Email has become one of the most popular forms of communication in today’s marketplace. Whether it’s a new sale announcement or a monthly newsletter, email offers a consistent and reliable way for brands to communicate with their target audience.
Unfortunately, with the increased popularity of email marketing comes the problem of inbox saturation. With every company sending emails, consumers may feel overwhelmed by the volume of promotional content in their inbox. How do you set your email campaign apart from the others? Consumer-generated content is a great place to start! Consumer-generated content helps companies connect with customers, build brand loyalty, and crowd-source new content. I have found that there are a few unique ways that businesses can incorporate consumer-generated content into their email campaigns.
Customer Reviews
Customer reviews are already a great way to receive feedback, but have you ever considered using them in your companies promotional email? Consumers are known to trust the advice of other customers over the word of a company. Businesses can use this knowledge by incorporating real, unedited customer reviews into their emails to showcase products. Showing off a recent 5-star review next to a picture of your product will encourage your audience to read and engage with the content. Seeing what real people are saying about your product/service will resonate better with your audience and give them a more authentic impression of your business. This strategy has been used frequently on company social media pages and digital ads, where the product is shown next to a customer’s comment or on their profile. Showcasing how consumers are using and loving your product will capture more positive attention from your audience. Companies can pair these reviews with customer behavior information such as “best-selling” and “back-in-stock” to help further the authenticity of the review.
Consumer Images
If you have consumers posting pictures and videos of your content – use it to your advantage! Consumers use social media to capture moments of their life, which includes engaging with their favourite products. Featuring customer-created images can help a company build new relationships and even turn a brand user into a brand advocate. For example, clothing companies can show images of real people wearing and styling their products. Not only does this showcase authentic customer satisfaction, but it also encourages buyers to post more pictures. This source of content is received well by consumers and helps to generate free content for your campaign. Depending on how you plan to use the image (for example: selling a new product), you should ask the original poster for consent. If social media posts are uncommon for your brand, you can encourage consumers to create posts of themselves enjoying the product/service as part of a contest, with the winner getting a prize and featured in your next email! This is a great way to engage with consumers and generate content at the same time.
Survey results
Ask the questions, use the answers! People are often willing to fill out a survey if there’s an incentive involved (example: 10% off next purchase). Including a survey in your email and asking customers to give their opinions regarding your product/service is a great way to get people engaging with your email. Brands can use the information to create consumer-generated information for the following email. Showing the outcome of survey results and how your company will use the information is a great way to make consumers feel included in your marketing process. Brands can transform their results into visual content like an infographic. Infographics help the reader stay engaged and provide visual context for data, making it more accessible to consumers.
As one of today’s most popular forms of marketing communications, email is a reliable way to reach your target audience. Get your email seen and heard by your target audience by incorporating their content into your next campaign. User-generated content can improve email success without the hassle of curating original conten