User-generated content is original brand-specific content created by customers and posted on social media platforms.

User-generated content can take many forms: reviews, testimonials, comments, social media posts, forums, videos, and more. And it's essentially this content that builds credibility. Because everyone knows that a brand can afford to have a publisher write wonders about it. And when a potential consumer searches for content from that brand, they know that if someone else created it, they can trust that brand.

According to a recent study, 97% of millennials post content on social media while traveling. As you know, online customer reviews can be very influential, because your potential guests don't just consider the price of their room when planning a trip, for example. 

If you pay attention to user-generated content and use it properly, you can significantly increase exposure (brand awareness) and hotel occupancy. In short, it can help you increase your sales. That’s why today we are giving you some tips for capitalising on user-generated content.  

1. Reconnect With Your Customers Organically To Build Trust

Hospitality brands can work to reconnect with their customers organically, building trust in the process. Reports indicate that 92% of consumers believe suggestions from friends and family are more valuable than traditional advertising efforts. By engaging creators from their existing customer base, hospitality brands can capture real, personal, and unbiased experiences to showcase. These interactions can help build trust with customers and create a deeper connection with them.

2. Ability To Capture and Control Content Quickly

UGC (User Generated Content) is a way for brands to get real-time feedback from their guests and travelers. This content can be used to help create marketing campaigns that align with consumer trends. For example, if a brand is promoting a travel deal, UGC can be used to help identify which social media platforms are being used most often by customers to share information about the deal. This information can then be used to display signage in the hotel room or on the brand's website to encourage guests to share their experiences on social media. As a hospitality or travel brand, you can also create social media posts with a call to action to encourage consumers to participate in the campaign. For example, you could ask them to take a photo or post a video of themselves using the deal's hashtag.

3. Develop Long-Lasting Relationships by Providing Incentives

Rewarding creators for their hard work and energy in creating content is critical to strengthening relationships with your brand and something hoteliers have known for a long time. Back in 2014, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants began rewarding creatives for sharing their experiences on social media with incentives like in-room spa treatments and other amenities. If a brand has the resources, they can also offer free property tours to really grasp the room features and details. While these incentives are an investment for brands, they help build a deeper relationship with current guests. Using user-generated content, loyal customers can then pass the message along to future guests to further deepen relationships with the brand's customer base.

In today's advocacy marketing world, your travel customers are your most effective advocates. So get them to make videos to reassure and inspire other tourists and travelers before their trip!

References 
Travel Pulse 
Amara Marketing 
Skeepers.io