Practical guide · Hotels
How can you convince management to invest in UGC?
By the Séjournée editorial team · Sources checked on · Updated on · Published on
Make the case for UGC with a business problem and a controlled test, not a trend. Explain what is missing, what the proposed solution costs and how you will decide whether to continue.
Management does not need to adopt every social-media convention. It needs to understand why the investment deserves priority over other hotel requirements.
Start with a verifiable observation
Avoid saying “all our competitors use UGC” unless you have actually completed that analysis.
Show a documented gap instead: a confusing room-category difference, an unrepresented service or an offer without suitable supporting content.
Attach relevant pages and genuine recurring questions from staff, without exposing guest personal data.
Then state the need:
We want to explain the difference between two room categories on their presentation pages. The pilot concerns comparable videos, not purchasing an audience.
The UGC versus advertising-video guide can help define the service precisely.
Compare realistic alternatives
Consider internal filming, a freelance videographer, an agency or improving existing materials.
| Option | Potential benefit | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Internal team | Knowledge of the property | Available time, equipment and skills |
| UGC creator | Personal perspective and dedicated production | Portfolio, rights and logistics |
| Videographer or agency | Structured production scope | Suitability of the quotation |
| Existing assets | Faster reuse | Accuracy, quality and remaining rights |
UGC should not automatically win. Explain why the recommended option fits this need, and when another approach would be preferable.
Propose a bounded pilot
Include:
- one objective;
- a limited deliverable set;
- a complete budget cap;
- an accountable owner;
- a usage period;
- a review date;
- stop or continuation criteria.
Separate production from distribution. A budget covering only files does not establish a visibility campaign.
The hotel UGC cost guide helps include hosted nights, rights and internal time.
Calculate a threshold, not a promise
In a fictional example, a test costs €1,200 and the assumed contribution before test costs is €80 per additional room night.
The project would need 15 genuinely additional room nights to cover the budget. That calculation does not predict that the video will generate them.
Show low, central and high scenarios. Explain how you will distinguish observations from assumptions.
If the objective is primarily informational, use an appropriate measure and acknowledge that booking ROI may be difficult to isolate. The UGC ROI guide explores that distinction.
Address risks proactively
Operational risk: unavailable spaces or staff disruption. Response: confirmed slots and a named contact.
Content risk: work that misses the need. Response: relevant portfolio, clear brief and review criteria.
Legal risk: insufficient rights or participant permissions. Response: review before filming. Reference: Article L131-3 of the French Intellectual Property Code.
Measurement risk: incomplete or non-compliant tracking. Response: a checked measurement plan, with the CNIL’s audience-measurement guidance.
Do not bury the risks in an appendix while putting confident booking claims on the first page.
Prepare a one-page decision note
Use this structure:
- problem and evidence;
- proposed approach and alternatives;
- deliverables and first placements;
- full cost and assumptions;
- risks and owners;
- review date and requested decision.
Put detailed quotations in an appendix. The main note should make sense to someone unfamiliar with influencer-marketing terminology.
Accept that the right decision may be not to invest
Broken mobile booking or an inaccurate photo library may deserve priority.
Ask what blocks approval and whether it can reasonably be resolved. Do not replace missing evidence with promises of virality.
The objective is not to secure UGC spending at any cost. It is to obtain a clear decision about a test whose value and limits are understood.
Frequently asked questions
How should you explain UGC to management unfamiliar with it?
Start with the business need, assets and intended placements. Distinguish producing files from purchasing distribution to a creator’s audience.
What budget should you propose for a first test?
Choose a limited scope with a known complete cost, including deliverables, rights, hosting, staff time and planned distribution.
Should you promise a number of bookings?
No. Present assumptions, a break-even threshold and a measurement plan. An unsupported booking commitment would weaken the proposal.
What if management says no?
Identify whether the concern is need, cost, risk or measurement. Improve the proposal where appropriate, or acknowledge that another investment has priority.