8 Proven Ways to Leverage UGC in Emails

☕ The Growth Espresso Edition #79

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🗓️ Monday, 24th Jun 2024

Hi, and welcome back to Growth Espresso - your one-stop destination for everything e-com.

Whenever I shop online, I only make the final purchase decision after checking customer reviews on the website and social platforms. In fact, I'm not alone; 93% of customers do the same. This highlights the immense influence of User-Generated Content (UGC).

UGC is trending because customers trust the opinions of other customers more than any marketing message. In today's competitive market, not leveraging UGC means missing out on potential revenue and giving your competitors an advantage. It's time to correct that oversight.

In today’s edition, I aim to help you start generating profits through UGC. Whether you're just beginning or already have customers talking about your brand online, this guide will help you boost your sales. We'll also explore top UGC examples from leading brands to inspire your strategy.

Let’s dive in!

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1. Shokz – Showcase Favorite Creators

User-generated content works across all stages of the funnel.

Shokz, (previously Aftershokz) features influences who advocate Shokz’s products actively in their emails. 

The goal here is to drive engagement and consideration.

💡 Pro Tip: Introduce your favorite creators one by one in a dedicated email series—showcase their stories, and pair product recommendations.

2. Urban Outfitters – Tell Them What’s In Trend

Telling them what’s trending = Letting customers choose their journey.

Urban Outfitters does the same by bringing users product recommendations in their emails.

💡 Pro Tip: Encourage subscribers to guess the next big trend based on user-generated content clues, with winners receiving early access to trend-aligned products.

3. Bored Cow – Incorporate Reviews Visually

This strategy is the most common yet the most effective way to use user-generated content to drive conversions.

Bored Cow is back again as an example, because of the way they use reviews in pre-purchase emails.

💡 Pro Tip: Ensure that your product page contains the same review as well—which helps drive the social proof.

4. Zero Acre Farms – Feature Recipes From Customers

Zero Acre Farms drives re-engagement emails with recipes from customers. 

💡 Pro Tip: Lead to recipe pages that offer pre-packaged kits containing all the ingredients needed to recreate popular user-generated recipes featured in emails.

5. Windsor – Feature BTS Content

The best way to humanize your brand is to show what happens behind the scenes.

On clicking on the email, users are taken to a shoppable live stream.

In this live stream, Windsor leads users to a celebration of an influencer’s prom by featuring a behind-the-scenes video.

💡 Pro Tip: Encourage subscribers to create DIY projects using your products in exchange for a chance to be featured.

6. Flaunt – Use Them For Upselling

Flaunt’s user-generated content drives the upsell email.

Note that the product on offer is extremely exclusive and has a premium price point. 

💡 Pro Tip: Launch a drip campaign and feature two user-curated product bundles in an email and ask subscribers to vote for their favorite. Offer the winning bundle at a discounted price for a limited time.

7. Silent Theory – Show Customers Wearing New Arrivals

Silent Theory uses customers as models in their product launch emails.

💡 Pro Tip: Utilize subscriber data to recommend trend-based products that align with their previous purchases, increasing the likelihood of successful conversions.

8. Awe – Use Influencers As Inspiration

This particular example from Awe is among the best user generated content examples—here's why:

This email can work as upselling, re-engagement, and win-back emails, all at the same time. 

💡 Pro Tip: Drive the open rate by adding a quote from an influencer like “I thought this wasn’t that good, but…”

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