing UTM-tagged links, you can double down on high-performing channels.
Host Social Media Contests
Contests and giveaways are a fun way to grow your list while boosting brand visibility.
- Example: Fashion Nova added 200,000+ subscribers in one month by hosting an Instagram giveaway requiring email sign-ups.
Use Smartlead’s segmentation tools to create a “Contest Participants” list. Send tailored email follow-ups to keep these subscribers engaged.
Run Targeted Social Ads
Social ads are a powerful way to reach lookalike audiences and drive sign-ups.
- Example: Shopify used Facebook lookalike audiences to acquire subscribers with 3x higher open rates than average.
- Why it works: Social ads have a 1.3% average CTR (vs. 0.6% for display ads).
Sync your social ad campaigns with Smartlead’s analytics dashboard to measure ROI and optimize ad spend.
2. Boosting Email Engagement Through Social Media
Engagement is a key factor in email deliverability. If subscribers consistently open, click, and interact with your emails, inbox providers are more likely to route your messages to the primary inbox.
Tease Email Content on Social Platforms
Create anticipation by sharing snippets of your email content on social media.
- Example: HubSpot saw a 30% lift in email opens by sharing LinkedIn article snippets like, “This week’s email reveals 3 secrets to viral content.”
- Why it works: Teasers create FOMO—emails with urgency see 20% higher engagement.
Smartlead’s A/B testing feature can help you determine which teasers drive the most opens.
Leverage Polls for Content Ideas
Ask your social media followers what they want to see in your emails.
- Example: BuzzFeed uses Twitter polls to crowdsource topics, resulting in 40% higher CTR for emails aligned with voter preferences.
- Why it works: Polls drive 25% more engagement than standard social posts (Twitter Business).
Sync poll results with Smartlead’s segmentation feature to send hyper-relevant emails.
Re-engage Inactive Subscribers via Social Ads
Retarget lapsed subscribers with social ads offering exclusive incentives.
- Example: Airbnb reactivated 15% of dormant users by retargeting them with Instagram ads offering “Last Chance” discounts.
- Why it works: 45% of inactive subscribers re-engage after targeted social retargeting.
Use Smartlead’s re-engagement workflows to automate follow-ups with reactivated subscribers.
3. Leveraging Social Proof & Trust
Trust is critical for both email sign-ups and deliverability. Social proof—like testimonials and user-generated content (UGC)—can help build that trust. UGC content creators can really make a difference by sharing genuine, real-life experiences that connect with your audience.
Share User-Generated Content (UGC)
Repost customer testimonials or reviews that mention your emails.
- Example: GoPro’s #GoProAwards campaign drove 30% email list growth by reposting customer videos and tagging contributors in emails.
- Why it works: UGC posts earn 6.9x higher engagement than non-UGC.
Smartlead’s analytics will help you track how UGC impacts email engagement metrics like opens and clicks.
Highlight Email-Exclusive Offers
Promote discounts or content that is available only via email on your social profiles.
- Example: Sephora promotes “Email-Only 24-Hour Flash Sales” on TikTok, leading to a 20% redemption rate (vs. 5% for regular campaigns).
- Why it works: 60% of consumers sign up for emails to access exclusive discounts.
Use Smartlead’s automation to send exclusive offers to segmented lists.
4. Monitoring & Optimization
Deliverability isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it metric. Continuous monitoring and optimization are essential.
Track Social Campaigns with UTM Parameters
Use UTMs to identify which social platforms drive the most engaged subscribers.
- Example: Canva used UTM-tagged Pinterest ads to increase email conversions by 25%.
- Why it works: In a HubSpot report, 70% of marketers say UTMs improve campaign attribution.
Sync UTM data with Smartlead’s analytics dashboard for real-time insights.
Segment Lists by Social Source
Tailor email content based on where subscribers joined (e.g., Instagram vs. LinkedIn).
- Example: Adobe segmented LinkedIn-acquired subscribers into a “B2B” email flow, achieving a 22% higher click-through rate.
- Why it works: Segmented campaigns generate 39% higher open rates (MarketingProfs).
Use Smartlead’s segmentation feature to create highly targeted email flows.
Monitor Social Mentions for Issues
Use tools like Hootsuite to catch complaints about missing emails.
- Example: Nike reduced spam complaints by 40% after addressing delivery issues flagged on Twitter.
- Why it works: 83% of customers expect brands to respond to complaints within 24 hours (Khoros).
Use Smartlead’s email deliverability monitoring tools to identify and resolve issues before they escalate.
5. Integration & Synergy
The true power of Smartlead lies in its ability to seamlessly integrate email and social media efforts.
Cross-Promote Preference Centers
Let subscribers control their email preferences directly from your social profiles.
- Example: Spotify added “Manage Email Preferences” to their Instagram bio, reducing unsubscribe rates by 18%.
- Why it works: 30% of users update preferences when given control.
Sync Email and Social Content Calendars
Align email launches with social media announcements.
- Example: Hootsuite repurposed webinar emails into LinkedIn carousels, driving 35% more registrations.
- Why it works: Consistent cross-channel messaging boosts brand recall by 80% (CoSchedule).
Smartlead’s scheduling and time zone features help you coordinate email and social campaigns effortlessly.
Conclusion
Email deliverability is a make-or-break factor for any marketing campaign. By leveraging Smartlead’s advanced tools and integrating proven social media tactics, you can ensure your emails reach the inbox and drive meaningful engagement.
From building a quality email list to boosting engagement and leveraging social proof, Smartlead empowers you to optimize every step of the process. Ready to take your email deliverability to the next level? Start with Smartlead today and see the difference for yourself.
Brands integrating social media and email marketing see 50% faster email list growth and 2x higher deliverability rates (HubSpot).
Don’t let your emails get lost in the spam folder—let Smartlead help you stand out in the inbox. Try their 14-day free trial to see for yourself.
