UGC: how your customers' content can boost your fast-food business

User Generated Content (UGC) refers to all the content created by your customers: photos, videos, reviews... For fast-food restaurants, UGC represents a veritable goldmine to be exploited to gain visibility and build customer loyalty. This spontaneous, authentic and free content becomes a real communication lever, capable of reinforcing your image and boosting your sales. What is UGC? Why is it essential for your fast-food business? And how can you make the most of it? All the answers in this article.

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What is User Generated Content (UGC)? 

User Generated Content includes all the content created and published by your customers: photos, reviews, videos... 

For example, when a customer shares a photo of a dish in their Instagram story, it's a UGC. The same goes for a positive review left on Google My Business, or when a customer posts a video on Tik Tok eating their dish. It's all content produced and published "by" customers and "for" customers. 

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Why is UGC essential for your fast-food business? 

Unlike traditional advertising campaigns, this spontaneous content offers an authentic, human perspective on your establishment. In fact, customers see this content as reliable, authentic and verified reviews, coming directly from other consumers. The result: your restaurant gains credibility and attracts more new customers.

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What are the concrete benefits of UGC for your fast-food restaurant?

Building trust to attract new customers

A positive review on Google or TripAdvisor is often decisive in attracting local or visiting customers. Similarly, a nice photo of a dish shared on Instagram can generate more clicks, or even direct bookings.

According to a study by Nielsen, 92% of customers trust content published by an individual more than content posted by a brand. This makes UGC a formidable weapon for boosting your appeal. (Source: Les Echos). 

Boost your search engine optimization (SEO)

Did you know that every mention of your restaurant, whether it's a review or a post on social networks, enriches your online visibility? For example, local keywords in customer reviews boost your ranking in Google organic searches (SEO).

An active Google My Business profile, complete with photos and reviews, considerably improves your chances of appearing in local results! 

👉 To find out more: How to appear 1st on Google?

Create a lasting commitment to your brand

UGC goes beyond simple visibility: it generates a lasting relationship with your customers. A customer who takes part in a challenge or shares a photo is more likely to come back.

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What types of UGC content work best for fast-food restaurants?

Focus on UGC formats that help attract and retain customers: 

Customer reviews: a powerful lever for persuasion

Customer reviews play a key role in decision-making. They reassure new customers and reinforce your credibility. Publish the most glowing reviews on your website or in your newsletters to maximize their impact.

👉 To find out more: 7 tips for collecting good customer reviews for your restaurant

Instagram photos: your best visual asset

Visually appetizing dishes encourage your customers to photograph and share them. These publications boost your appeal, especially if accompanied by a hashtag specific to your restaurant.

Social media videos: grabbing attention in seconds

TikTok or Reels videos on Instagram are perfect for capturing unique moments. Whether it's a customer sharing their experience or a quick presentation of your dishes, this dynamic content attracts new followers.

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How can you encourage your customers to create UGC content?

Engaging your customers in content creation requires a simple yet effective strategy. Here are a few easy ideas you can implement in your fast food business: 

• Organize online contests. For example, offer a free dessert for every photo shared with a dedicated hashtag.
• Launch a hashtag campaign. Encourage your customers to use this hashtag when posting content.
• Reward content shared by your customers. Offer a 10% discount on the next order for each review or photo shared.

Finally, highlight the best content on your social networks to enhance your customers' value and strengthen their commitment.

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How can you integrate UGC into your marketing strategy?

Here's THE big question: how do you integrate customer-generated content into your fast-food restaurant's marketing strategy?

• Relay UGC content on your digital channels: Share your customers' best publications on your social networks or website.
• Use UGC in your advertising: authentic customer photos and videos have a stronger emotional impact than purely promotional content.

In this way, UGC can become a central communication lever for boosting your fast food's visibility and boosting your sales.

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UGC in fast food: 2 successful examples

McDonald's: inspiration for engaging hashtags

With the #FryDay campaign, McDonald's encouraged its customers to share their moments with their famous fries. The result? Over 100,000 publications in one month, a colossal amount of visibility without any extra effort.

Starbucks: boosting sales with seasonal campaigns

Starbucks excels in the use of UGC, notably with its #RedCup campaign. Customers who shared a photo of their drink in a red cup received a discount. This simple initiative not only increased sales, but also strengthened brand loyalty (Source: CBSNews).

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