Should Small Business Owners Still Have an Email List in 2025?
Spoiler alert: Yes. And not just because “email is still king” (yawn, we’ve heard it). But because in 2025, your email list might be the only piece of marketing real estate you actually own.
If you're a small business owner, social media manager, or creative entrepreneur who's been pouring energy into Instagram, TikTok, or threads trying to grow… this post is your friendly wake-up call — and your action plan.
Why Email Still Matters in 2025 (Even If You Have a Small Following)
Here’s the thing: platforms change, algorithms shift, and engagement drops like it’s hot. Email, though? Still solid. Here's why:
👉 Your email list = your direct line. No middleman. No algorithm deciding who sees your content. If someone signs up, you get to actually show up in their inbox.
👉 Email gets better reach than social. Instagram’s average reach is 10% (source: Hootsuite). Email? 80-90% of subscribers see your subject line (source: Your Social Team's guide).
👉 Small lists can make big money. You don’t need thousands of subscribers to sell out offers or build relationships. You just need the right subscribers, consistently hearing from you.
But Is Email Still Effective With All These New Platforms?
Short answer: yes. Long answer: especially now.
📉 Social platforms are crowded and volatile. Threads takes off, then fizzles. TikTok gets banned in one country, boosted in another. Instagram buries your posts behind 47 ads.
📈 Email remains stable, searchable, and personal. You can segment, personalize, and automate it in a way social media cannot compete with. And it’s yours — nobody can take it away.
What If I'm Just Starting or Haven’t Sent an Email in Months?
You’re not behind — you’re in exactly the right place to start (or restart) with more strategy and less stress.
Most of our members inside Your Inbox Team didn’t start with a big list. Many had ghosted their subscribers for months. But once they had done-for-you templates and matching graphics that made email take 15 minutes or less, they finally got consistent.
👉 If you’re brand new or rebuilding, grab our free guide: How to Get Your Next 100 Email Subscribers. It’s packed with real-world strategies that don’t require a huge following or ad budget.
What Kinds of Emails Should I Even Send?
This is where most people get stuck. You know email is valuable, but the blank screen feels scary.
Here are a few starter ideas that work great in 2025:
🔥 A “you might’ve missed this” email with your best recent post or offer
🔥 A quick tip that solves a common pain point your audience has
🔥 A short story or client win, with a CTA to your offer
🔥 A helpful resource roundup — even if it’s not your own content
The key? Keep it simple. Personal is better than perfect. Showing up beats sitting in overthinking.
What’s the ROI on Email vs. Social Media?
Let’s talk numbers:
📬 Email marketing averages $36 for every $1 spent (source: Litmus)
📱 Instagram’s ROI is harder to track — and much lower unless you’re running paid ads
Even if you're only sending one email a week, with just 100 subscribers, you have way more opportunity to drive sales and connection than relying on random reach.
How to Build or Rebuild Your List in 2025
You don’t need to create a brand-new funnel or launch a freebie to get started.
Try one of these low-lift strategies from our community:
👉 DM 5 people a day who engage with your content and personally invite them to your list
👉 Switch your bio link from “link in bio” to your email sign-up for one week
👉 Share a behind-the-scenes story in your email that you don’t post on socials
Want more like this? The free guide to get your next 100 subscribers includes 13 creative strategies (no ads, no complicated tech).
What If I Don’t Have Time for Weekly Emails?
You don’t need a copywriter. You don’t need a VA. You just need a the right templates.
That’s exactly what Your Inbox Team gives you:
💌 A weekly done-for-you email templates inside a Google Doc you can customize in 5 minutes (we send all weekly emails for the month at once on the first day of each month)
🎨 Matching Canva graphics for your headers or footers and email images to make your emails on brand and easier to read
⏳ Consistency without the “what do I even say?” spiral
Whether your list is 12 people or 1,200, this is how you keep showing up — and converting — without burning out. Because the few people in your email list are your hottest leads.
TL;DR: Should You Still Have an Email List in 2025?
✅ Yes — especially if you're growing a business and don’t want to rely solely on social
✅ It’s still the highest-ROI marketing tool available
✅ You don’t need a big audience to get started
✅ You do need a simple system to stay consistent
Start with our free guide to get your next 100 subscribers, and let email work for you — not just sit on your someday list.
Want a step-by-step guide to growing and nurturing your small business or creator email list?
Download my FREE Email Marketing Starter Kit now and start growing your list today!
👉 Download the Free Guide
For more email marketing tips for small businesses and creators, make sure you’re following us on Instagram @yourinboxteam
