Restaurant Marketing: How To Leverage User-Generated Content to Enhance Your Brand

User-generated content (UGC) is content that customers create featuring your establishment. UGC can be any form of media—online reviews, videos, posts, and photos. Why is this type of content relevant in today’s marketing world? Consumers crave authenticity, and seeing genuine content from their community gives them that sense of trustworthiness. In fact, UGC is nearly ten times more effective than influencer-based content for customers. 

Incorporating customer content into your overall marketing strategy not only enhances engagement but also provides powerful peer-based validation for your establishment. 

How to Find UGC Content for Your Marketing Campaign

Luckily, user-generated content is abundant and can easily be found anywhere. The top spots to discover UGC are:

• Social Media Platforms: Social media sites are filled with videos, photos, and check-ins from your customers. Pay attention to when patrons tag your restaurant and capture the post—or save their URL—for marketing content.
• Review Sites: 95 percent of consumers use online reviews to check out potential businesses, so these sites are a gold mine for UGC. Search through Google, TripAdvisor, Yelp, and Facebook and pick standout reviews to add them to your marketing plan.
• Blogs: Restaurant and travel blogs are exceptional sources of user-generated content. They are written by passionate and knowledgeable individuals, making the copy engaging and revealing. Plus, they often feature impressive photos, which are great for marketing.

When using UGC, remember to repurpose content legally and respectfully. Get permission from bloggers and reviewers. If you re-share a social media post, be sure to give credit. When in doubt, always check with your legal counsel.

Harness User-Generated Content to Drive Your Brand

Curating UGC for marketing isn’t just about mining through social media accounts and review sites. Create experiences that customers find engaging and want to share. Sprinkle UGC across your online presence. Give guests the opportunity to produce meaningful content that reflects your brand.

Design a Photo Op

Use inspiring decor and foods to entice customers into taking and posting photos. Hang a neon sign with your logo and a catchy phrase. Paint an eye-catching selfie wall. Offer an over-the-top menu or drink items to set up a fun challenge for diners. Anything goes—from a colossal plate of spaghetti and meatballs to a 12-egg omelet, a massive milkshake, or a nuclear hot sauce. The key is to weave your restaurant identity into the photo opportunity to keep your brand consistent.

Start a Photo Series 

Sharing thematic customer photos is a savvy way to boost social media marketing campaigns. Comb through customer posts via your restaurant hashtag. Look for vibrant pictures and repost one on the same day every week under a series name. Instagram is an excellent platform for finding cinematic images. Come up with catchy titles like #FridayFanFeature, #PhotoOfTheWeek, and #SaturdaySnapshoot so customers can easily find your posts. 

Bring UGC to Your Website 

72 percent of consumers visit a restaurant's website before deciding to visit. Strategically embedding user-generated content into your website gives customers a glimpse of your authenticity and examples of what to look forward to when dining.

Avoid overloading your website marketing with user-generated content. Instead, focus on a few impactful testimonials and a select number of eye-catching photos. Strategically integrating this content into your marketing plan can strengthen your brand, build trust, and boost your online visibility.

Create Photo-Worthy Dishes with Quality Products from US Foods CHEF’STORE

At CHEF’STORE, we offer premium-quality products at competitive prices, making it easy to impress your guests while staying within budget. Take advantage of our business resources to enhance your brand identity and streamline your operations. Stop by one of our convenient locations today and see how we can support your business.