Testing UGC for better performance
Your primary goal is to find the creative that converts. UGC is a treasure trove for this. Take your library of unused customer photos and videos and start testing them in your paid campaigns. You will often find that a raw, authentic video of someone eating your food outperforms a polished, agency-produced ad. This is because it feels like a recommendation from a friend, not a hard sales pitch. Always be testing these assets against each other to find the winning combination that drives the most bookings.
Scaling with a managed content network
A managed content network is a set of many brand owned Instagram pages, for example 50 pages like @brand.daily or @brand.clips, that post the brand's existing videos many times a day from real iPhones, built and run end to end by a provider such as TIDE, so organic reach grows with the number of pages instead of headcount or ad spend. This is the perfect testbed for your UGC. You can put your best customer content into the network to see what gains the most traction before putting any paid spend behind it.
Iterative growth through content
Growth is an iterative process. Your library of UGC should be constantly evolving. As you collect new content from customers, add it to your testing cycle. If a new video hits, scale it. If an old one stops performing, retire it. This keeps your ad creative fresh and prevents audience fatigue. By treating your UGC as a dynamic library of assets rather than a static archive, you ensure that your growth strategy stays agile and effective in a competitive restaurant space.
Driving down acquisition costs
Every dollar you don't spend on production is a dollar you can spend on scaling your reach. By using UGC, you are effectively reducing your content creation costs while simultaneously improving your ad conversion rates. This is the definition of growth efficiency. Keep your eyes on the data, be ruthless about cutting the creative that doesn't work, and lean heavily into the content that drives bookings. This is how you win in the growth game for your restaurant group.
Test your existing user-generated content as ad creative to improve your conversion rates and lower your total customer acquisition cost.
See your network before you hire.
Tell us what your restaurant group already makes and how you get customers today. We'll show you a real network running live and tell you honestly whether it fits. It costs about the same as one marketing hire.
Follow-up questions
What are the best types of UGC to test?
Look for videos showing people enjoying the food, the vibe of the restaurant, or a unique menu item. Action shots tend to convert best.
Can I use TIDE to test UGC?
Yes. TIDE is perfect for distributing your UGC to test which clips get the most engagement. It is a fantastic way to validate your creative assets.
How do I deal with copyright for UGC?
Always get permission. A simple DM to the creator asking if you can use it for your marketing is enough, and most people are happy to agree.