Table of Contents
The Two Audiences Creating Content About Your Catering
Unlike a retail business with a single customer, catering events expose your work to two distinct groups. The client who hired you experiences your planning, communication, and execution process. Their guests experience only the food, presentation, and service on the day. Both groups create valuable but different types of content.
Client-generated content tends to be more detailed and deliberate: a review describing the entire planning process, a recommendation post on social media, or a testimonial that covers everything from the tasting to the final invoice. Guest-generated content is more spontaneous: a photo of a beautiful plate, an Instagram story of the buffet setup, a quick comment about how delicious the food was.
Capturing Guest Content at Events
Making Food Photography-Friendly
How you present food directly influences whether guests photograph it. Strategies that encourage organic photography:
- Statement pieces: A dramatic charcuterie display, a towering dessert table, or an interactive food station (like a build-your-own taco bar) practically demands photos
- Plating for impact: Beautiful individual plates encourage diners to snap before they eat
- Branded elements: Subtle branded details (a custom menu card, a monogrammed napkin fold) associate photos with your company
- Good lighting awareness: When you have input on the setup, consider how lighting affects food photography—suggest stations near windows or in well-lit areas
Social Media Prompts at Events
Create gentle prompts that encourage sharing without being intrusive:
- A small card on the buffet table: “Enjoying the food? We’d love to see your photos! Tag @YourCatering”
- A custom hashtag for the event that includes your company name
- A photo booth near the food station with your branding incorporated
Coordinate these with the event host—some clients will love the idea, while others may prefer a less branded experience. Respect their vision for their event.
Post-Event UGC Collection
Client Testimonials
The most valuable UGC for catering companies is the detailed client testimonial. After the event, request testimonials that cover the full experience:
- How was the planning process?
- How responsive was the team?
- How did the food look and taste?
- How was the service on the day?
- Would they hire you again?
Written testimonials are valuable, but video testimonials are gold. A 60-second video of a happy bride saying “The food was the highlight of our wedding” is persuasive content you can use for years.
Professional Photo Sharing
If a professional photographer was at the event (common for weddings), reach out and ask permission to use photos featuring your food and setup. Many photographers are happy to share these images with credit, and professional-quality photos of your actual event work are your most valuable visual assets.
Mining Social Media for Mentions
After each event, search social media for location tags, event hashtags, and mentions of your company. Guests often post without tagging you directly. When you find positive content, engage with it (like, comment, thank them) and ask permission to share.
Organizing and Using UGC Across Channels
Website Integration
Create a dedicated testimonials or portfolio page that features client reviews alongside event photos. Organize by event type so potential clients can find relevant examples quickly. A corporate planner wants to see corporate events; a bride wants to see weddings.
Social Media Repurposing
Customer content performs well on social media because it feels authentic. Create a regular content series featuring UGC:
- “Real Events” series: Weekly features of actual events with guest and client photos
- Testimonial Tuesdays: A rotating spotlight on client reviews
- Guest reactions: Screenshots of positive social media mentions (with permission)
Schedule these alongside your other content to maintain a balanced feed. SocialBlaze makes it straightforward to interleave UGC reposts with your original content across platforms.
Proposal Enhancement
Include selected UGC—testimonials and event photos—in your proposals. A proposal that includes real client praise and authentic event imagery is significantly more convincing than one with only stock photos and self-written copy.
Building a UGC Library
Create a system for organizing your UGC by:
- Event type (wedding, corporate, private party)
- Cuisine style (formal plated, buffet, cocktail reception)
- Season (spring garden wedding, winter holiday party)
- Venue type (outdoor, ballroom, conference center)
- Permission status (approved for social, approved for website, approved for proposals)
A well-organized library means you can quickly pull relevant content for any marketing need without digging through scattered files.
Incentivizing UGC Without Being Pushy
Offer genuine value in exchange for content:
- Share professional event photos with the client (they want them too)
- Feature the client’s event on your blog with a link to their business (for corporate events)
- Offer a discount on their next event in exchange for a video testimonial
- Enter photo-sharing guests into a drawing for a catered dinner
Legal Considerations for Event UGC
Catering events are private occasions, and consent is critical:
- Always get the event host’s permission before using any photos from their event in your marketing
- For wedding and private events, be especially sensitive—not every client wants their celebration used as marketing material
- Include a content usage clause in your catering contract that clearly states your intent and gives the client the right to opt out
- For guest-generated content, get individual permission before using identifiable photos in your commercial materials
Turning One Event into Months of Content
A single well-photographed event can generate content for months:
- Week 1: “Just catered” post with a highlight photo
- Week 2: Behind-the-scenes process shots
- Week 3: Client testimonial overlay on an event photo
- Month 2: Recipe spotlight for a standout dish from the event
- Month 3: Throwback post comparing the menu design to the executed presentation
- Seasonal repeat: “This time last year” posts that inspire current planners
Published by the Social Blaze team. Find out more about the company and its social media tools on our About page.
Putting this guide into practice
Use this article as a planning guide. Confirm current platform requirements, pricing and account eligibility with the provider before acting. Adapt examples to your business and measure results in your own accounts.
Frequently Asked Questions
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