Why Email is Still King
and Why Your List Matters More Than the Algorithm
If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably spent far too much time trying to work out what on earth the social media algorithms are doing.
One week your post gets hundreds of views, the next it vanishes into the void.
It’s frustrating, unpredictable, and honestly? exhausting.
Am I right?
That’s why I’ve become a big believer in email.
Not just for staying in touch, but for building something solid that doesn’t shift every time a tech platform sneezes.
Algorithms: A Moving Target
Let’s be honest.
Algorithms aren’t built for you or me.
They’re built to keep people on the platform, scrolling and swiping.
That means even if you’ve got something thoughtful or useful to share, it’s often buried beneath trending memes, ad content (the bain of my life), and whatever the machine thinks is more ‘engaging’ that day.
You can play the game.
Post more, use the right hashtags, tweak your titles, but you’re still building on someone else’s land.
And that land is always changing.
Email: Your Corner of the Internet
An email list, on the other hand, is yours.
If someone signs up, they want to hear from you.
There’s no gatekeeper between you and your readers.
No algorithm deciding if you’re worthy this week.
And while inboxes can be noisy too, emails still do feel personal.
It’s one of the last few places online where you can actually have a direct, one-to-one conversation without a third party trying to decide if it’s “relevant.”
That’s powerful.
The Pros (why I’m all-in on email)
You own your list – If the mighty X shuts down or Instagram changes again, your email list stays with you.
People see your content – No algorithms deciding if your story gets shown.
It builds trust – Readers get to know you in their inbox, not through fleeting posts.
It can grow slowly and steadily – You don’t need to go viral. You just need to connect.
And for creatives, writers, podcasters, and voice-over artists, it’s the perfect place to test ideas, share stories, and invite people behind the curtain.
These seemingly ordinary sounds can become the building blocks of a much deeper story.
Sometimes I’ll sit outside a café in Banja Luka, recorder running, just capturing the ebb and flow of daily life.
Trust me, it never fails to bring a new dimension to a blog or podcast episode.
The Cons (because nothing is magic)
It takes time – Building a list isn’t fast. It grows email by email, one real person at a time.
You need to actually write – Sounds obvious, but if you’re not consistent, people drift away.
Some folks won’t open it – That’s normal. Not everyone checks their inbox like clockwork.
But even with those downsides, email has become my anchor in a digital sea of ever shifting rules.
Final Thought
If you’re tired of chasing algorithms and just want to connect with real people who care about what you do, start building that list.
It doesn’t have to be fancy. Just start.
Share a story, offer something useful, be yourself.
You don’t need thousands of followers.
You need your people.
And email?
It’s still the best way to find them.
And if you want a bit of guidance or inspiration, I offer simple, one-to-one training to help you use audio creatively and confidently.
Drop me a message if you'd like to know more.
