UGC in Action: 5 Ways to Enhance Your Email & SMS Campaigns

UGC isn’t just social proof... it’s your most powerful retention tool. The trick is knowing how to collect it consistently and weave it into the right moments across email and SMS.

This morning, we're breaking down five ways to turn customer love into conversion fuel.

👉 Let’s dive in.

$15.7 billion. Gone before it’s unboxed.

In 2024 alone, porch pirates stole 241 million packages... costing Americans $15.7 billion and crushing shopper confidence in ecommerce.

Omnisend’s latest research digs into how deep the problem runs, and what it means for brands footing the bill.

Inside the report:

• Which states lose the most to porch piracy (and which barely feel it)

• How shoppers are changing habits (from refunds to pickup lockers)

• Why delivery confidence could be the next big ecommerce battleground

The takeaway?

Package theft isn’t just a logistics issue... it’s a retention issue.

UGC in Action: 5 Ways to Enhance Your Email & SMS Campaigns

You’ve probably heard this before: your best marketers are your customers.

But most brands still treat user-generated content (UGC) like an optional cherry on top.

In reality, UGC is one of the most powerful retention levers you have. Done right, it proves your product works, and keeps customers talking about you long after checkout.

Here are five ways to collect and use UGC for growth.

1. Build a UGC Machine

Relying on organic customer posts alone is risky – some months you’ll get a flood, others a trickle. The key is building systems that capture content consistently.

Here are some ideas to try:

• Trigger post-purchase review requests with photo/video uploads.

• Add a simple “Share your unboxing” CTA with a branded hashtag.

• Run seasonal or themed UGC campaigns (e.g., “Holiday Looks with [Brand]”).

• Offer small incentives like discount codes, loyalty points, or features on your site/email to encourage submissions.

Think of it as a content flywheel: every purchase should feed fresh UGC back into your marketing.

2. Use Customer Reviews In Your Campaigns

Don’t just stick reviews on your product pages (although definitely do that too).

They’re retention and acquisition gold, so use them everywhere. Sprinkle them in your emails, texts, pop-ups, social media posts… you name it.

Here are some ideas to try:

• Drop a rave review into reorder reminders (“This serum cleared my skin in two weeks”).

• Use review snippets in cart abandonment emails to ease doubts.

• Pair educational content with reviews that reinforce your advice.

• Send a short SMS with one standout review + link back to the product.

Reviews convince first-timers and nudge existing customers toward that next purchase.

3. Bring Stories to Life With Visual UGC

Words persuade, but photos and videos connect on a deeper level.

A customer selfie, a TikTok-style demo, or a before-and-after reel tells a story faster than a testimonial ever could.

Ways to use visual UGC:

• Feature before/after transformations in win-back campaigns.

• Showcase lifestyle shots in newsletters (real people using your products).

• Embed quick customer videos into how-to emails.

• Turn UGC clips into animated GIFs for SMS or email headers.

Visual UGC works because buyers see themselves in those images. And when they can imagine their life looking like that, they stick around.

4. Use UGC to Drive Product Discovery

Want customers to discover products they didn’t even know you sold? Let other customers show them.

Here’s how:

• Highlight UGC that naturally pairs products (e.g., a smoothie made with your protein powder + shaker bottle).

• Build “As Seen by Our Customers” bundles inspired by UGC.

• Share UGC showing creative product uses to spark curiosity.

• Use carousels of customer combos in emails to drive exploration.

Cross-selling through UGC feels organic because it’s not you saying “buy more” – it’s peers showing what they actually use together.

5. Scale UGC With Smart Automation

Collecting UGC is one thing. Deploying it at scale without losing authenticity is another. This is where automation comes in.

Tactics to implement:

• Tag and categorize UGC by product, theme, or customer type.

• Set up rules to automatically match UGC with relevant segments (e.g., dog owners see pet photos, skincare fans see product routines).

• Rotate fresh UGC into recurring campaigns to avoid “banner blindness.”

• Test different placements (hero image vs. testimonial block) with automated A/B testing.

Remember: automation makes UGC scalable, but personalization keeps it human.

Final Thoughts

Done right, UGC can be your most cost-effective retention strategy.

Here’s what to remember:

✅ Build a system that consistently collects reviews, photos, and videos.
✅ Use reviews beyond product pages. Weave them into emails, SMS, and content.
✅ Showcase visual UGC to spark emotion and help customers imagine using your products.
✅ Let UGC drive cross-sells and discovery with customer combos and real-life use cases.
✅ Scale with smart automation that keeps authenticity intact.

People trust people. And when your customers keep seeing other happy customers in their inbox and texts, they’ll keep coming back.

🚀 What Happened When 1,000+ Shopify Brands Used TrackBee + Google Ads

Most brands hesitate to scale because they don’t trust their data.

TrackBee and Google Ads just proved what happens when you fix that problem.

In a study of over 1,000 Shopify stores, TrackBee delivered game-changing results in just 30 days:

📈 +115% more revenue correctly attributed

💰 +48% increase in ad spend - used more efficiently

For agencies, it’s even bigger:

• Prove ROI instantly: measurable impact from day one

• Reveal the full value: clients finally see what campaigns are worth

• Scale smarter: every dollar works harder

Accurate data doesn’t just improve reporting, it rebuilds confidence in scaling.

👉 Start your free 30-day trial.

🗞️ Quick Clips:

• Half of U.S. shoppers plan to use BNPL for the holidays: PayPal’s latest survey reveals affordability and budget control are driving mass adoption. Gen Z and millennials lead the charge—and brands offering BNPL see major boosts in AOV.

• Inkbox founders reimagine car fresheners with Olauto: From tattoos to scents, the Handley brothers are turning another overlooked product into a premium experience. Their new $33 “car fragrance” brand taps into little luxuries and early adopter buzz.

• Protein for the female gaze: Morgan Zanotti’s latest project, Waay, launches online and in Whole Foods this month. Each can packs 10g of protein with zero sugar; available in Grapefruit, Lemon Raspberry, and Orange.

• TikTok U.S. sell-off could finalize this week: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says U.S. and Chinese negotiators have reached a tentative deal, with final approval expected Thursday. But with trade tensions rising and China’s stance still unclear, there’s no guarantee the agreement will stick.