Instead of making email obsolete, the extensive use of social media has made email an even more valuable channel. Social media gives marketers another option for engaging with their communities and reduces “email fatigue.” Leveraging social media also allows marketers to personalize the conversation and make it more targeted.

Below are six essential tactics marketers can use to integrate social media and email to improve their overall marketing results.

1. Use a Social Sign-on. Use a social sign-on on your forms to capture your prospects’ email address to increase email subscription rates. Make it effortless for your visitors by allowing them to opt in via social networks with a click of a button.

2. Add Email Opt-in Offers to Updates. Add a direct call-to-action for prospects to sign up for your email newsletter in your mix of regularly tweeted content. Below are a few ideas to build your email list using Twitter:

• Direct call to action (including benefits of joining) to sign up for emails from your company;
• Gated content that requires a form completion before accessing the additional full version;
• Sweepstakes, promotions and contests that require registration; and
• Email-only promotions with a reminder to sign up for the email to participate in the exclusive offer.

3. Include Social Network Icons in Emails. Adding social network icons to your emails and allowing subscribers to share content will increase virility and will also maximize your reach per email. Include them in the header or footer to ensure they are bold and visible. By making your email content easily sharable, you can reach a new audience by tapping into your email subscribers’ network. The more people who share your email, the more opportunity for other people to read your message and become subscribers.

4. Coordinate Marketing Channels for Integrated Marketing Campaigns. Engage with your community across email and social channels. When you add new opt-in subscribers from social media, follow up by sending them an email. Make sure you have tracking and analytics in place to help you understand in what channels your audience prefers to engage with your company/brand.

5. Add an Email Opt-in Form on Your Facebook Page. According to a Silverpop study, only 10 percent of brands currently use Facebook to increase email subscribers. This is a clear, low-hanging opportunity to turn your Facebook fans into new subscribers. You can either create a Facebook app with a form or simply create a Facebook post with a call to action to subscribe to your email newsletter.

6. Send Dedicated Emails. Directly ask your subscribers to follow your brand on Twitter, “Like” your brand on Facebook or follow your company on LinkedIn. Be sure to describe the benefit they will get from taking the next step of connecting with you on that social network.

While many marketers use both social media and email in their marketing campaigns, most companies are missing out on the benefits of integrating the two channels. With integration between your social media and email efforts, you can achieve even greater results.

Jennifer Wong is a digital marketing specialist at Seattle-based B-to-B inbound marketing software provider Optify. Reach her at jennifer@optify.net.