TL;DR: Social media platforms rise and fall, but email remains the backbone of digital connection. It was the first social network, and it’s still the most reliable, owned, and effective one today. Forget chasing the latest “email killer.” Your inbox is the original — and undefeated — champion.Every few years, someone declares email dead. And every few years, email laughs, pours another cup of coffee, and checks in with a few billion people before lunch.
We’ve heard it all before. Slack was going to kill email. Then Teams. Then Discord. Then DMs on Twitter, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, and whatever the next “must-have” messaging app is. And yet here we are, decades later, still emailing links, intros, updates, and cat memes.
Why? Because email isn’t just communication — it’s the original social network.
Before “Social Media” Was a Thing, Email Was the Thing
Cast your mind back to the early days of the web — before likes, follows, and algorithmic feeds. If you found something cool online, how did you share it?
You emailed it.
In fact, a 2009 MarketingSherpa survey showed that 78% of people shared links by email — more than three times the number who used social media at the time. Even as Facebook and Twitter were exploding, email remained the heavyweight champ of online sharing.
That’s because it was built for it. Email has always been inherently social. You connect directly with people. You start conversations. You share stories, photos, jokes, and ideas. And you do it without a platform trying to throttle your reach, insert ads, or manipulate the timeline.
Email’s Superpower: Ownership
One of the biggest reasons email refuses to die is simple: you own it.
Your email list is your audience. It’s not rented space on someone else’s server. It’s not subject to sudden algorithm changes, policy shifts, or shareholder whims. It’s a direct line from you to the people who actually want to hear from you.
Try saying that about your social followers. One tweak to the feed, one new CEO with “fresh ideas,” and suddenly your reach evaporates overnight. Meanwhile, your newsletter still lands in inboxes — rain or shine.
The Platform That Never Needed a Platform
Think about it: every major social platform eventually tries to reinvent email. They add private messaging. They create groups. They build newsletters. Even LinkedIn now has “inbox-style” features.
Why? Because the fundamentals of email work.
• It’s asynchronous — people reply when they’re ready.
• It’s permission-based — they opt in, and they can opt out.
• It’s portable — you can change providers, clients, or devices, and it still works.
• And it scales — one message can reach 10 people or 10 million.
No algorithm. No gatekeeper. Just connection.
The Undead King of the Internet
If social platforms are pop stars — shiny, trendy, and often short-lived — email is that legendary rock band still selling out arenas 40 years later. It’s seen every “email killer” come and go: MySpace, Friendster, Google+, Ello, Clubhouse, Threads… the list is longer than most spam folders.
Email just keeps touring.
And it’s evolving, too. HTML newsletters, automation, personalization, segmentation — email marketing today is more powerful and sophisticated than ever. But at its core, it’s still the same simple, reliable idea: write something worth reading, send it to someone who cares.
The Inbox Revolution (Again)
If you’re building a business, trying to grow an audience, or simply want to share ideas that actually get seen, email isn’t just relevant — it’s essential. It’s the original one-to-one-to-many distribution system, and it’s still the most cost-effective, high-ROI channel in digital marketing.
So next time someone tries to sell you on the “next big thing” in social, just smile and nod. Then go back to doing what works.
Because the inbox isn’t going anywhere — and neither is the power that comes with it.
Ans as always …
StayFrosty!
~ James
Q&A Summary:
Q: What was the first social network?
A: The first social network was email.
Q: Why is email considered a social network?
A: Email is considered a social network because it allows direct connection with people, start conversations, and share stories, photos, jokes, and ideas without the interference of a platform.
Q: What is the main advantage of email over other social networks?
A: The main advantage of email over other social networks is the ownership. Your email list is your own audience, not rented space on someone else’s server. It’s not subject to sudden algorithm changes, policy shifts, or shareholder whims.
Q: Why do social platforms try to reinvent email?
A: Social platforms try to reinvent email because the fundamentals of email work. It’s asynchronous, permission-based, portable, and scalable.
Q: What is the Inbox Revolution?
A: The Inbox Revolution refers to the enduring relevance and power of email, particularly for businesses and individuals trying to grow an audience or share ideas. It's seen as the original one-to-one-to-many distribution system and is considered highly effective.
