Over the last couple of years, the popularity of TikTok has skyrocketed, and it is now one of the best places to showcase your business. In 2021, the short video app passed one billion monthly active users and claimed the title of “most downloaded app” in 2020. It is known for memes, dance challenges, and viral moments, attracting big brands and small businesses.
If you’ve never used TikTok before, it can seem intimidating. After all, it is a new platform with its own set of rules, quirks, filters, and trends. However, we are here to guide how you can get started on TikTok as a rental business. If you’re already on TikTok, we might even be able to give you some new content ideas.
Why rental businesses should be posting on TikTok
As previously discussed, TikTok is massively popular, but you may be wondering how exactly it can help people discover your rental business. It lies within a vital detail of the app’s core function. TikTok doesn’t just show your videos to people who already follow you; they are thrown into the never-ending For You page.
The For You page is the main feed where users digest content from creators they already follow mixed with content TikTok thinks they may like. As with any form of social media, they want to keep users on the app for as long as possible. This means continuously serving content to users that they think they may like based on their viewing habits.
This unique discovery mode means TikTok stands out from other social media platforms as it has allowed brands to grow exponentially. There’s even a whole community of like-minded small business owners on the app who share and boost content by creating their own trends and hashtags.
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Eight content ideas you can use for your rental business
So, now you know how TikTok works, how can you create content that gets your business seen? The key is authenticity and with that in mind, let’s take a look at eight content ideas you can use to get your rental company seen.
1. Take viewers behind the scenes
One of the most popular types of content for small businesses is behind-the-scenes footage of how the company works. They show users the reality of running a business and give customers a look into what’s going on behind closed doors.
Of course, that doesn’t mean you need to show every detail, but giving a surface-level look can provide a human touch to your brand. You’ll be surprised what people find interesting when it comes to seeing just a part of your day.
Some examples of what you can post include:
- Organizing your products
- Celebrating milestones
- Preparing new products
- Showing how you select what products to rent out
- How you maintain products
2. Show how you pack an order
This one won’t be relevant to every rental business, but it can be fun to show what happens when packing an order. It’s a chance to show your potential customers what they can expect, especially if you throw in consumables like guides or repair kits.
Usually, this will be posted in the form of a timelapse and could be great for companies renting out event decor, for example. People love to see the care and attention that goes into orders before they are handed out or delivered.
3. Give business tips and advice
Many viewers are also small business owners or aspiring entrepreneurs, and they love to hear advice on TikTok. They may be drawn to you for your advice, but they could also become customers and help grow your following on the platform.
You don’t have any real secrets, but some transparency can give your rental business authenticity. It also helps build your brand and provides inspiration to others. Some examples of advice could include:
- How you started your business
- How you purchase inventory
- What software you use
- The best marketing channels
- What you need to start a rental business
4. Show the products you rent in use
This is a great way to sell the experience you are trying to provide your customers when they rent from you. You may remember from a previous post that we talked about serving your customers’ aspirations, and this is the perfect way to do that.
What you show will depend on your rental business, so below are some ideas for three of the most popular ones:
- Bikes - Showcase people cycling around your area
- Cameras - Showcase people during a photoshoot
- Events - Showcase the setup of a venue
5. New products additions
When you’re adding new products to your inventory, yyou can use TikTok to build hype before you launch new products. This gets customers excited and ready to rent these products when they become available and shows that your brand is growing.
This can be a great way to show why you’ve chosen to add products to your inventory and what they will mean for your customers. It can also be a great way to gauge how customers will react before setting them live on your online store.
6. Introduce your employees
At its heart, TikTok is driven by the people and personalities behind the brands, and simply talking to the camera is a popular format. Of course, this can be challenging if you’re not used to being on camera, but that’s part of the charm of these “get to know you” type of videos.
You can introduce yourself and why you started your business, while your employees can introduce themselves with fun facts. It helps people to get to know the people they will be interacting with when they book something from your rental business.
7. Interact with your customers
TikTok has a couple of tools designed for brands to interact with their customers/other users. The first is duets, which allows you to create a video alongside someone else’s. This can be a fun way to interact with customers who have shared their experience with your business on the app.
You can also create a video reply to those who have asked questions in the comments section of your videos. This allows you to answer any questions customers may have and confront any pain points before renting from you.
8. Hop on a trend
A great way to get your business discovered on TikTok is by hopping on one of the many trends sweeping across the app. You may need to scroll for a while to find one that you can do that’s relevant to your business. Though getting inspiration from other companies is a great way to go about it.
By hopping on a trend that uses a particular sound or meme, you will be thrown into the algorithm and be shown to users who enjoy them. It’s a great way to get a lot of views reasonably quickly and grow your following on TikTok, lending more authority to your brand.
So, what are you waiting for?
Hopefully, this has given you some ideas for content that you can post on TikTok, whether you’re a beginner or regular user of the app. Each of the formats can be used in various ways to allow you to create a stream of content you can post regularly.
Be aware that not every video will go viral, and it may take a few attempts to get some traction, but it will pay off. It’s basically free advertising that can bring your business the type of exposure you’d usually have to spend thousands to achieve.
