Over the past two years consumer needs have continuously changed, along with marketing resource, budgets, and strategies.

User generated content is something that email marketers can use to their advantage during times of uncertainty. Using this content takes little budget or resource. And can directly address consumers’ wants, even during turbulent times.

1.

Product Promotion

Who better to promote your products than your customers?

They provide objective opinions, new product shots and videos, benefits that you may not have even thought about, and reassurance to your audience.

In the world of Instagram and iPhones, great photography has never been more accessible to the masses. In fact, some of the photography seen on social networks can rival that of professionals.

So encourage your users to post about your products on their social media channels. This could be with the use of a hashtag or tagging. And in return, offer a feature in your email campaigns.

This is great free content for your emails, and the perfect way to get your customers involved.

Of course, your customers may need a little more of a nudge to get creative. In which case, refer back to your email and social media campaigns to encourage customers to post about your products. And utilise this content for promotional purposes.

2022 User Generated Content Playbook for Email Marketers

2.

Reviews and testimonials

More than 25% of product searches, particularly those looking for recommendations and reviews, are happening on social media channels instead of traditional search engines.

This clearly shows the power of social recommendations.

Your happy customers can offer a wealth of UGC in the form of reviews and testimonials, to reassure potential customers and offer an objective opinion on your products and services.

And this content can be found in many different places. Firstly, you may gather your own reviews and testimonials that you feature on your website. Or, maybe you have an account with a review platform such as Trustpilot or TripAdvisor. But also don’t forget that the content that your customers feature on their social networks will also include reviews and testimonials of your brand and product.

You may even find product demos and inboxing videos too.

All of this content can be featured within your email campaigns. You can pepper them throughout your email in the form of quotes. Or even create dedicated email campaigns to feature images and links to your customers’ social pages.

2022 User Generated Content Playbook for Email Marketers

3.

Happy customers entice others

Consumers buy into lifestyles, which is why influencers have grown in popularity at such a scale when it comes to marketing and advertising. In fact, 49% of consumers depend on influencer recommendations to make a purchase.

So feature your happy customers in your email campaigns. These individuals will be more relatable than using models. And you may even have the opportunity to work with customers who are influential online.

Seeing others customers enjoying your product will build trust and credibility in your brand. And reassure those who are considering purchasing from you.

Even better, it can trigger a feeling of FOMO in your potential customers. Who won’t want to miss out.

2022 User Generated Content Playbook for Email Marketers

4.

Community builds loyalty

For some consumers, it’s been almost two years of feeling disconnected from their friends, family, colleagues, and loved ones.

So it’s perhaps unsurprising that consumers are craving community.

It is no longer enough to simply offer great products at great prices. Consumers want a positive purchasing experience. They want to feel a connection with the brand they are buying from, and their wider audience.

But building a community can be a long process. However, UGC can streamline this in terms of time, resource, and cost.

You can utilise the UGC that you have gathered to build a sense of community through your email marketing. Encouraging your recipients to get involved and engage with you through other channels where your customers frequent.

And then when your community is growing, you will have yet another source of fantastic UGC which is easily accessible and sharable. The bigger your community gets, the easier it is to grow.

Read the full guide on User Generated Content Here

2022 User Generated Content Playbook for Email Marketers