Leveraging User Generated Content for Real Estate Marketing

User generated content is any photo, video, review, or story made by people outside your team. It could be a buyer sharing their key handover moment, a seller posting a renovation journey, a tenant rating your service, or a neighbour tagging your auction. People trust people. That is why user generated content works. It feels real, warm, and local. It helps more owners and buyers see themselves in your brand.

Why user generated content works

• Builds trust because it is real life proof

• Shows personality and care without sounding like an ad

• Grows reach as friends and family of the poster also see the content

• Gives you fresh content without more staff time

• Improves search results when used on your website and Google Business Profile

What counts as user generated content

• Photos and short videos from open homes, auctions, key handovers, street shots, dogs on walks, and backyard wins

• Reviews on Google Business Profile and RateMyAgent

• Stories about moving, renovating, and living in the suburb

• Before and after photos from sellers and local trades

• Community posts about schools, parks, cafes, and clubs

• Answers to polls or questions on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok

Where to collect it

• Google Business Profile reviews

• RateMyAgent reviews and stories

• Facebook and Instagram mentions, tags, and comments

• Local community groups and pages

• Direct messages and emails from clients and local owners

• Open home feedback forms

• Post settlement check in messages

Simple rules and permissions

Keep it safe and respectful. Use clear permission before you publish.

• Get written permission to use a person’s name, photo, video, or story

• If children are in the photo, ask a parent or guardian for permission

• Do not change the meaning of a review

• Keep private details out of view such as number plates and personal mail

• Follow fair and honest advertising rules

• Store permissions in your CRM with the post link and date

Sample permission line you can paste into a message

• Thank you for sharing this photo. May we use this on our social media, website, and printed materials to promote our services. Please reply Yes to confirm.

Build a user generated content system

Use a simple flow that your whole team can follow.

1. Invite

   • Ask for photos, short videos, and reviews at key moments such as listing day, photo day, auction, settlement, and move in day.

2. Approve

   • Check for permission, quality, and brand fit.

3. Save

   • File assets in a shared drive with suburb, property address, date, and type.

4. Publish

   • Share on two or three channels and always credit the creator by name if they agree.

5. Track

   • Record the post link, reach, saves, shares, comments, and any leads that followed.

Folder naming tip

• Suburb StreetNumberStreetName SellerUGC Photos

• Suburb StreetNumberStreetName BuyerUGC Video

• Reviews Year Month Platform

A two week campaign plan

Day 1

• Announce your Community Stories Month. Share what you are looking for and how people can join.

Day 2 to Day 5

• Run a daily prompt. Examples below.

• Repost the best entries. Always thank the creator.

Day 6

• Collect reviews through Google and RateMyAgent using your short review link.

Day 7

• Share a weekly round up reel with three to five clips.

Day 8 to Day 12

• Run a theme

  • Before and After

  • Favourite Street Corners

  • Hidden Garden Spots

  • Best Coffee Near Open Homes

Day 13

• Pick winners for Most Helpful Story, Best Photo, and Community Favourite.

Day 14

• Publish a blog and email newsletter that features the best posts, with links and credits.

Scripts to ask for content

Open home thank you text

• Thanks for visiting 12 Park Lane today. If you took any photos or short clips you like, reply here. We love sharing the best community shots with credit.

Buyer key handover message

• Huge congrats on your new home. Would you like to share a photo of your key moment. If yes, reply with the photo and the words Yes you can share. We will tag you if you wish.

Seller celebration post request

• Your sale at 8 River Street was a great result. If you have a short video or a before and after photo, we would love to feature it. Please reply Yes to give permission to use it on our social media and website.

Google review request

• We loved working with you. A short Google review helps local owners find a trusted team. Here is the link. Thank you for your support.

RateMyAgent review request

• Your feedback helps future sellers. Would you mind leaving a quick review on RateMyAgent. It takes two minutes and makes a real difference.

Incentives that feel right

• Monthly prize draw for a local cafe voucher

• Feature story on your website with a photo shoot

• Donation to a local club for the most helpful post

• Thank you card with a printed photo from their post

• VIP invite to a market update night

Always note

• The prize is a thank you for sharing, not payment for a review

• Reviews must be honest and in the person’s own words

Keep quality high

• Give simple guides

  • Hold your phone steady

  • Use natural light

  • Keep it to ten to twenty seconds for video

  • Wipe the lens before shooting

• Offer three easy prompts

  • What surprised you most about buying in this suburb

  • What do you love about your street

  • What is one tip for first time sellers here

Turn user content into many posts

From one great story you can create

• One Instagram reel with captions

• One square image post with a pull quote

• One Facebook album with three to five photos

• One LinkedIn post that shares the journey and outcome

• One blog story on your website with a clear call to action

• One email feature with a link to the full story

• One Google Business Profile update with a review quote

Add a clear action at the end

• Want a free suburb price guide. Send a message today.

• Thinking of selling in Spring. Book a call here.

• See all open homes this week on our website.

Hashtags and tags

Use a simple stack for every post

• Suburb name

• Agency name

• Street or building name

• Theme like renovations, auction, lifestyle

• Community tags like local schools, clubs, or cafes

Example set

• SuburbNameHomes

• AgencyName

• SuburbNameRenovations

• SuburbNameAuction

• SuburbNameCafe

Always tag the creator if they agree

Moderate and protect your brand

• Set a weekly review time to check tags and mentions

• Reply to every positive post with a warm thank you

• For negative posts, move to private messages, listen, solve, and then ask if they would like to update their post

• Do not argue in comments

• Keep a log of issues and how they were fixed

Measure success in simple numbers

Track each week

• Number of user posts you published

• Total reach and total video views

• Saves and shares

• Comments and replies

• New reviews received

• Leads that mention a post, review, or story

Simple formulas

• Engagement rate equals total interactions divided by reach times one hundred

• Save rate equals saves divided by reach times one hundred

• Review growth equals new reviews this month minus last month

If numbers move up over four weeks, keep going. If they stall, try a new theme or a stronger incentive.

Use AI to help without losing the human touch

• Draft kind outreach messages and reminders

• Turn a long story into a short caption

• Create three caption versions with different hooks

• Write alt text for images to improve access and search

• Build a clean blog summary of the best user stories each month

• Create a simple rights and permissions checklist for your team

Example AI prompt for a caption

• Write a warm Instagram caption for a buyer key handover at 12 Park Lane in Suburb Name. Celebrate the family and the street. Keep it under 90 words. End with a friendly call to action to book a free market update.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Posting without permission

• Editing words in a review

• Sharing faces of children without parent consent

• Ignoring tags and mentions for days

• Making the story all about the agent

• Using content that puts someone at risk such as showing alarm panels or personal mail

Templates you can copy today

Review outreach email

• Subject
  Thank you and a quick favour

• Body
  Thank you again for trusting our team. Your feedback helps local owners choose a safe pair of hands. Would you mind leaving a short review on Google. It takes two minutes. Here is the link. We appreciate your support.

Photo and story release line

• I give permission for Agency Name to use my photo and story on social media, website, and printed materials. I understand I can ask for removal at any time.

UGC post checklist

• Do we have written permission

• Is the location safe to show

• Are children’s faces approved

• Is the caption kind and clear

• Is the call to action helpful

• Have we credited the creator

A one week action plan

Day 1

• Add a Reviews page and a Stories page on your website. Link both in your social bios.

Day 2

• Create a simple Google review link and save it as a phone text shortcut.

Day 3

• Launch a Suburb Stories post asking for favourite street corners.

Day 4

• Repost two community photos with credit. Add a call to action.

Day 5

• Send five review invites to recent clients.

Day 6

• Film one key handover story with permission.

Day 7

• Share a weekly wrap reel with the best three clips.

User generated content is about people and place. Invite real voices, keep it safe, and make it easy to join in. With simple prompts, kind replies, and clear permission, your brand will feel closer to your community. More trust brings more conversations. More conversations bring more listings and more happy moves.

Author Ken Hobson
ken@agentslibrary.com.au