How The Hype Leverages UGC to Boost Engagement for Hospitality Brands
Written By : JADE MASSAAD
You already know the routine if you own a restaurant, bar, café, or hotel: customers trust customers. Not advertisements. Not posters. Individuals. User-Generated Content (UGC) is essentially the decade's biggest growth hack for the hotel industry since it's like word-of-mouth in the current era, complete with a front-facing camera and adorable captions.
The truth is, though, that not all UGC is equally effective. Random reposts won't result in reservations, RSVPs, or comments along the lines of "omg, I must try this." You must have a plan. Without making your feed look like a patchwork of grainy selfies, we at The Hype transform casual photos into low-lift, high-impact content that promotes awareness, community, and conversions.
Let’s break down how we actually do it, step-by-step, in plain English (with a lil’ Gen-Z spice).
1) We Start With Your Brand Vibes (and Your Guests)
Before we touch a camera roll, we get crystal-clear on:
Who your ideal guest is (locals? tourists? boujee brunch crowd? corporate off-sites?)
What you want more of (bookings, events, high-margin menu items, weekday traffic)
What makes your venue “save-to-Maps” special (view, playlist, signature dish, impeccable service, pet-friendly patio)
Why this matters: If we don’t know the story, the UGC will just be noise. With clarity, every guest video becomes a mini-brand episode.
Quick Tip: Ask yourself, “What do we want guests to brag about?” That’s your UGC brief.
2) We Make UGC Stupidly Easy to Create
Low friction = more content. We set up:
Photo-worthy moments: neon quotes, styled corners, chef plating at the pass, latte art stations—aka “shoot here” cues.
Table talkers & QR prompts: “Tag us to unlock the off-menu treat,” or “Snap your #SunsetSip to win Friday cocktails.”
Clear handles & hashtags: visible on menus, coasters, mirrors (subtle but everywhere).
Result: Your guests become your content team—without lifting your payroll.
3) We Curate Like Editors, Not Collectors
Not every tag gets a repost. We filter for:
Visual quality & brand fit (lighting, composition, vibe)
Diversity of faces & moments (romantic date night, mates’ birthday, solo latte, live DJ energy)
Story value (a POV walkthrough, first-bite reactions, room-with-a-view glow-ups)
Then we build UGC storylines: “First check-in → sunset cocktails → pool dip → breakfast spread → late checkout.” It’s a narrative, not a dump.
4) We Secure Rights (So You Can Actually Use It Everywhere)
Cute content is fun, but usage rights are the grown-up part. We:
Request permission with friendly DMs or rights tools (“Reply YES to let us feature you”).
Log creators and approvals in a shared tracker (so legal never side-eyes you).
Tag and credit consistently—because creators are people, not assets.
Now you can repurpose on website, ads, email, in-room TV, digital menus—safely.
5) We Incentivise the Right Way (No Cringe, No Spam)
We don’t beg for posts; we reward participation:
Surprise dessert for tagged Reels, welcome drink for Stories that mention your handle
Monthly giveaway for the best clip (announced on Stories to spark FOMO)
VIP tastings or “creator nights” on slower weekdays—photo-friendly plating, quick run sheet, great lighting
Bonus: Micro-creators (2k–20k) with local audiences often convert better than big fish. Authentic > flashy.
6) We Optimise UGC Per Platform (Because Copy/Paste is Lazy)
Instagram = polished carousels + Reels + Story reposts
Hook in the first 2 seconds (“Sydney’s crispiest schnitz?”)
Pin highlights: Rooms, Events, Menu, Weddings, Reviews
TikTok = quick POVs + staff cameos + price reveals
Series ideas: “$20 lunch hacks,” “Front desk tales,” “Chef’s 10-sec plating tip”
Google Business Profile = underrated MVP
Add fresh UGC weekly to your photos; answer FAQs; highlight dietary tags
Why? People searching here are already hungry or ready to book
Email/SMS = conversion glue
Drop a UGC collage for event promos
SMS: “It’s raining. Free chai with any curry today—show this text.”
7) We Turn UGC Into Ad Fuel (That Actually Sells)
Creator clips + your best reviews = high-trust ads. We:
Build short vertical ads with real guests as the hook
Target by radius + daypart (e.g., lunch crowd Mon–Fri, bottomless brunch Thu–Sun)
Optimise to bookings/calls, not just clicks
Refresh winners weekly; kill losers fast (no attachment issues here)
Receipts: UGC ads often deliver lower cost-per-cover vs. studio shoots. Because real feels real.
8) We Plug UGC Into On-Site Experiences
The magic loop:
Guests see UGC → They visit and recreate it → You repost them → Their friends see it → Repeat
We set “UGC touchpoints” IRL: mural walls, rooftop “golden hour” timer, “Ask for the secret menu” winks. Your venue becomes the content engine.
9) We Measure What Matters (Not Just Vibes)
Pretty is nice. Booked is better. We track:
Bookings by source (IG, GBP, ads, email)
Cost per seated cover for paid campaigns
Saves/Shares on UGC vs. brand content
Repeat rate & AOV when UGC is used in promos
Map Pack rank for “[cuisine] + suburb” searches
Weekly dashboards = clear decisions. Double down on what works, retire what doesn’t.
10) We Keep It Local, Seasonal, and Culturally On-Point
Hospitality is timing. We align UGC with:
Local moments (Vivid, Mardi Gras, footy finals, NYE)
Weather shifts (heatwave spritz menus, rainy-day ramen edits)
Neighborhood flavour (Surry Hills vs. Manly vs. Parramatta = different hooks, different crowds)
Translation: Right content, right vibe, right time.
11) A Simple “Always-On” UGC Plan (Steal This)
Daily: Repost 1–3 guest Stories; reply to DMs & reviews
Twice weekly: Publish 1 Reel/TikTok from guest clips (fast cuts, bold captions)
Weekly: Add top UGC to Google photos; send one “What’s On” email tile featuring UGC
Monthly: Run a creator night or mini-UGC challenge; rotate ad creatives from best-performing guest clips
Quarterly: Refresh photo-worthy corners; update rights tracker; new series concept
The Bottom Line
UGC works because it’s social proof at scale. With the right system, your guests don’t just tell your story—they grow it. At The Hype, we make UGC easy, legal, aesthetic, and—most importantly—convertible.
Want your brand to be the place people “accidentally” discover… and then immediately book?
Let’s turn your guests into your biggest hype crew.