How can you use SMO to improve your E-Commerce email campaigns?

All too often social media is used in a humble bragging way to show how great the company is. They are talking about generic achievements and the products they sell. That is not really valuable to potential customers. I recommend preparing content in one of the three ways, to give people a reason to read your content: -Entertaining: Whatever you want to say, say it in an entertaining way. - Educating: People like to learn new things from experts. Provide real value by sharing experiences, learnings, and insights. - Inspire: e.g. explain how you are doing things differently and why. Target potential customers and tailor your content to their needs, rather than having generic content and trying to reach as many people as possible.

The idea to "Optimize your email content for social media" is particularly insightful. It recognizes the synergy between email marketing and social media engagement, which is often overlooked. The notion to use catchy subject lines, engaging visuals, and social proof can significantly increase the shareability and effectiveness of email content. According to the Data & Marketing Association, emails with social sharing buttons increase click-through rates by 158%, which underscores the importance of creating socially optimized email content.

The section on "Integrating your email and social media channels" suggests adding social media icons and sharing options in emails, which is a good practice. However, the plan could underestimate the complexity of effectively syncing email content with social media updates. A disjointed strategy could lead to mixed messaging and brand confusion. It's important to tailor the content specifically for each platform while maintaining a cohesive narrative across all channels. For instance, Litmus states that 34% of subscribers only read emails on a mobile device, and designing emails without considering mobile optimization could result in a loss of potential engagement.

An example of successful integration between email and social media is how the fashion brand ASOS uses user-generated content. They encourage customers to post pictures of themselves wearing ASOS products with the hashtag #AsSeenOnMe. ASOS then features these posts in their email campaigns, creating a vibrant community of brand advocates. This strategy not only provides social proof but also encourages more customers to engage with the brand on social media. ASOS reported a 31% year-on-year profit increase in 2017, partially attributing to its strong digital marketing approach.

Here are a few less-discussed reasons along with examples and stories: 1- Amplifying Limited-Time Offers: Email campaigns often promote limited-time offers or flash sales. SMO can extend the reach of these promotions by creating a buzz on social media before the email drops. Teasing your email campaign's content or exclusive offers on social platforms can create anticipation and boost the impact of your emails. Cross-Channel Consistency: Ensure that your messaging, branding, and offers are consistent across both email and social media channels. This ensures that your audience receives a coherent message, leading to a more impactful and memorable brand experience.

It would be valuable to consider the role of user-generated content (UGC) from social media in email campaigns. Encouraging customers to share their experiences with products on social media and then featuring this content in emails can create a strong community feeling and enhance trust. According to a report by Tint, 92% of consumers trust UGC more than traditional advertising, which suggests that incorporating UGC could significantly improve the effectiveness of e-commerce email campaigns.