User-generated content (UGC) offers brands a great way to promote their products while building relationships with customers. Not only that, UGC has also been shown to boost conversion rates.
Research from Yotpo shows that customers who view user-generated content before purchasing have a conversion rate of 5.6%, compared to just 2.1% for customers who did not see user-generated content.
This stat shows the effectiveness of UGC, but most brands solely use it in social media campaigns. However, this tactic can also be used to boost the performance of email marketing campaigns.
And in this article, we will look at the ways you can incorporate user-generated content in your email marketing and dive deeper into why it is so effective.
What is User-Generated Content?
User-generated content refers to any form of unsponsored content that consumers create about a brand’s product or service across social networks. This content can be anything from images and videos to posts, reviews, and testimonials.
For instance, when you share a photo of a cookie you just bought from a local bakery, that’s UGC. When someone shares a video on Facebook about their favorite lawnmower, that’s UGC.
UGC is often discovered when a brand comes across an Instagram post of a customer raving about their product. Other times, UGC is requested, like when a brand hosts a contest asking customers to share images of themselves using their product.
Regardless of how UGC is curated, it can be used by marketers to increase brand awareness, boost engagement, and serve as social proof.
Why User-Generated Content is Effective?
1. UGC is Trustworthy
People trust other consumers more than they trust brands. According to the Nielsen Consumer Trust Index, 92% of consumers trust earned media, like UGC, more than branded content.
Also, UGC serves as social proof, which is crucial for making purchase decisions, as 97% of people turn to other consumers to determine whether a product or service is worth the investment.
2. UGC is Cost-Effective
Marketers do not have to spend money before they’re able to carry out a UGC campaign. As consumers create the content, all you have to do is find the best UGC and include the content in your marketing campaigns.
The only time there will be a cost is when brands run a contest with the sole purpose of collecting user-generated content. Still, the cost of running a UGC campaign will be considerably cheaper than brands investing in photography of their products.
3. UGC Has High ROI
According to a UGC stats report from everyonesocial, UGC-based ads get 4x higher click-through rates than brand content ads. Also, campaigns and websites that include UGC see 29% higher web conversions. A good example of a UGC campaign with a high ROI is Coca-Cola’s ‘Share a Coke’ campaign.
Consumers were encouraged to find Coke drinks with their names on the bottle, then share images of themselves enjoying the drink using the hashtag #ShareaCoke.
This campaign led to millions of people seeing the hashtag worldwide and overall sales increased by 3 percent.
4. UGC is Scalable
One of the biggest challenges that marketers face is consistently creating relevant and personalized content for consumers. UGC tackles this challenge. Consumers themselves are the biggest content creators.
There are millions of people sharing user-generated content across social media channels every day, making UGC a self-refilling source of authentic and trusted content.
How to Incorporate User-Generated Content in Email Campaigns
As we’ve seen, UGC can be a very effective marketing tactic.
But how can marketers leverage user-generated content to boost the performance of their email marketing campaigns? Here are two ideas on how to incorporate UGC in email.
1. Show Off Your Customers’ Photos
Visual content like photos and videos are the most common type of UGC. They’re also the most engaging and are a great way to show how real people are using your products.
Tip: Including video files in your emails might make it bulky and can reduce your email deliverability. It’s best to stick to photos.
When satisfied customers share photos of your product on social media, take advantage of this and include these photos in relevant emails. For example, Nassau Paradise Island introduces their resort by sharing an image of a couple smiling along with the hashtag #ItsAlwaysBeenBetter.
They share images that real visitors to the beach have posted on Instagram and Facebook, showing recipients how beautiful the resort looks.
How UGC Compares to Stock Imagery
Studies show that user-generated content is more effective than stock content. Marketing Experiments ran an A/B test of their top-performing stock photo against a real photo of their customer to see which one performed better.
The test results showed that visitors who saw the image of the real customer were 35% more likely to sign up.
2. Include Customer Testimonials and Reviews
UGC can also come in the form of customer testimonials and reviews, which you can include in your emails to vouch for the quality of your product or services. When including reviews or testimonials in emails, choose the ones that show the value your product will add to the recipient’s life.
For example, Outer, in an email advertising their outdoor furniture, includes reviews that highlight how their furniture is comfortable, stylish, and functional. These reviews show potential customers the value that Outer’s products deliver, helping to build trust and drive sales.
To make your email marketing campaigns more impactful, incorporate UGC in your content to drive more engagement, clicks, and higher revenues. With Mail Niaga’s email marketing solutions, you can seamlessly integrate user-generated content into your emails.
Our platform offers tools to curate and showcase UGC, making it easier than ever to build trust and connect with your audience.
Explore Mail Niaga today and take your email marketing to the next level with the power of user-generated content. Visit our website or contact us to learn more.
