User-Generated Content in Emails Strategies for Canada Businesses Using Clay and Keap

A decade ago, email marketing was simple: send a message, cross your fingers, and hope someone clicks. Fast forward to today, and it’s a digital battlefield where only the most creative strategies survive. 

Among these, user-generated content in emails has emerged as the hero for brands that want to sound more human and less… robotic. 

Pairing the old with the newest technology such as Clay email integration and Keap automation, Canadian companies today are really proving that real voices with smart tech can be a winning combination.

The Power of User-Generated Content in Emails

Doesn't it feel like getting a digital high-five? That is when your photograph gets featured by a brand. That is exactly the emotional punch user-generated content packs within emails. 

Real reviews, selfies, testimonials, or customer success stories make emails more relatable to mails-voyaging into the supernova space of email engagement.

Roots Canada for instance. Their customer photography submitted wearing the jackets starred in the winter campaign. 

Boom! Click-through rate increased at 38 percent. That is the magic of storytelling through your own users.

Marketing guru Ann Handley once said: 

"Everyone Writes. But not everyone inspires. Let your customers do both."

Clay Email Integration

By the way - Clay email integration is not only syncing to your contacts. It's converting scattered data into profound customer stories. 

Clay is at the moment taking Canadian businesses a step further, as they are actually creating micro-segments based on behavior, feeding these into emails sent into campaigns that resemble actual one-on-one conversations. Good mix by including user-generated content in emails and you've got pure gold.

A skincare brand, for example, incorporated Clay to determine whose purchases included that of anti-aging creams. 

Clay email integration aired real user reviews and selfies of customers who are more than 40 years old. Now that's hyper-relevant. The result? Skyrocketing Email engagement.

Keap Automation

Keap automation isn’t just about scheduling emails. It’s about building intelligent workflows that respond to customer actions. Think: someone reads a product review (user-generated), adds the product to cart but doesn’t buy Keap sends a reminder with more user testimonials.

One Toronto-based gym used Keap automation to send progress stories from real members who had similar fitness goals as the email recipients. Unsurprisingly, their Email engagement doubled within two weeks.

This isn’t fiction. This is behavioral email marketing at its finest—tracking actions, customizing reactions, and always staying relevant.

Behavioral Email Marketing

Let’s break it down. Behavioral email marketing uses customer behavior—clicks, purchases, opens as data to tailor email messages.

Now mix this with user-generated content in emails, and it becomes emotional + logical = irresistible.

One Vancouver-based outdoor gear company saw huge success by blending Clay email integration, Keap automation, and behavioral email marketing. 

They noticed customers viewing hiking boots but not purchasing. Their emails then featured customer trail photos and reviews. The result? Sales conversion jumped 22%.

As Seth Godin puts it,

“People don’t buy goods and services. They buy stories and magic.”

How to Actually Use User-Generated Content in Emails

• Feature Real Reviews: Don’t just quote them. Make them visual. Add profile pics, names (with permission), and product photos.

• Create Community Challenges: Ask customers to share photos using your product. Then highlight winners via email.

• Video Testimonials: Embed short clips in your emails. Authenticity wins over polish.

And don’t forget Clay email integration will help segment the right audience for each campaign, and Keap automation will ensure it reaches them at the perfect time.

Conclusion

Should Every Canadian Business Go UGC + Automation? Absolutely. And here’s why:

• User-generated content in emails creates authenticity.

• Clay email integration helps personalize data.

• Keap automation ensures timing and relevance.

• Email engagement goes up when content is relatable.

• Behavioral email marketing fine-tunes everything based on real actions.

While some argue that UGC might dilute brand identity, the truth is, people trust people. Not brands. The challenge is managing UGC smartly and that’s where automation and integration tools like Clay and Keap come in.

FAQ

Should I feature customers by name in UGC emails?

Yes, with consent! It adds personal credibility and increases Email engagement. Use first names and a quote to build connection.

What’s the best way to segment for UGC emails?

 Use customer behaviors, purchase history, past clicks, product interest. That’s where Clay email integration shines.

How often should I send UGC-rich emails?

Aim for bi-weekly to monthly, depending on your audience. Don’t flood inboxes—use Keap automation to balance timing and frequency.

Is UGC appropriate for seasonal or holiday campaigns?

Yes! Show customers using your product during holidays, Black Friday, or Canada Day. It boosts Email engagement instantly.

What are common mistakes in user-generated content in emails?

Using low-quality content, skipping permission, and failing to personalize. Avoid mass-mailing the same UGC to everyone and use behavioral email marketing to tailor it.