23 Bite-Sized Video Ideas for Auto Repair Marketing on TikTok, Instagram

We're giving away 23 of the best video formats regularly produced by auto repair brands on Instagram and TikTok.

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Conceptual Minds | Oct 17, 2023

23 Bite-Sized Video Ideas for Auto Repair Marketing on TikTok, Instagram

In March 2023, a single video from an auto shop in southern Florida attracted 60 million TikTok views, on top of a staggering degree of news coverage.
 
The video in question?
@clancysautobody Job market is tough rn 😒 #bodyshoplife #shoplife #autobody ♬ オリジナル楽曲 - unicouniuni - I’m Uni.
As a result, Clancy’s Auto Body earned more than 200 thousand TikTok followers, enormous amounts of attention, and business. People from all over log in to get updates about the Mr. Rodgers-like cast of low-effort “characters,” including the social manager himself, Clancy’s CEO—affectionately called “bossman”—the cat Maxwell, and many more. 
 
“This is literally marketing,” reads one of the 15k comments on the fated first video.
 
The video is a great example of the power of modern video marketing. While viral success like Clancy’s is extremely difficult to replicate—many brands have tried—the incident underscores just how valuable bite-sized videos are for attracting a younger generation of drivers.
 
With the cost of video production lower than ever, the greatest difficulty in creating great video content for TikTok, Instagram and the web often lies in sourcing ideas.
 
In this guide, the auto repair marketing coaches at Conceptual Minds are giving away 23 of the best video formats regularly produced by auto repair brands on video-heavy social networks like Instagram and TikTok.

How to Create Great Auto Repair Videos for TikTok, Instagram, & More

Videos help consumers get a glimpse into your world, which includes your values, greatest assets, reputation, and sense of humor. It’s about letting people into your world.
 
Best yet, video production has never been as accessible and easy. You need a smartphone, a decent tripod stand, and a ring light; that’s it. (Check out Hootsuite’s guide to smartphone videography if you need help getting started)
 
What’s more, you’ll need a diverse mix of videos: fun videos for entertainment, interesting videos for education, and promotional videos for branding and direct sales. Feel free to crib from any of the following video types to create a mix that works for your audience.

Slice-of-Life Videos That Offer a Peak Behind the Curtain

Think of these video types as behind-the-scenes content. Here, we’re using your everyday operations as a platform to entertain and educate. 

1. Demonstrate, Talk Up Repair Techniques

Whether it’s your unique technique or the first thing you learn in tech training, your followers probably haven’t seen it before. Videos like these prove your competence and expertise.

2. The Unsuccessful DIY Fix Demonstration

@johnbrian210 A for effort atleast. #automotive #automotivetechnician #automotivetiktok #mechanic #mechanicsoftiktok #mechaniclife #fyp ♬ original sound - JohnBrian
Amateur mechanic fails are a great way of illustrating the dire need for professionals to handle mechanical issues. 
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3. The Interesting Find in Everyday Fixes 

@stageautocenter #customerstates "car blows hot, no AC, pls help" Mr. Customer... What AC? #mechanic #mechanicsoftiktok #mechanichumor#automotive #flatrate#mechaniclife #techtalk#mechanictips#dealershiplife #mechanicproblems #iykyk #carrepair #techniciansoftiktok #flatratemechanic #autorepair ♬ 3:15 (Slowed Down + Reverb) - Russ

Normally, the day-to-day is nothing to write home about. But, when the unusual occurs, your social media audience should be the first to know.

4. Rare, Unusual Repair Occurrences  

@tjautocare 999,999 + 1= 1 million odometer, another record of a good maintenance auto mechanic,/electrician #proudpinoy #thebestmechanic #mechanic #autoelectrician #carrepairing #odometer #reset #followformorevideo #madiskartengpinoy ♬ original sound - tyronnpiamonte
Because hitting 999,999 on an odometer doesn’t happen every day.

5. The Everyday Fixe, Put in Clear View

@bestmechanicjobs #✅ ♬ suono originale - BMJ Toker
It’s interesting to watch a professional at work; especially when viewers get a peak at the glorious mechanic action always going on under the hood.

6. The Brief Look at Home & Family Life

Consumers can relate to cute content centered on the friends and family of your shop’s team.  

7. Answering Business Inquiries

@clancysautobody Replying to @worstgencivic Please visit out website for more info #bodyshop #clancysautobody #clancyscult #shoplife ♬ original sound - Clancy’s Auto Body
Within his story framework, this leaves plenty of room for videos that explicitly market the auto body’s services. 

8. The I-Can't-Believe-My-Eyes Degree of Dirt, Grime, & Rust

The average driver doesn’t spend much time under the hood. As such, it’s unlikely they’ve seen anything like the oily, rusted-through messes you deal with on the regular. 

9. Cool Repair Tools and Visual Effects

Engineering is cool, transformation is cool. Molten metal is always cool.

Bite-Sized Advertisment Videos

These videos are all about creating humbly-crafted images and videos that help directly sell products and services. They’re the explicitly promotional posts we all wish could be every post. 
 
The brief time allowed by Instagram and TikTok are more than enough to showcase one showstopping element of a part or service.

10. The Simple Product Demo Video

Demonstrating this shifter’s tightness is a perfect use of a short video.

11. The Everyday Fix

@voulaangelazlat ##teamwork #pleasantcarcare #bestmechanics #themen #cars #car #audi #trucks #automotive #autotechnician ♬ MAKE IT HAPPEN - Bamtone
Show how your team tackles the bread-and-butter jobs that make up the majority of your business. Help your followers imagine their car getting worked on in a similar fashion.

12. Showing Off Your Shop’s Smooth Style

Think of this one as a broader advertisement for your shop. Show off the crew working in tandem or working at different stations. Set it to video and add a message introducing your shop. 

13. Show Off Underappreciated Car Upgrades

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.

14. The Repair In-Process Slideshow

@ceraselaw #thebestmechanic #seat #bihor❤️ #fyp #foryoupage ♬ original sound - Cerasela

It’s satisfying to watching mechanics create order out of poor functioning automobiles. Car repair slideshows or time-lapsed videos are not only satisfying to watch, they perfectly illustrate the skill with which your shop works.

Car Repair & Maintenance Advice

You’ll create these video formats to show off your auto shop’s service quality.

15. Show Viewers What Poor-Condition Auto Parts Look Like

@frescoalexx First time I ever seen this happened. #mechanic #fail #mechanicshop #fyp ♬ original sound - FrescoAlex
Consumers need help knowing when a car part is past its time. Videos help give them a clear picture of what exactly poor condition looks like.  

16. Demonstrate the Danger of Wore-Down Auto Parts

@edvintruckmechanic #Bestmechanics #truckservice #Zhur #Prizren #truckexpert ♬ original sound - Bujar Najtellari 🌹
Many drivers won’t pay for a fix until they learn the consequences of not paying. Clarify by demonstrating what happens when important parts don’t work as intended.

17. Help Viewers Diagnose Car Problems

@questionsaboutcars 5 noises that are BAD signs for your car! #carmaintenance #cartips #thejerryapp #mechanic #carinsurance ♬ original sound - Questions About Cars
This one on the origins of five troublesome car sounds is super helpful and concise. 

18. General Car Buying Advice Video

@carsjudge Now you wonder why c300 better a220 😅 #carsjudge #cars #alfaromeo #mercedes #jeep #toyota #mazda #foryoupage #fyp #subaru #vw #audi #landrover #dodge #tesla #hyundai ♬ original sound - Amine Allaf
The author, carsjudge, is simply pointing at nearby cars with his phone, giving them a thumbs up for good, a thumbs down for bad, and a shaky hand for somewhere in between. 
 
While the video was filmed at several parking lots, it could have been done in a single location.

19. Looking for Signs of an Accident in Used Cars

@mechanicofthestars Pro tips - Buying used cars! Things to watch out for. #mechanictips #mechaniclife #oktirestalbert #oktire #stalbert #localbusiness #carbuyingtips #cartok #carfax #inspection ♬ Summer day - TimTaj

Use your expertise in diagnostics to help the average car buyer check for signs of damage.

20. Localized Car Buying Advice

@kennycompcars The one thing! The main thing, you should do when buying a used car! #usedcardealership #carbuyingtips #carlot #cardealership #carsalesman #usedcars #usedcarsalesman #usedcardealer #buyingacar #mechanic #salemva #roanokeva ♬ original sound - Competition Cars and Classics
This is another great example, here, we see used auto dealership owner Kenny Martin explaining that used car buyers in no-salt southern states shouldn’t be confident that they don’t get a salt-damaged car, owing to many such owners shipping cars across the country. He then emphasizes the importance of getting used cars inspected.
 
All in all, it’s an easy-to-produce video. Martin uses his conversational charm and earns trust without any bells and whistles. Not bad.

Fun & Funny Videos

If you’re regularly producing videos, a big swath of your content should be pure fun. 
 
Don’t worry; no one is expecting TV-grade production design. It just needs to be funny coming from you.
 
Let’s look at some.

21. A “Funny” Video is an Unexpected Video

@yummyyammers

best mechanic in LS

♬ original sound - Jacob
We encourage you to stretch your imagination, but there’s no need to reinvent the wheel with short videos. 
 
There’s no better example of this principle than from Clancey’s Auto Body.

22. Real-World Video, Meme’d-Out

@clancysautobody Job market is tough rn 😒 #bodyshoplife #shoplife #autobody ♬ オリジナル楽曲 - unicouniuni - I’m Uni.
The low-effort feel of the videos is part of their charm. The last thing you’d expect to encounter on a business social media page is the kind of content you’d usually associate with always-online twenty-somethings.

23. Evergreen Memes for Every Occasion

Memes are a great source of free entertainment, so long as they’re one part of a healthy content diet. Sprinkle in a funny or cute meme for every four or so posts to entertain (And stretch your content calendar further). 
 
Be wary. While car and auto repair memes can be fun, many are sexually suggestive and based on gendered stereotypes that will offend. Be careful in your selections.
 
Check out the following accounts for a big helping of fresh memes:
 

Entertain, but Keep Production Contained, Too

Changing your shop’s image might feel like a tall order. In truth, changes in perception take time and repeated exposure to take effect. However, once your efforts bear fruit, you’ll begin to see what it means to be in a category above and beyond your transactional competitors.

Learn About Conceptual Minds

As veterans of the automotive industry, the Conceptual Minds team are experts at growing car counts through effective and personable marketing. If you are unsure of your current marketing strategy and would like some guidance, contact us today at 877.524.7696.

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