Images, product photos and customer reviews are by far one of the things brands struggle with the most. Even brands with hundreds of product images find, after email marketing for some time, that they run low on content.
The fear of recycling imagery can become stressful. Plus, it can be challenging to develop unique, eye-catching emails when your graphic content starts feeling static.
But if you don’t have the time (or funds) to continually produce product imagery. What do you do? The answer is simpler than you think. It’s asking your customers to help out!
Did you know that UGC, as opposed to professional photography, can achieve over 4 times higher click rates and 30% increases in conversions (Marketing LTB)?
This is because the content feels more real, attainable and achievable, and thankfully, you can develop UGC easily with the right email flows.
Keep reading to find out how!
The Ask: Gaining UGC
Some standout customers will send you images as soon as they receive your product, especially if they love it. But this is not the case for every customer. Some need a push!
Asking your customers in emails is one way to do this. A simple ‘tag us on Instagram’ with a link to your profile can be a great way to help your customers feel like micro-influencers. However, you don’t need to stop there!
If your goal is to generate a heavy stream of UGC, you can also provide rewards for uploaded content. Rather than a tag, ask the customer to upload content via a link or survey.
Using tools like Typeform will allow you to immediately provide a discount code or gift at the receipt of the photos! If you don’t want to give too much away, you can also host a monthly competition, which requires product images as an entry ‘payment.’
Try various methods with your database until you find what works. All customers will respond differently to your requests, so testing is critical.
The Best Flows To Insert a UGC Request
UGC requests can be quite a forward ask, even when you are incorporating discounts and potential prizes with them. So, you don’t want to ask in every email.
Instead, request content strategically, and at a time when customers can offer support. For example, you wouldn’t want to ask for content from a customer who has yet to purchase from you or has only just purchased recently.
This can make them feel like you are more interested in the value of their transaction over the value of their experience.
Focus on inserting your requests where they make the most logical sense. For example, your post-purchase flow for a customer who has already purchased once before.
Chances are, even if your item is perishable, they took a photo of it when it arrived! This means that while they wait for their next order, they can share their experience with you and with their networks.
You may also consider asking in a review flow, purchase anniversary flow or winback flow, as these series all assume that your customer has placed at least one order in the past.
Consider Your Demographics
Some products will not be for audiences who are heavy social media users. For them, sharing on Instagram will not be feasible, and therefore, you won’t generate high UGC, no matter how good your ask.
For these customers, asking for email replies or survey submissions are the best ways to generate the results you’re looking for.
As we mentioned above, testing is everything, too! Ask 50% of your customers to reply via email with photos and 50% to share on Instagram, and compare results. This will give you the most genuine understanding of where you will generate the best UGC in the long run.
We Can Assist You In Generating Content
Want an email strategy that’s proven to improve UGC to ensure your campaigns always remain vibrant? The Email By Design team is here to help. Contact us today to get started on your email marketing uplift.
