Your customers are already taking photos and videos during their tours—they're just sharing them everywhere except your marketing channels. User-generated content (UGC) from happy flyers turns expensive ad campaigns into free social proof that actually converts. When someone books a helicopter tour after seeing a friend's breathtaking aerial video, that's the power of UGC working for you.
Why Air Tour Customers Create Natural Content
People flying in helicopters, hot air balloons, or small planes are experiencing peak moments. They're documenting sunrises over canyons, champagne toasts after landing, or their nervous friend's face during a barrel roll. Unlike restaurant selfies that fade from timelines fast, aerial footage is inherently shareable and visually stunning. Your customers want to post—you just need to channel it strategically.
Build a Simple UGC Capture System
Start by creating a dedicated hashtag for your business and include it on every booking confirmation, waiver, and thank-you email. Use something short and brandable: #SkylineHelitours or #BalloonMemoriesByYourName. Make the ask explicit: "Share your photos with [hashtag] for a chance to be featured on our social media."
On the ground, set up a tablet or QR code at your departure area linking to a simple form where customers can upload photos directly. This takes friction out of the process—they've just landed from an adrenaline rush and may not remember your hashtag later. Offer a small incentive: $25 off a future tour or entry into a monthly drawing for a free flight. Most operators spend that on customer acquisition anyway.
For balloon tours specifically, the pre-flight moment is gold. Passengers are often nervous and excited—capture candid shots of their expressions, the balloon inflation process, and the crew preparing. These authentic moments convert better than polished promotional photos.
Leverage Content Across Platforms
Once you collect UGC, repurpose it aggressively:
- Instagram Stories & Reels: Post customer footage daily with a tag thanking them by name. Stories disappear in 24 hours, so frequency matters more than perfection.
- Your website homepage: Feature a rotating gallery of customer photos above the fold. Testimonial + image combos beat generic hero shots.
- Email marketing: Send monthly newsletters with customer highlights. "Meet Sarah, who celebrated her 50th birthday 3,000 feet over the Grand Canyon."
- Google Photos: Tag your business location so customer images appear in your Google Business Profile. This is free, authentic social proof that local searchers see immediately.
- Facebook ads: Use customer photos in paid campaigns—they outperform branded content by 2-3x on engagement, and people trust peer recommendations over company ads.
Set Clear Content Guidelines
Not every photo works. Create a simple one-page guide for customers on what makes shareable content:
- Bright, clear images (avoid backlit silhouettes over water unless intentional)
- Faces visible when possible (humans connect with humans)
- Include context: "celebrating an anniversary" or "first time flying" adds narrative
- Vertical video for Stories, horizontal for website features
- No excessive filters or editing that looks fake
You're not being picky—you're helping them create content they'll actually be proud to share.
Encourage Video Over Photos
Video drives conversions harder than stills. A 15-second clip of a customer pointing out their house from 500 feet up, or laughing during a smooth turn, tells a better story than any script you'd write. Offer a small incentive bump ($10 discount vs. $5) for video submissions. Most phones capture stunning 4K these days; you don't need a cinema camera.
Measure What Works
Track which UGC posts drive bookings by adding UTM parameters to your social links (utm_source=instagram_ugc, utm_medium=customer_photo). Over 60 days, you'll identify whether balloon sunrise videos convert better than helicopter city tours, or which hashtag generates the most engagement. Adjust your collection strategy based on what actually books tours.
Get Listed and Build Momentum
Listing your air tour business on Mercoly helps customers find you in the first place, and a portfolio packed with UGC gives them confidence to book. Use UGC to fill out your Mercoly profile gallery—it's more credible than promotional shots alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many customer photos do I need before I see booking impact? A: Start with 20-30 high-quality pieces across platforms. Most operators see measurable increases in inquiry conversion within 60 days once they're posting UGC consistently 3-4 times weekly.
Q: Should I ask customers to sign a release before posting their photos? A: Yes—include photo/video consent in your liability waiver (one checkbox). It protects you legally and shows professionalism.
Q: Can I use customer video on paid ads? A: Absolutely, and it performs better than branded content. Just confirm consent in your waiver or get explicit written permission before running ads.
Start collecting UGC from your next tour and watch word-of-mouth compound faster than any paid campaign could.