7 UGC Email Examples to Boost Your Brand Credibility

Your audience doesn’t just want polished copy and flashy designs; they want proof. And the most compelling proof often comes from people just like them.

That’s where user-generated content (UGC) comes in.

User-Generated Content (UGC) is any content related to a brand or product that is created and shared by its customers or users, rather than by the brand itself. It’s essentially the digital version of word-of-mouth marketing, and it’s highly effective because it’s seen as more authentic and trustworthy than traditional advertising.

It’s authentic, relatable, and scalable. More importantly, it turns your customers into your most persuasive marketers. According to Billo, 93% of marketers who use UGC in their campaigns report that it significantly outperforms traditional branded content. 

Why? Because people connect with people, not brands. A product alone is just an item. Put it in a customer’s hands, it transforms into a story, a mark of status, a memory in the making.

And that’s what you need to convey to the rest of your list.

With the right strategy, you can turn UGC into your most powerful form of social proof. Social proof is a powerful psychological and social phenomenon where people look to the actions and behaviors of others to determine how they should think or act in a given situation. Essentially, it’s the idea that if a lot of people are doing something, it must be the right thing to do.

In marketing, social proof is a strategy of leveraging this psychological principle by showcasing evidence that other people have used, approved of, or endorsed a product, service, or brand. This reduces uncertainty and builds trust, making potential customers more confident in their purchasing decisions.

At Mavlers, this is exactly what we help our clients do when it comes to tapping into UGC in email marketing. 

In this guide, we’ll show you how to turn UGC into a revenue-driving engine through these 7 UGC email examples. Let’s go!

1. Daybird

2. Buoy

3. Yellowbird Sauce

4. Stoggles

5. Buoy

6. Bubble

7. PicMonkey

Wrapping up!

 1. Daybird

Subject line: “Minimal effort, ‘put together’ look”

Our first example of UGC email marketing is a sample from Daybird.

Daybird is a skincare-meets-makeup brand. As a dermatological line, where trust and safety are paramount, Daybird faces the added challenge of convincing people that its products are both harmless and science-backed. Beyond relying on certification badges, it leans heavily on user-generated content to build credibility. 

For example, consider this UGC-powered email from Daybird. 

Source: Email Love

Here’s why Daybird’s email stands out, both from the perspective of design and strategy:

• The subject line is pulled straight from user feedback—a clever move. Notably, while 40% of Daybird’s subject lines feature emojis, this one doesn’t, signaling a more intentional, focused message.
  
• The email opens with a review rating followed by a 15% off CTA. Placing both right at the top ensures the offer grabs immediate attention.
  
• Instead of a traditional hero banner, the email leads with user reviews arranged in an S-curve layout, guiding the reader’s eye through the content.
  
• Crucially, the primary CTA isn’t just linked to a product page. Many UGC emails stop there. But Daybird goes further, offering deeper social proof, which turns interest into action.

Key takeaway: Don’t treat UGC in email marketing as a kind of content add-on—treat it as the main event. It’s not decoration; it’s the foundation. UGC should be the first thing your audience sees, not an afterthought to dress up your emails. That’s why social proof deserves the spotlight. Give your subscribers the full story upfront, and you’ll give them a real reason to convert.

2. Buoy

Subject line: “These drops are a game changer.”

Let’s turn our attention to wellness and hydration. Buoy produces hydrating wellness drops which are unflavored, sugar-free, and sweetener-free liquid additives designed to enhance any beverage with electrolytes and trace minerals.

A good place to leverage UGC is in your cart abandonment emails. And here’s how Buoy makes use of it. 

Source: RGE

How do you win someone over? With proof. The more proof you have, the stronger your case. And when you’re trying to convince a hesitant buyer, the best approach is to introduce them to the people who already believe in you—your existing customers: 

• Buoy opens its email with a compelling mix of a customer review and a verified fact.
  
• The benefits section follows, emphasizing numbers over textual fluff, which helps build credibility quickly.
  
• The “Complete My Order” CTA appears mid-way, though it might have been more effective placed earlier.
  
• The email closes by circling back to customer testimonials, creating a strong sense of trust and consistency.
  
• The layout remains digestible thanks to white space, crisp copy, and well-defined dividers.

Key takeaway: When a conversion hangs on a nudge, you need to be extra-careful. The temptation is to overdo it, either by blasting emails, or using open-baity subject lines, and sometimes cramming the design with CTAs. 

Resist the urge. Stick to email design best practices. Place your most relevant CTA above the fold, and strike a balance between highlighting benefits and showcasing user reviews. 

Alternating between the two, like Buoy does, keeps the message both persuasive and trustworthy.

3. Yellowbird Sauce 

Subject line: An Intergalactic Spice Adventure 🛸

One of the challenges of doing email marketing with user-generated content is choosing the right content. What fits this campaign better than that? Sometimes it’s as simple as copy and paste. Other times, you have to get creative—building an impactful campaign around just a few words. That’s exactly what Yellowbird Sauce pulls off in this email.

Source: RGE

Using 3 words and one phrase from customer testimonials—stellar, planet, galaxy, and outta this world—Yellowbird has launched an intergalactic campaign that feels both natural and genuinely funny. Now that’s how to use UGC in emails!

But here are other reasons why this email stands out:

• The single-column, free-falling layout ensures a smooth and enjoyable scrolling experience.
  
• A brand-consistent color scheme throughout the site builds trust with first-time buyers.
  
• Product-optimized CTAs are placed between each review, featuring the brand’s unique wavy button design. 

Key takeaway: When all design elements consistently reflect the brand’s identity, they create a sense of familiarity. This uniformity reassures subscribers that the brand is reliable and detail-oriented, boosting its overall credibility. 

And that’s why maintaining brand consistency is a key best practice in email design. Paired with user-generated content, your emails can deliver a powerful one-two punch of authenticity and trust.

4. Stoggles

Subject line: Word travels fast…

Another good place to leverage UGC email marketing is within your onboarding sequence, (NOT the first welcome email but the series that follows.) A strong welcome sequence starts with a standard greeting, moves into a brand introduction, and then gradually nurtures the subscriber toward making their first purchase. So this is where UGC can play a valuable role in building brand credibility. 

Take Stoggles, for example, an eyewear company that specializes in protective glasses. Their onboarding campaign integrates UGC in a variety of engaging ways. Have a look. 

Source: Email Love

The email kicks off with an expert testimonial, followed by reviews conveyed through text and GIF:

• The use of color blocking effectively distinguishes each review, while the content itself follows a hierarchy, starting with a pull quote that functions like a headline.
  
• The email flows smoothly from one section to the next, with a clever piece of copy that sets the tone just before the GIF section is introduced.
  
• There’s no CTA until the very end. Instead of inserting CTA buttons after each section or review, the single concluding CTA serves as a thoughtful wrap-up to the narrative.
  
• As part of the welcome series, the email closes with the welcome code at just the right moment.

Key takeaway: Incorporate a variety of multimedia formats to highlight user-generated content within your emails. Make the most of your social media channels to surface a wide range of authentic reviews from diverse customers. Relying solely on a ‘verified reviewer’ tag may not be as effective as showcasing real faces. 

5. Buoy

Subject line: TikTok comments we get the most

If featuring user reviews in your emails can drive results, showcasing how you actively listen to your audience can further build trust with potential customers. Check out the following email. 

Source: RGE

This is a strong example of how brand credibility is earned through UGC email marketing: by placing real audience questions front and center, showing the faces behind those questions, and going the extra mile to provide thoughtful answers. Buoy demonstrates a clear understanding of the promotional and educational power of UGC. 

It’s also important to highlight the nature of the questions featured. 

Buoy doesn’t shy away from sensitive topics, such as whether hydration drops break a fast, showing both confidence and transparency in their communication. Kudos to the entire team behind this campaign! 

Key takeaway: This email reflects a cross-functional collaboration. It likely involved input from the email team, the social media team, and the data team, especially in analyzing TikTok comments to identify frequently asked questions. 

In an industry where email marketers often work in isolation due to limited resources, this email stands out as a reassuring example of what can be achieved through true interdepartmental teamwork, all with the customer in mind.

6. Bubble

Subject line: CHARM CONTEST WINNER!!

Want to build revenue-yielding email campaigns with user content? Promote contests where users submit photos, videos, or stories related to your brand for a chance to win. These emails announce the contest, provide guidelines, and often showcase submissions. 

For example, check out how Bubble does it. 

Source: RGE

Here’s why we think this email stands out:

• Next to the compelling subject line, the email immediately introduces its purpose at the very top of the template, which creates a sense of anticipation and clarity from the outset.
  
• We love the strong use of bold typography throughout the layout. In addition, the black borders framing each image add visual consistency and focus.
  
• The hero image deserves a special mention. It’s so charming and personal, evoking a sense of familial assimilation.
  
• The arrangement of featured winners in an inverted pyramid structure is visually strategic, guiding the eye to the email’s first CTA at the apex.

Key takeaway: User-generated content is, at its core, meant for the user. While simply reposting praise is effective, real intent can open doors for you. Once there’s a healthy bank of UGC, it’s time for the campaign manager to collaborate closely with the creative team. Think beyond copy-paste. This can include setting up props, planning playful video shoots, or even running short user interviews.

7. PicMonkey

Subject line: A marriage proposal inside

Our final example of UGC email marketing is PicMonkey, an online photo editing and graphic design platform. Here it is. 

Source: RGE

Unlike traditional SaaS emails, PicMonkey’s email is funny, colorful, and engaging from the start. Here’s why:

• The subject line is instantly engaging and seamlessly carries into the opening quote, delivering on the subscriber’s expectations the moment they click. This kind of alignment is often missing in many email campaigns.
  
• An immediate call-to-action follows, wrapping up the first phase of the email. From subject line to CTA, everything happens within seconds, creating almost a self-contained “micro-email” experience, if you will.
  
• The rest of the email features user reviews presented in vibrant blocks, each accompanied by a concise summary, making them both visually appealing and easy to scan.
  
• A well-timed secondary CTA is placed strategically, which is followed by live-text copy that includes helpful links.
  
• The email concludes with a final CTA that’s tailored to fit the section, rounding out a thoughtfully structured layout.

Key takeaway: PicMonkey’s email is a masterclass in seamless user experience, offering immediate value post-click with a clear throughline from subject line to call-to-action. Every element, from the subject line to the structured layout of reviews and CTAs, is intentionally placed to guide the reader smoothly through the content. It’s a layered email that works on both a quick-glance and deep-read level.

⚠ Leverage UGC in email marketing with caution: 

– UGC introduces brand risk as you lack control over tone, visuals, and messaging, potentially leading to off-brand or misleading content that harms reputation.

– Legal exposure is a significant concern due to copyright, consent, and disclosure issues, requiring proper permissions and clear labeling of paid partnerships.

– Simulated or “faked” UGC erodes audience trust and damages brand reputation, highlighting the need for genuine content from real people.

– The quality of UGC can be inconsistent, requiring you to balance authentic voices with brand consistency and potentially provide guidance or curation.

If you see a piece of content (a photo, a review, a video) that you want to use, reach out to the creator directly. This can be done via a direct message on the social media platform where you found the content or via email.

When featuring content from a paid partnership (e.g., with an influencer or a creator who received a free product), you must clearly and conspicuously label it as such. Make sure the label is easy to see and read. In an email, this could be at the top of the section featuring the content, or directly under the creator’s name. Don’t bury it in the fine print at the bottom of the email.

Think of UGC as the raw clay, not the final sculpture. With selective curation and intentional polishing, even the most unrefined contributions can be transformed into impactful marketing assets.

Wrapping up!

User-generated content isn’t just about showcasing happy customers; it’s about strategically embedding trust into your brand’s narrative. Whether it’s a witty review turned subject line, a heartfelt testimonial in a welcome sequence, or a social media comment turned Q&A feature, UGC is your shortcut to authenticity.

The brands featured here don’t just include their community; they center them. And that’s the difference between an email that sells and one that connects.

As you plan your next campaign, ask yourself: Are you simply promoting your product, or are you letting your customers tell the story for you?

Because in today’s inbox, real always wins. And real is what makes these UGC email examples stand out. 

If you want to boost email engagement with UGC, schedule a call with our team. We’ll guide you through every step of the process with our proven six-step email marketing playbook.