How MGM Resorts leverages UGC to build community and increase engagement
Allyson Faiman, Social Media Brand Manager at MGM Resorts International, leverages user-generated content (UGC) to enhance the guest experience, boost engagement and drive marketing success through authentic, scalable strategies.
Every guest that steps through the doors of a large, public-facing hospitality company brings their own story — and in today’s connected world, they share those stories with their networks. At MGM Resorts International, we see this first-hand across our Las Vegas properties. Visitors post about their experiences, capturing everything from moments of joy at our restaurants to the excitement of exploring our resorts. For our social media team, this constant flow of content isn’t just a chance to showcase what we offer; it’s an opportunity to listen, engage and make our guests feel heard. That’s why sharing user-generated content (UGC) is one of the most powerful tools in enhancing both our brand and the guest experience — it brings the human side of our resorts into the digital realm, connecting visitors to our brand in meaningful, authentic ways.
UGC is one of the best, low-hanging fruit marketing and guest service strategies there is. Not only does it celebrate existing guests, but it amplifies experiences for future guests.”
Why MGM believes in UGC
I’m the social media brand manager at MGM Resorts, tasked with developing and executing the social media strategy and editorial calendar for the ARIA Resort & Casino. This isn’t my first rodeo: I’ve successfully managed the social media accounts at the New York-New York Hotel & Casino, Park MGM, The NoMad Hotel Las Vegas and The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, and UGC is a significant part of what I do. For hospitality brands, UGC is one of the best, low-hanging-fruit marketing and guest service strategies there is. Not only does it celebrate existing guests, but it amplifies experiences for future guests. It’s the convergence of word-of-mouth marketing, guest service and organic social media brand marketing.
Let’s look at the facts:
- UGC amplifies outbound posts. It could also potentially leverage the content in paid media and other marketing content (including traditional strategies).
- UGC positions a brand on social media in a non-promotional way. It's authentic and enhances social proof, while preventing the brand from appearing tone deaf or outdated.
- UGC is cost-free. Creation requires zero spend and only a bit of effort from internal teams. This is invaluable in the marketing world. We've maximized UGC by refining images to align with our brand aesthetic, then repurposed them across social, web and email.
- UGC strengthens a brand’s connection to customers. Highlighting services that surprise and delight customers can help any brand stand out, especially when transferring digital connections to in-person relationships.
Taking advantage of these benefits depends on a brand’s ability to leverage UGC correctly. And with the right tools in your tech stack, it might be easier than you think.
Tips for designing a strong UGC campaign
UGC accomplishes three things: boosts brand awareness, creates social media content, and acts as a guest service tactic that surprises and delights visitors. UGC is like putting someone on a jumbotron or giving them a cameo in a TV commercial: most people are thrilled to be involved and get their moment in the spotlight.
For MGM Resorts, Sprinklr is the right solution for making the most of UGC. The platform’s UGC capabilities are robust, user-friendly and compliant with data protection standards. By partnering with Sprinklr, we’ve brought our marketing full circle from organic word-of-mouth promotion to a dynamic digital guest connection with valuable marketing collateral.
We’ve followed some key guidelines to ensure our approach is consistent and repeatable across our portfolio:
1. Make it tangible
Promoting UGC demonstrates that a brand cares about customers' experiences. The desire to celebrate them in both physical and digital spaces builds loyalty and increases community engagement.
UGC is excellent low-hanging fruit. It deserves a place in any marketing campaign, regardless of budget.”
A great example of this is our Behind Closed Doors campaign at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, which celebrated its 10th anniversary with freshly renovated rooms. We built a photo opportunity and integrated a social media sweepstakes, so customers could share their photos and tag them #MakeAScene for a chance to win a luxurious stay.
Using Sprinklr Social dashboards for DMs, comments and tagged photos, we could stay connected to our customers and communicate with them in-app. The dashboard helped our team stay organized and streamline reporting when sharing details with stakeholders.
We also leveraged the content for redisplay on the website and the digital screen at The Chandelier (our famous three-level bar in the heart of the casino). The repurposed content became another tool to boost engagement and keep our brand front and center.
2. Add incentives for influencers
Influencer marketing and UGC are two peas in a pod. Leveraging them correctly can maximize their effects.
We did this at the New York-New York Las Vegas, where we launched a UGC monthly series to encourage consistent influencer-generated content. The goal was to celebrate VIP guests and engage their unique audiences by tagging their handles in each frame. The final frame in our highlights reel prompts influencers to use #MGMApproved for a chance to be featured.
The approval workflow capability within Sprinklr content boards allow us to monitor tagged posts like these and track the status of each asset. Users can suggest specific content and request approval from the content’s author — and we can manage all submissions from a single tab.
3. Celebrate on-brand examples
UGC typically outperforms traditional brand-created content on social media, and Sprinklr offers multi-channel support, so we can source material from various platforms. However, it’s still important to select the right pieces of content to feature. Sometimes, it’s even beneficial to “throw some glitter on it” to mirror a brand’s social media aesthetic. At MGM Resorts, we lightly edit positive UGC with small color edits and touchups to elevate the content and better align it with our digital brand presence.
In Sprinklr, I can find examples of UGC and easily request access through customizable request templates. With all of the information in front of me, I can make informed decisions without inadvertently choosing the wrong content to feature.
Influencer marketing and UGC are two peas in a pod. Leveraging them correctly can maximize their effects."
Start with the low-hanging fruit
As a hospitality brand, there are lots of ways you can approach UGC:
- Formally requesting UGC and sharing it in a polished, on-brand form
- Sharing users’ in-feed content directly in-app
- Combining both approaches to best fit the brand
Whatever method fits best, have fun and get creative with your UGC approach. Think of your favorite social media accounts and how they celebrate wins. Or, consider your successes when celebrating friends and exemplifying your personal social brand online. Transferring that sentiment to your UGC strategy is a great start.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re an international brand or have a small local presence. UGC is an invaluable tool for strengthening brand affinity and customer relationships. But beyond its marketing benefits, UGC is an organic form of Voice of Customer (VoC). It's a real-time, authentic reflection of how guests perceive and engage with your brand. By embracing UGC, brands aren’t just curating content; they’re actively listening, responding and building loyalty in a way that feels personal and meaningful. And in a competitive market, the brands that amplify customer voices — not just their own — will always stand out.
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