It’s no secret that the hospitality industry is customer-centric.
But in the digital age, offering an amazing experience doesn’t help much if it’s not shared with other people.
Enter UGC.
UGC is the lifeblood of the hospitality industry.
And it’s important to know how to get and use it.
Let’s look at UGC marketing, and how it can elevate your hospitality business.

UGC Marketing – The KlickSense Guide

What Is UGC?

User-generated content (UGC for short) is content created by customers who’ve been to your hotel and shared their experience of it.

Why Is UGC Marketing Important?

UGC marketing has some critical characteristics that make it a powerful form of marketing:

It Provides Social Proof

Social proof is the term used to refer to validation that people need – validation that’s provided by past customers.
People trust people – not marketers.
So, when they see content created by a person, they’re more likely to turn to that as validation.

It’s Driven By Customer Experience

UGC is created by customers, for customers.
As a result, it focuses on the customer’s experience, and gives insights to things other potential customers may have been concerned or curious about.

It’s Authentic

Unlike other kinds of content, UGC is powerful because of its authenticity.
The fact that it’s been made by somebody who’s got their own opinion of whatever they’re posting about, they can be more objective, and honest.

How To Utilise UGC Marketing

If you want to leverage UGC, it’s important to know how to get it.

Prizes

Many companies offer a reward for UGC.
Prizes for things like the most scenic photo are not uncommon.

Hashtags

Sometimes, people just want to share their pictures from a stunning trip.
In those instances, you can encourage customers to post on social media under a specific hashtag, so that people who search for that hashtag can find a pool of great UGC.

Asking

UGC doesn’t just have to be social media posts.
A good review on your Google My Business listing is also a great (and often simpler) way to get people to give you authentic, human-driven feedback, and to encourage others to visit your hotel. 

What Do I Do With This Newly Acquired UGC?

Once you’ve got content from users, the next step is to get it in front of as many people as possible.

Awareness Campaigns

Awareness campaigns are a great way to drive people to your site with a great review, or stunning photo taken at your venue.

Reposting

When it comes to social media traffic, you’ll find a lot more longevity in followers you’ve gained organically.
As a result, what you post there has a lot more weight than it might on an ad that comes and goes.
Ultimately, reposting UGC and tagging the creator is a great way to involve your followers.
Therefore, it’s easier to grow a community of loyal followers that want to give you more user-generated content!

Conclusion

The hospitality industry is highly competitive, and it’s important to stand out from your competitors with unique content, and eye-catching visuals.
While UGC marketing is similar to other forms of content creation, the fact that it’s being created by other people makes it more authentic, and saves you a lot of time.
If you utilise UGC marketing effectively, you’ll find that it becomes a snowball of UGC which prompts more UGC.
Ultimately, you build your venue into something that’s viewed entirely by independent people.
And position it as the go-to by everybody around.