Promoting User-Generated Content On Social Media
User-generated content includes photos and videos that your guests take of your food and restaurant and post on social media. Interacting with this type of content is a great way to build your brand and reach potential new customers. By encouraging guests to create their own content of your brand, you’re building your reputation in the community. Today’s blog will discuss tactics to promote the creation of user-generated content.
Run a Contest or Giveaway
An easy way to encourage guests to take and share photos on social media is by running a contest. Offer fun incentives to guests for sharing their photos and using a branded hashtag on social media. For example, you could run a contest asking guests to take photos of their margaritas when they visit. When they share a photo, they’re entered for a chance to win a gift card to your restaurant. You can then collect and use some of these photos to help you market you not only the contest, but your restaurant as a whole, and even get public engagement by having other guests vote on their favorite photo.
Regularly Interact with organically created user-generated content
You should also keep your eye out for any mentions, tags, or hashtags related to your restaurant. When you see user-generated content, comment on it, like it, and if you are going to re-share it, always ask for permission and tag the photographer. By interacting with others, you’re building your brand loyalty, and potentially exposing your brand to hundreds, if not thousands, of people who may not have heard of you before!
Run an in-house promotion
Instead of a contest, offer a discount or special perk, such as free dessert, to any guests who show their waiter that they have left a review of the restaurant or shared a photo of their meal before departing. For a limited time, this can be a popular way to attract more foot traffic into your restaurant, and build on your word of mouth, all while enhancing the amount of content that your guests generate for you!
Whether you’re running a contest or planning your social media content, Sherane Chen LLC is your go-to resource in restaurant marketing. Contact us today or call (386) 627-3628 for a consultation!