Forget Social Media: Email is the Real Winner in 2025

With the constant back-and-forth about a potential TikTok ban in 2025, it’s a wake-up call for anyone who’s built their business solely on social media. Platforms come and go, algorithms change overnight, and accounts can get suspended for no reason. But there’s one thing that has remained constant in digital marketing: email.

A Lesson Learned the Hard Way

Back in 2019, a fresh college graduate with a passion for entrepreneurship decided to avoid the traditional 9-to-5 grind. Armed with a Facebook Ads course, he started running campaigns for clients and making a few thousand dollars a month—enough to live on his own terms.

Then, disaster struck. A client called with the dreaded “We need to talk.” Despite improving their cost per acquisition and generating more leads, the ads weren’t translating into revenue. The reason? Their emails were going straight to spam.

At that moment, he made a bold move: “No. You can’t fire me. I’m going to figure this out.” With no prior email expertise, he dove headfirst into the world of deliverability, brand voice, and email marketing strategy. By the end of the summer, the client’s email revenue skyrocketed from $13,000 to $51,000 per month. That success led to the creation of a full-fledged email marketing business, which has since driven over $200 million in revenue for clients.

Social Media vs. Email: The Long-Term Winner

Social media is a powerful tool, but it’s rented space. Your account, followers, and engagement are controlled by an algorithm that can change at any moment. Organic reach is shrinking every year, and platforms like Facebook and Instagram continue to push businesses toward paid ads to get visibility.

Email, on the other hand, is an owned asset. When someone joins your email list, you have a direct line to them. No algorithm, no platform restrictions—just you and your audience.

According to a report by Litmus, email marketing generates an average return of $36 for every $1 spent. Compare that to the rising cost of digital ads, and the difference is clear.

The Takeaway

Social media should absolutely be a part of your marketing strategy, but it should never be the foundation. If you’re not actively growing and leveraging an email list, you’re playing a risky game. Just like Gary Vee preaches posting every day, you should be emailing every day too.

In 2025 and beyond, one thing remains true: email will always be more powerful than social media.