User-generated content is any form of content—posts, images, videos, reviews, etc.—that consumers create on social networks.
So what is it that makes this wealth of content so valuable to marketers? UGC has proven to be the most trusted, memorable, influential, and scalable form of content.
Here are a few ways in which to include user-generated content in your emails:
Provide visual inspiration
Visuals are so effective at breaking through the noise and staying at the front of people’s minds, they’re an incredibly effective form of inspiration for consumers. And what’s more inspirational than a beautiful travel photo?
Bring people power to promotional emails
There are seemingly endless kinds of promotional email campaigns marketers can run to re-engage audiences and drive sales. Yet the average person receives about 121 emails per day. So how can you start setting your promotional emails apart? By tapping into the power of people.
Include user-generated photos, videos, and testimonials to give life to your email campaign and evoke confidence in your brand.
Turn abandoned shopping carts into realized sales
Shopping cart abandonment is a problem that plagues most online retailers. People visit your site, add some items to their online cart, then exit your site before completing their purchase.
In cases where the shopper is known, email is often the most effective way to keep those items top of mind and bring that person back to complete their purchase. But, if you’re only featuring the same old images from your product page in those emails, you could be squandering a prime opportunity to make a sale.
To remedy this issue, consider pairing a fresh copy with authentic user-generated content.
Email is still one of the most powerful tools in marketers’ tool box, helping to educate, engage, promote, and sell to new and existing audiences.
Yet email marketers face a lot of the same challenges as broader digital marketing roles: a lack of compelling and unique content, an inability to create truly personalized experiences, and trouble creating meaningful connections with audiences.
User-generated content has been proven to help marketers overcome all of these email challenges in a way that’s scalable and sustainable.
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