A cheap and easy way to promote your restaurant is to use user-generated content! Involving your customers in promoting your business is a great opportunity. User-generated content includes testimonials, reviews, blog posts, images, etc. – really anything that has come from the customer. And because your customer voluntarily posted it, it’s fair game in terms of usage!
Benefits
- Draw People in with Stories
We all know that we’ve stopped scrolling through our social media feeds as soon as we spot a heartwarming story involving a brand and customer. We enjoy seeing what other people are doing and their experiences. We’re more likely to visit your restaurant if we see someone else has had a great experience there.
- Engagement and Credibility
User-generated posts and content are more likely to be perceived and viewed as authentic by customers than content created by a brand.
- Community
Word-of-mouth marketing is instrumental in building a relationship with your community. People bond over positive experiences, especially online, and this will send them to your restaurant.
How to Find and Use User-Generated Content
- Keep an eye on your customers’ Instagram Stories
- Feature testimonials on your menu
- Place user-generated content on your website
- Offer free food/drinks in exchange for a social media follow and mention
If customers tag you in their Instagram stories, repost it in your own story for your customers to see. People love incentives and will take you up on the offer for a freebie in exchange for a follow and mention. This way you’re getting user-generated content without spending a bunch of money.
User-generated content is an airtight way to make sure your restaurant is getting some great press without spending money!
