Ten years ago, digital marketing was all about perfection. Perfect bottle shots. Perfectly staged couples clinking glasses in front of the vineyard. A curated feed. But let’s be honest: everyone’s seen that version of your winery before, even if they’ve never stepped foot on your property.

The reality? Today’s consumers are tuning out perfection. Overly curated, branded content feels cold. Disconnected. What people want now is proof. They want to see themselves in your brand—not someone who was paid to hold a glass of Pinot for the hundredth time.

That’s where UGC—User-Generated Content—comes in. For wineries, it’s one of the most powerful (and underused) tools to drive bookings, build loyalty and boost sales.

Let’s break down why UGC is crushing polished content in the digital age and how to use it to make your winery the one people can’t stop talking about.

Authentic Content Beats Stock in 2025 (and Beyond)

The marketing landscape has changed. Your audience has changed with it. They’ve been through a pandemic. They’ve seen brands rise and fall. They’ve gotten smarter, more selective and more skeptical. With constant content coming at them from every direction, their radar is sharper than ever.

Here’s what that means:

Stock images, overly staged photoshoots and ultra-polished brand campaigns don’t cut it anymore. They might look nice, but they don’t feel real.

Instead, UGC photos, videos, testimonials and reviews created by real guests does four things professionally staged content never will:

1. It builds instant trust

2. It creates social proof

3. It shows a real-life experience

4. It makes your winery feel different

That’s the real kicker: UGC is more believable and more scalable. A win-win.

So, What Counts as UGC for a Winery?

User-generated content doesn’t have to be fancy. In fact, it shouldn’t be. Here’s what UGC looks like for your winery:

• A guest’s Instagram Reel from a weekend tasting

• A photo of friends clinking glasses on your patio

• A TikTok showing a couple exploring your vineyard

• A 5-star Google review with an unedited, unfiltered selfie

• A video recap of a wine club member’s birthday dinner on your property

• An unboxing of your wine shipment

If a real customer made it and it showcases their experience with your brand—it’s UGC. Now let’s dive into 5 ways you can use UGC to drive sales and bookings.

1. Turn Instagram Tags into a Testimonial Reel

Monitor your mentions and tags weekly. Repost standout content to your Stories. Save it in Highlights like:

• “Wine Club Life”

• “Tasting Room Vibes”

• “Real Guests”

This creates a continuous loop of social proof—without needing to stage anything.

Pro tip: Use a brand hashtag and include signage in your tasting room encouraging guests to use it.

2. Build an Email Series Featuring Guest Content

Want your email list to actually open your next announcement? Stop sending dry promotions.

Try a short series like:

• “How real guests are enjoying their favorite bottles”

• “Wine club unboxings: See what’s inside”

• “This weekend at the vineyard, through your eyes”

Pair each email with a guest photo or video, a short blurb, and a low-pressure call to book, join, or shop.

3. Run a Seasonal UGC Contest

Incentivize guests to post by running a quarterly contest:

• “Show us how you enjoy our wines at home”

• “Tag us in your best vineyard moment”

Winner gets a free bottle, a tasting experience, or exclusive swag. You get a flood of real content to repurpose (with permission).

It’s cheaper than a photoshoot and way more powerful.

4. Add UGC to Your Website—Not Just Social Media

Most wineries bury real guest content in Instagram stories and never touch their site. Big miss.

Create a dedicated page like “In the Wild” or “From Our Guests.” Feature:

• Embedded Reels or TikToks

• Instagram grid pulls

• Video testimonials from wine club members

• UGC grouped by event type (weddings, private dinners, casual tastings)

Make it a visual trust-builder right next to your booking form.

5. Use UGC in Paid Ads (With Permission)

Test this: run a Facebook ad with your polished brand photo, and another using a fun guest selfie from a tasting. Same copy. Same offer. Watch which one performs better.

Real content outperforms polished more often than not.

Add a simple line in your waiver or website terms for content usage—or reach out directly for permission to reshare with credit.

People Trust People. Not Perfect Brands.

Your next best marketing campaign might already be sitting on someone’s iPhone. So stop chasing perfection. Start curating what’s already being shared. Build a culture of sharing among guests, showcase real moments and let your community do the talking.

At Slamdot, we help wineries create marketing strategies rooted in what actually works. That includes high-performance websites, landing pages, SEO and social media marketing that sets you apart.

Want to see how we can help grow your winery? Contact us today!

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