As the ever-growing popularity of the post-Thanksgiving weekend of sales evolves from marketing buzzwords to a national holiday, Black Friday Cyber Monday mark the unofficial beginning of retailer’s best annual quarter, one that typically sparks off with a bang. In 2017, Cyber Monday spending in the US reached an all-time high of 3.36 Billion.As consumers squeeze into the big-box retailers and place an overwhelming amount of online orders, digitally native brands are forced to compete to get items in their customer’s carts. Why should UGC matter for Black Friday?

‍Let’s look at some hard facts:

• UGC is now considered a “top marketing tactic”, influencing a shopper’s buying decision by up to 90%.
• Brand engagement for consumers who interact with UGC (sharing a post, clicking on a linked image,) rises by 28%.
• Pixlee customers have seen a click-through rate increase of 35% in marketing emails that included UGC.
• Social proof is real; Consumers respond to authenticity which can provide assurance when making a buying decision

How does this translate to your holiday sales? Lead with your best foot forward; customer reviews and visual UGC are powerful tools for any email campaign or web page. Social proof is the key to motivating prospective customers, particularly during the upcoming flash-sale weekend.

‍A picture is worth a thousand wordsA candid, shared experience helps consumers see the product in their own lives, making them more sales-ready. Take online cosmetics retailer Morphe; who uses their 7.9 million (and counting) Instagram followers to extend their presence through promotional emails using Pixlee. Social posts, published by Morphe’s customers, fans, and followers, are embedded in Morphe marketing collateral. This strategy has led to 2x higher conversion rates across the board for Morphe, finding new customers and getting previous fans to re-engage with the brand. Your customers will be exposed to dozens of Black Friday Cyber Monday deals. Are they going to take the time to read your marketing pitch, or are they more likely to respond to visual, appealing UGC? The real question is can you afford to ignore UGC when marketing for this big sales weekend; considering the impact it can have on Black Friday and the future impact on your brand with new adopters of your product. The beauty of Black Friday weekend? Your positive reach is multiplied because the majority of consumers aren’t just shopping for themselves. The season of giving is the largest retail quarter of the year, and your products can appeal to many more consumers than just your key target audience!

‍Have more questions? Reach out to the Pixlee team to learn how UGC can work in your marketing strategy.