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Why I Quit User Generated Content (UGC)

Hotel Photography, Hotel UGC, Living The Dream, Product Photography, User Generated Content, Vision Quest Hospitality Photography, Vision Quest Media

Why I quit User Generated Content (UGC)

As a neurodivergent person, my brutal honesty and sensitivity to my tone and words made me realize that I wasn’t a fit for scripted UGC videos. As I spoke to the camera, my tics and stims accelerated as I listened to the inauthenticity in my voice, paralyzing me to the point where I couldn’t produce a single video. So I quit.

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

My “Brutal” Honesty Couldn’t Handle the Scripted Videos

As a neurodivergent person, one of my defining traits is brutal honesty. However, this trait can sometimes border on insensitivity and callousness, which means I’m always hyper-aware of my tone and words to avoid being misunderstood or misconstrued. And when it comes to scripted UGC videos, my honesty just couldn’t handle the inauthenticity.

Paralysis by Analysis

When I would try to record scripted UGC videos, I could hear the fake tone in my voice and see my neurodivergent tics and stims accelerate. It was as if the inner narrator in my head, which sounds like the character Joe Goldberg from the Netflix series You (minus the axe murdering tendencies), was screaming at me to stop the charade. I knew that anyone watching would see through my fake review and my anxiety would paralyze me to the point where I could not produce a single video.

The harder I tried, the more upset I would get and the worse my stammering and circular thinking and skin tugging and finger twitching would become. And watching myself stim and struggle on camera was excruciating.

Don’t tell me what my opinion is.

For someone like me, who craves authenticity and honesty, the scripted UGC videos just didn’t cut it. I wanted to share my genuine experiences and opinions, but the scripts and shot lists felt like a barrier to me being able to do so. It was as if the brands were trying to control my voice and mold me into their ideal spokesperson, rather than letting me be myself.

After many attempts at creating scripted UGC videos, I finally realized that I just wasn’t a fit for this type of content creation. My brutal honesty just couldn’t handle the fake, scripted nature of these videos. So, I decided to take a step back and focus on what I truly enjoy – creating honest and authentic reviews of products I already use and love.

It’s not brutal to tell the truth

In the world of UGC, authenticity and honesty are highly valued, but it seems that scripted videos are becoming more and more common. For someone like me, who struggles with masking and hiding my true self, these types of videos just don’t work. And that’s okay. It’s important to know our limits and what we’re truly passionate about.

Creating solely for love of the Content

As I move forward from my experience with scripted UGC videos, I have decided to shift my focus towards creating content with the sole purpose of education and entertainment. Whether it’s sharing my knowledge on a particular subject or simply entertaining my audience, I want to create content that is authentic, honest, and relatable.

Of course, if the opportunity to monetize my content arises, that’s certainly a bonus. However, that won’t be my main focus. Instead, I want to create content that I am passionate about and that I believe will provide value to my audience.

By removing the pressure of monetization from my content, I can focus on creating something that is truly meaningful and engaging. So, instead of trying to fit into a mold that doesn’t suit me, I am embracing my neurodivergent traits and using them to create content that is uniquely me.

In the end, I realized that my authenticity and honesty are not only my greatest strengths but also the key to creating content that truly resonates with people and makes me sought after by brands. My goal is and has always been to create meaningful relationships with clients instead of multiple transactions with customers.

And with that, I can confidently say that I have quit UGC for good.

The Backstory…Welcome to Day One of Get to No University

As a professional photographer and marketing consultant, we are always on the lookout for new tools and technologies that can help businesses improve their online presence. That’s how Greg discovered the Iconasys product photography system, which provides high-quality 360-degree product photos that are perfect for Amazon and e-commerce listings.

Beyond E-commerce listing photos

The system was so impressive that we knew we had to get my hands on it, and once we did, I was blown away by the level of detail and clarity it provided. But I also realized that this tool could be used for much more than just product photography for e commerce listings.

It could also be a powerful asset for creating honest and engaging authentic reviews of our favorite products that we use in real life.

Struggling with UGC: When Passion and Practicality Clash

As an almost exclusive Amazon shopper I depend on realistic representation of the product through actual images and honest reviews. I skip first to the reviews with pictures and videos and only then go back and read the copy the brand wrote about the product. I trust my peers because as a professional photographer, I know how unrealistic many marketing photos are.

As an “old lady” who became TikTok user during the pandemic, I was familiar with the concept of UGC ads but wasn’t totally clear on the rules or how to get started. However, with 35 years of sales and marketing experience under my belt, I was confident in my ability to pitch the idea to businesses and get enthusiastic responses.

Struggling with UGC: When Passion and Practicality Clash

I got a response for almost every pitch I sent because I passionately believe that we can bring value to brands with our photography and I can sell anything I believe in passionately. I have 35 years of sales and marketing experience and have a husband who has a degree in commercial photography and more than 25 years experience earning 6 figures as a professional photographer. Of course everybody said yes!

But things didn’t go as planned. When I tried to record the UGC videos that matched the vision I had in my head, I sounded like a glitchy robot about to be beheaded on a hostage video. As a neurodivergent individual, I found it difficult to deliver the kind of scripted content that UGC often requires, and my attempts to do so left me feeling fake and insincere.

I knew that I could learn the logistics of producing content but there was no reason to pursue something that didn’t work with my values and strengths.

Just because I can doesn’t mean I should

It was a frustrating experience, and it took a toll on my mental health. But in the end, it taught me an important lesson. I realized that I didn’t need to keep pursuing UGC just because I thought it was something I should be doing or could learn to do moderately well. Instead, I could create content I am passionate about – just for fun and not worry about monetization.

So I shifted my focus and started creating content that was purely for a passion project and suddenly my engagement AND my enjoyment have skyrocketed. I share my life experiences on social media and began writing blog posts about how I created the life of my dreams by pursuing the life I deserve instead of the life I had come to settle for.

And while I am not currently making any extra money from these endeavors, I found that they brought me a sense of fulfillment and purpose that UGC never could. I already make a consistent six figure income doing hotel photography without doing any outreach or marketing! From that I have learned that when you are doing what you love, your market will find you.

Like always, I learned that it’s okay to say no to things that aren’t a fit for me, even if they seem like a good idea on paper. And I’m grateful for that lesson because it’s allowed me to focus on what truly matters to me and an opportunity to create content that I’m genuinely proud of.

Authentic Guest Experience vs. Influencer Marketing for Hotel & Resort Marketing

Hotel Photography, Hotel UGC, Living The Dream, Vision Quest Hospitality Photography, Vision Quest Media

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

  • Both hotel lifestyle photography and videography and authentic guest experience photography and videography have their benefits, as does influencer marketing.
  • When choosing a marketing strategy, hotels should consider their target audience, marketing goals, and budget.
  • While influencer marketing can be effective in reaching a large audience, it may not always resonate with the hotel’s target audience.
  • Authentic guest experience photography and videography, on the other hand, feels more genuine and trustworthy, but requires ongoing collaborations to produce new content.
  • Ultimately, the best approach is to create a balance between all three strategies to create a comprehensive and effective hotel marketing campaign.

Understanding the difference between Influencers and Authentic Guest Experience in Hotel Marketing

Hotels these days are besieged by wanna be influencers and aspiring content creators asking for free stays with promises of amorphous social media deliverables. But how do you know what you are getting if you agree to a hotel collaboration with a content creator?

Authentic Guest Experience vs. Influencer Marketing

Authentic guest experience photography and videography has become increasingly important in hotel marketing. These visual assets are used to showcase a hotel’s amenities, atmosphere, and overall guest experience from the viewpoint of an actual guest. In recent years, there has been a growing trend towards influencer marketing, where hotels partner with social media influencers to promote their brand. While both approaches have their benefits, there are significant differences between them that hotels should consider when choosing a marketing strategy.

The focus of Influencer Marketing is on the INFLUENCER…not the HOTEL. People who see the content on their social media feeds usually are more interested in the influencer’s status than the story of their stay.

Another difference between these approaches is the cost. Hotel lifestyle photography and videography can be expensive, but it is a one-time investment that can be used for years to come. Authentic guest experience photography and videography, while typically less expensive, requires ongoing collaborations with content creators to continually produce new content. Influencer marketing can be even more costly since influencers often charge a premium for sponsored content.

Differences between Lifestyle and Authentic Guest Experience Content

The main difference between professional hotel lifestyle photography & videography or authentic guest experience photography & videography and influencer marketing is the approach to content creation. Hotel lifestyle photography and videography focus on capturing the hotel’s amenities and atmosphere in a professional and polished manner. Authentic guest experience photography and videography, on the other hand, take a more personal and authentic approach, focusing on showcasing the guest experience.

Influencer marketing, while effective in reaching a large audience, can often feel disingenuous and staged. Many social media users are becoming increasingly skeptical of sponsored content and may not trust the recommendations of influencers. Authentic guest experience photography and videography, on the other hand, feels more genuine and trustworthy since it is created by individuals who have actually stayed at the hotel.

These types of content creators are focused on telling the story of their experience as guests at the hotel with the focus being on the HOTEL. This authentic approach provides potential guests with a more relatable review versus feeling like a Hollywood movie set or overly salesy commercial video.

One such technology is user generated content (UGC) creation. While UGC has been around for a while, it is now starting to gain traction in the travel industry as a way for travelers to share their experiences and recommendations with others.

Hotel Lifestyle Photography and Videography

Hotel lifestyle photography and videography focus on capturing the “essence” of the hotel or resort. These assets showcase the hotel’s amenities, architecture, decor, and overall atmosphere. This type of visual content is created by professional photographers and videographers who understand the hotel’s brand and target audience. The content is often used on the hotel’s website, social media channels, and in marketing materials such as brochures and ads.

This type of content is usually more highly produced and edited with a focus on marketing the essence vs. the actual experience. These sweeping shots focus on small details and aesthetics to create a scene vs. to tell a story.

Authentic Guest Experience Photography and Videography

Hotel UGC will not replace traditional hotel photography or vice versa. Instead UGC will complement the type of hotel photography that brands require and owners expect. Hotel UGC will sell the experience and the lifestyle through an organic, less polished and more approachable style. Traditional Hotel photography will show the physical space and logistics if you will.

Consumers will use one to verify the other.

  • Are the traditional photos overly edited to the point of inauthenticity?
  • Did the UGC focus more on the creator’s experience without showing the logistics of the space?
  • Do the two sets of content consistently tell the same story and show the same place only in different ways?

In summary, the evolution of new technologies often requires education and understanding before they can be fully embraced by the public. As a business, it is our job to help educate our customers about these technologies and how they can benefit them. Whether it’s virtual tours or UGC, we have a responsibility to help our customers understand and take advantage of the tools available to them.

The Backstory…Hotels don’t know what Travel UGC is yet.

Hotel builds or renovations are VERY expensive. The property needs to market their property but by the time the doors open, there is often little budget left for marketing.

Gifted Hotel Stays in exchange for Curated Content

One way for new or newly renovated hotels to generate a ton of content is to reach out to travel UGC creators and offer gifted stays at the property. This can be a win-win situation, as the creators can use the opportunity to create new content for their followers, while the property can benefit from the exposure and authentic recommendations.

I recently reached out to a newly renovated boutique hotel to introduce them to my community of UGC creators. The property has great professional hotel photography so they didn’t need our services but UGC would have been a fantastic wait to kickstart their social media presence after the renovation. The hotel enthusiastically said that they would be excited to offer midweek stays in exchange for content.

I introduced them to an absolute Rock Star of travel UGC. Our plan was to host a Curated Content Safari where we invite a group of creators to collaboratively create content for the hotel during a group stay. Instead of getting one perspective, they would get a collaborative collaboration!

Unfortunately after we talked more, the hotel said that they couldn’t afford to offer gifted stays since they were so new. The point of gifted stays is to offer rooms that would otherwise be empty! We think the actual objection was that they didn’t understand the difference in Travel UGC and Influencer Marketing.

Travel UGC vs. Influencer Marketing

It is understandable that they may be hesitant to offer free stays due to their new status…if their rooms are full every night. However, it is important to remember that gifted UGC stays can be a cost-effective way to promote a business in the early days. By investing in building relationships with travel UGC creators and encouraging them to share their experiences at your property, you can create a steady stream of authentic, credible content that will attract potential customers.

Travel User-Generated Content (UGC) is a valuable asset for any business in the travel industry, including hotels. UGC refers to content that is created by customers or travelers, such as photos, reviews, and social media posts. This type of content is particularly valuable because it is authentic and genuine, and it can help to build trust with potential customers.

However, it seems that there is still a misunderstanding in the travel industry about the difference between UGC and influencer marketing. Influencer marketing refers to the practice of partnering with social media influencers or celebrities to promote a product or service. While influencer marketing can be effective, it can also be expensive, as influencers often charge fees for their services.

On the other hand, UGC is often free or low-cost, as it is created by customers who are already interested in and engaged with a brand. Additionally, UGC can be more credible and authentic than influencer marketing, as it comes from real customers who have had first-hand experiences with a product or service.

As a business in the travel industry, it is important to understand the value of UGC and how it can be used to promote your property. While it may be tempting to focus on influencer marketing, UGC can be just as, if not more, effective in building trust and attracting customers.

In conclusion, travel UGC is a valuable asset for new businesses in the travel industry.

It is important to understand the difference between UGC and influencer marketing and to consider the benefits of utilizing UGC to promote your property. By building relationships with travel UGC creators and encouraging them to share their experiences at your property, you can create a steady stream of authentic, credible content that will attract potential customers and help your business succeed.

Educating the Travel Industry about User Generated Content (UGC)

Hotel Photography, Hotel UGC, Living The Dream, User Generated Content, Vision Quest Hospitality Photography, Vision Quest Media

How do we educate the travel industry about User Generated Content (UGC)?

The hospitality industry can be a slow moving giant when it comes to new marketing technology. We must first educate them on how UGC can help their message resonate with potential guests. Only then will Travel UGC become mainstream.

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Virtual Tour Technology in the Travel Industry

Virtual tour technology has come a long way since we started our hotel photography business 13 years ago, and it’s exciting to see how it has evolved and become more mainstream. When we first started our virtual tour business, we faced the challenge of educating OUR consumers about what a virtual tour was and how it could benefit them and THEIR customers.

At that time, virtual tours were still a relatively new concept, and many people were not familiar with the technology. This meant that we had to put in extra effort to explain to potential customers how our virtual tours could help them visualize a space or location before they visited in person.

Fast forward to today, and virtual tours are now a common sight on many websites, with businesses in a variety of industries using them to showcase their spaces and products. While virtual tours have become more mainstream, there is a new need for education when it comes to new technologies.

Introducing Travel UGC to Hotel Owners

One such technology is user generated content (UGC) creation. While UGC has been around for a while, it is now starting to gain traction in the travel industry as a way for travelers to share their experiences and recommendations with others.

However, like virtual tours were 13 years ago, UGC is still a relatively new concept for many people, and it can be challenging for businesses to explain the value of UGC to their customers.

Travelers will drive demand for Hotel UGC.

Our job, as a hotel photography business and as members of the UGC Community, is to educate hotel owners about the benefits of UGC and how it can help their future customers plan their travels. By providing information and resources about UGC, we can teach them how UGC can complement traditional hotel photography to allow prospective guests to make informed decisions about their travel plans and get the most out of their experiences.

Hotel UGC will complement traditional Hotel Photography.

Hotel UGC will not replace traditional hotel photography or vice versa. Instead UGC will complement the type of hotel photography that brands require and owners expect. Hotel UGC will sell the experience and the lifestyle through an organic, less polished and more approachable style. Traditional Hotel photography will show the physical space and logistics if you will.

Consumers will use one to verify the other.

  • Are the traditional photos overly edited to the point of inauthenticity?
  • Did the UGC focus more on the creator’s experience without showing the logistics of the space?
  • Do the two sets of content consistently tell the same story and show the same place only in different ways?

In summary, the evolution of new technologies often requires education and understanding before they can be fully embraced by the public. As a business, it is our job to help educate our customers about these technologies and how they can benefit them. Whether it’s virtual tours or UGC, we have a responsibility to help our customers understand and take advantage of the tools available to them.

The Backstory…Hotels don’t know what Travel UGC is yet.

Hotel builds or renovations are VERY expensive. The property needs to market their property but by the time the doors open, there is often little budget left for marketing.

Gifted Hotel Stays in exchange for Curated Content

One way for new or newly renovated hotels to generate a ton of content is to reach out to travel UGC creators and offer gifted stays at the property. This can be a win-win situation, as the creators can use the opportunity to create new content for their followers, while the property can benefit from the exposure and authentic recommendations.

I recently reached out to a newly renovated boutique hotel to introduce them to my community of UGC creators. The property has great professional hotel photography so they didn’t need our services but UGC would have been a fantastic wait to kickstart their social media presence after the renovation. The hotel enthusiastically said that they would be excited to offer midweek stays in exchange for content.

I introduced them to an absolute Rock Star of travel UGC. Our plan was to host a Curated Content Safari where we invite a group of creators to collaboratively create content for the hotel during a group stay. Instead of getting one perspective, they would get a collaborative collaboration!

Unfortunately after we talked more, the hotel said that they couldn’t afford to offer gifted stays since they were so new. The point of gifted stays is to offer rooms that would otherwise be empty! We think the actual objection was that they didn’t understand the difference in Travel UGC and Influencer Marketing.

Travel UGC vs. Influencer Marketing

It is understandable that they may be hesitant to offer free stays due to their new status…if their rooms are full every night. However, it is important to remember that gifted UGC stays can be a cost-effective way to promote a business in the early days. By investing in building relationships with travel UGC creators and encouraging them to share their experiences at your property, you can create a steady stream of authentic, credible content that will attract potential customers.

Travel User-Generated Content (UGC) is a valuable asset for any business in the travel industry, including hotels. UGC refers to content that is created by customers or travelers, such as photos, reviews, and social media posts. This type of content is particularly valuable because it is authentic and genuine, and it can help to build trust with potential customers.

However, it seems that there is still a misunderstanding in the travel industry about the difference between UGC and influencer marketing. Influencer marketing refers to the practice of partnering with social media influencers or celebrities to promote a product or service. While influencer marketing can be effective, it can also be expensive, as influencers often charge fees for their services.

On the other hand, UGC is often free or low-cost, as it is created by customers who are already interested in and engaged with a brand. Additionally, UGC can be more credible and authentic than influencer marketing, as it comes from real customers who have had first-hand experiences with a product or service.

As a business in the travel industry, it is important to understand the value of UGC and how it can be used to promote your property. While it may be tempting to focus on influencer marketing, UGC can be just as, if not more, effective in building trust and attracting customers.

In conclusion, travel UGC is a valuable asset for new businesses in the travel industry.

It is important to understand the difference between UGC and influencer marketing and to consider the benefits of utilizing UGC to promote your property. By building relationships with travel UGC creators and encouraging them to share their experiences at your property, you can create a steady stream of authentic, credible content that will attract potential customers and help your business succeed.