What is User Generated Content (UGC)? How can UGC help marketing? Not familiar with UGC? What if we told you that marketing doesn’t always have to be on your shoulders, and your ambassadors can help do it for you?

What if having to market yourself less was the goal? 

This is why UGC is any senior living marketer's secret weapon to building brand authority and pushing engagement with their customers. This article will cover the importance of building brand ambassadors and how their content can help drive results for your senior living organization.

User-Generated Content is transforming senior living marketing by turning consumers’ and families’ authentic stories into powerful engagement tools. 

By sharing photos, testimonials, and personal experiences, senior living organizations can attract new consumers. This blog explores how to harness UGC effectively to create meaningful connections and drive results for your community.

Getting Started with UGC

UGC often comes naturally from happy residents or families who move through a typical buyer journey.

Awareness – They discover your brand.

Consideration – They compare and evaluate.

Purchase – They buy or become a sales-qualified lead.

Loyalty – They become a resident.

Advocacy – They actively recommend you.

Ambassadorship – They proudly promote you as part of their identity.

If your existing marketing plan is doing what it needs to do, then you’ll eventually find that your community, organization, or business will have super fans. This could be a satisfied resident/child or a regular customer. 

Their identity may vary, but they all have something in common: they love what you do, and they want to tell others about what you do. The first step in harnessing the power of UGC is finding the U, your users.

The Power of UGC

Did you know that a compelling story can actually trigger a response in your leads that drives them to support your organization? This is because stories trigger a release of dopamine and oxytocin in a person, which does two things: builds connections and promotes generosity. 

But how does this relate to using UGC? When a satisfied customer shares their experience, they are simply telling their story. 80% of consumers trust UGC as much as they would a personal recommendation. This can be as simple as an online review or a social media post. This could also be a produced video testimonial. Well-crafted UGC directly influences consumer decisions.

Structuring the Story

A good story can be broken down into 3 movements.

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• Normal - What was life before your organization?
• Explosion - What happened that made the consumer realize they had a problem, and how did/does the brand solve that problem?
• New Normal - What does life look like now as a result of experiencing the organization?

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If you can get your superfans to hit on these points, you’re on your way to driving leads through customer stories.

Inviting UGC from Ambassadors and Families

Of course, there is natural UGC from social posts to simple word of mouth. But what about your ambassadors who haven’t taken the step to tell others about their experience with your brand? 

It’s wise to plan out different types of UGC to invite your super fans to go out and generate. There is no UGC without generated content. Here are a few examples of easy UGC:

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• Share a favorite photo from a recent community event or activity
  
• Post a short video tour of the resident’s apartment or favorite space in the community
  
• Write a testimonial about his or her experience
  
• Share before-and-after photos of the move-in experience
  
• Post photos of his or her favorite meal or dining experience
  
  

Producing UGC

Let’s say your ambassadors just don’t know how to say what they want to say or have the resources to do it. This creates an opportunity for your marketing team or agency to step in and help. With a little organized guidance, your customer stories can get out into the world. If your ambassadors need a little guidance, your marketing team can help produce UGC in ways like:

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• Schedule resident and family interviews
  
• Provide easy-to-use post templates and invite customers to share their story
  
• Send out surveys via regular emails to generate testimonials
  
• Start a podcast and invite super fans on as guests

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Whatever path you choose, there are plenty of ways to connect with your audience and guide them through the UGC process. Unsure about the process? Partnering with a senior living marketing agency may be the answer to your problem.

Harnessing the power of user-generated content can transform the way your senior living community connects with residents, families, and prospects. By inviting your ambassadors to share their stories and providing the guidance they need, you create authentic content that builds trust, engagement, and brand authority.

Ready to make UGC a central part of your marketing strategy? Partner with Solinity Marketing to help your community capture and amplify the voices that matter most: your consumers and their families. Together, we’ll turn their stories into your strongest marketing asset.