In this article we'll immerse ourselves in the world of multi-channel marketing with user-generated content.

Multi-channel marketing means that you're executing your strategy in more than one channel or platform. Let's say you're using UGC you collected in your marketplace, and at the same time you're sending emails, sharing it in your own social media channels, setting up billboards, magazine and TV ads, tuning up physical stores, and much more.

Multi-channel marketing is not just effective in terms of reach. Studies have shown that three out of four customers prefer to engage with a brand via multiple channels, and that they also spend three to four times more than single-channel customers do.

Let's face it, the classic customer journey as we know it has changed. Most buyers are now leading their own journeys and choosing what channel suits them best to research, select and buy at their own pace and time.

So, if you want to make it work, the answer is simple: be where your customers are with the best content you can provide.

Here are some of the most interesting UGC activation examples that you and your brand could use as inspiration for your next campaign.

American Eagle did something unprecedented this year: they discovered the cast for the new Spring #AExME campaign solely through social media. Creative direction was placed in the hands of its customers, and they were given the freedom to photograph, style and creatively direct the productions; no professional cameras were used, no stylists, no exotic locations. The resulting UGC was replicated in their marketplace, online ads, catalogues, billboards, magazine and more.

The brand’s commitment to self-expression and individuality resonated with their audience and really moved them to share their unique personal style via social media.

The luxury clothing company created a contest where it challenged their customers to post a picture of their Ted Baker shoes with #TedsTopToes hashtag.

The contest was promoted through in-store flyers using UGC to explain how to participate. Hundreds of people engaged with this campaign and it was a great way to create social media buzz around the brand.

The footwear and apparel company wanted to create an email marketing campaign to launch their new sneakers: the Sole Fury. Beyond presenting the product with marketing pictures, Reebok used our Email Studio beta to integrate UGC from real people wearing the shoes.

The idea only took 7 days to launch and doubled their usual email CTOR from 7-8% to 16%.

NYX has been able to leverage its loyal fanbase – over 14 million Instagram followers – to build a huge library of UGC, publish it across their site, and create an invaluable tool for the brand and their consumers.

After their online success, they decided to take UGC to another level and enhance their in-store experience. By featuring top user photos and videos of products on windows and dressing rooms, and even including a "selfie wall" that encourages customers to share their own UGC, NYX created a new powerful immersive shopping experience, both for consumers and marketers.

NH Hotel Group designed an ongoing multichannel campaign strategy around UGC, with the goal to increase bookings and conversion, and enhance brand loyalty and engagement. They targeted social media (IG stories and posts, FB ads), web (Gallery, blogs, web pages), email (Newsletter), and in-hotel displays.

The content proved to be undeniably compelling and helped strengthen the customer trust in the brand, increasing the CTR 20-30% in paid media, and Facebook organic engagement increase of 2.37%

Next time you’re designing your marketing campaign, bear in mind all the benefits and possibilities that multichannel UGC can bring to the table.