One month into 2019, we can tell this year is shaping up to be impactful in the world of visual marketing. Between CES and NRF, we're seeing innovative applications of technology that make brands stand out from the competition. As we excitedly plan for the next wave of technology in 2019, we're taking a moment to share some of our top highlights from 2018 that have changed how our customers do business. From seamless integrations to artificial intelligence-powered automation, these six highlights provide a solid foundation from which we're growing upon in 2019.

1. Facebook and Instagram Ads

The challenge:Creating content that converts in social media ads can be expensive and consequently hard to scale. What's more, striking the seemingly impossible balance between eye-catching content that resonates favorably with an audience requires a perfect storm. Again, not easy to scale when you're trying to quickly drive more conversions from your paid social efforts.

‍The solution:With the Pixlee platform, users can send UGC straight to the Facebook ad platform to scale their ad content. Marketers can increase their click-through rate on ads by 35% by using permissioned UGC. In 2018, Pixlee users saw some exciting results with this feature: the conversions from ad traffic doubled.

2. Instagram Stories and YouTube Video

The challenge:Instagram stories (and video in general) are some of the hottest forms of content available right now. Being able to utilize that form of UGC across multiple channels is a slam dunk for marketers trying to capture an authentic customer voice. Scaling curation of this content can be tough, and even impossible for brands to do manually.

‍The solution:Brands are now using Pixlee to collect and display interesting video content from users in any visual gallery. Collect uploaded Instagram Story content in a dedicated Stories album to use across other channels. The Pixlee Platform also does the heavy lifting by allowing users to automatically collect tagged Instagram Stories by reposting them to the brand Instagram feed.

3. Text Ratings and Reviews

The challenge:UGC converts well, and text reviews are a must-have for online products, but how can brands seamlessly combine the two without making the page look cluttered? And how do you quickly match UGC with the corresponding text reviews?The solution:Pixlee gives you the power of combining your ratings and reviews with UGC in any visual gallery. This allows customers to see the reviews in the context of customer photos and videos. These combine to give your customers the best understanding of your products.

4. AI Powered UGC

The challenge:UGC collection and optimization can be a manual and time-consuming process. Imagine manually scrolling through all collected UGC just to find one specific product? And testing to see which UGC works best with your audience is necessary but can be tough if you don't have a platform that can automate this.‍

The solution:Pixlee's patented Dynamic Display uses machine learning to optimize the performance of every gallery. Pixlee automatically suppresses content for products that are out of stock, making it a hands-off process. When it comes to searching for specific UGC, you can search and filter UGC based on AI-driven tags.

5. UGC-Powered Email

The challenge:Email is a tried and true channel, but boosting conversions and providing stylish, engaging content can be time-consuming. When you've got Ecommerce goals to meet, email quantity and quality could make or break your sales.

‍The solution:UGC in emails is a no-brainer for marketers looking to drive more conversions. Pixlee users saw a 35% increase in email engagement when using UGC. While UGC fits great in promotional emails, it can also be used in abandoned shopping cart emails to increase the value of those conversions. And create a feedback loop by collecting UGC through post-purchase emails.

6. Influencer Discovery

The challenge:

Influencers are becoming an integral part of brand marketing, but managing and discovering them is still often done in spreadsheets. Their content has the potential to reach more people and convert better, but the time spent searching for and curating key influencers can be a nightmare for marketers.‍

The solution:With Pixlee's Influencer Discovery, marketers can manage and find top influencers within the Pixlee platform. Use intelligent search to discover micro and nano influencers, and work to build relationships with larger influencers to maximize organic reach.

2018 was a great year, but we're even more excited for 2019. If you're curious to learn more about what we've got in store for 2019, drop us a line here.