If you are running a vintage store, whether it is a side hustle or your full-time passion, you already know that having great pieces is not enough.
In today’s resale landscape, content is your storefront window, your sales pitch, and your brand identity all rolled into one.
And while platforms like Instagram Reels, TikTok, and Pinterest each serve a slightly different crowd, they all offer one thing in common: massive potential to drive sales if you know how to post with intention.
So how do you create content that not only looks good but also actually sells? Let’s break it down platform by platform.
Instagram Reels: Sell the Lifestyle, Not Just the Look
Instagram Reels is where aesthetic meets aspiration. It’s your chance to hook viewers with mood and vibe in the first 3 seconds, and then get them to browse your shop.
What to Post:
- Outfit Transformations: Think before vs. after styling, grabbing a ‘meh’ outfit and elevating it with your vintage piece. These are endlessly scrollable and showcase how your items fit into a modern wardrobe.
- Drop Teasers: Showcase what’s “coming soon” to create hype. Try filming a rack of clothes with quick pans or a flat lay of curated finds.
- Customer Testimonials or “How They Styled It”: Re-share UGC or recreate it yourself. Real people styling your pieces boosts credibility and sells the vibe.
- Styling Challenges: “5 ways to wear this vintage blazer” or “Styling one skirt for a week.” These not only show versatility but invite people to imagine the piece as part of their own rotation.
- Behind-the-Scenes Content: Show sourcing trips, cleaning processes, or packaging orders. People love knowing what’s behind the magic.
Quick Tip: Use trending audio, but keep your own aesthetic consistent. You want your feed to feel cohesive even when you’re hopping on trends.
TikTok: Be Raw, Be Relatable, Be Quick
TikTok is all about personality and storytelling. The platform rewards authenticity and fast-paced content that hooks attention immediately. You don’t need a polished setup, just great energy and intention.
What to Post:
- “Come Thrift With Me” Vlogs: Show your audience what sourcing looks like IRL. It makes people feel part of the journey and builds transparency around pricing and curation.
- “What Sold This Week” Recaps: These establish social proof, encourage others to browse your shop, and reinforce that your stuff moves.
- Storytime Posts: Share the history behind a unique piece or a funny thrift fail. Human moments sell better than perfect ones.
- Style Diaries: Document your week in vintage fits. Showcasing pieces on you builds relatability and trust.
- Price It With Me: A great interactive format—ask viewers how much they think a piece should be priced. Educational and engaging.
Quick Tip: TikTok is not just about trends, it is about niches. Don’t be afraid to nerd out on vintage tags, decades, or fabrics. There’s an audience for it.
Pinterest: Think Long Game & Visual Search
Pinterest isn’t about virality. It’s about discoverability over time. It’s where people go to plan, dream, and buy with purpose. Here, every post is evergreen and can resurface months later, so make them count.
What to Post:
- Styled Flat Lays or Outfit Grids: These work best when tagged with keywords like “fall capsule wardrobe” or “90s minimalist style.” Think seasonal, searchable, and clean.
- Lookbooks or Boards by Era: Curate pins around themes like “Y2K Office Style” or “Vintage French Girl Aesthetic.” These bring traffic to your listings over and over again.
- How-To Graphics: “How to build a vintage wardrobe,” “How to shop secondhand by era,” or “Signs a vintage tee is authentic.” Educational pins get saved and reshared a lot.
- Video Pins from Reels/TikToks: Repurpose your best video content here. Pinterest now supports video pins, and these often get prioritized in search.
- Direct Product Pins: If you're using a platform like Shopify or Etsy, make sure your pins link directly to product pages to shorten the path to purchase.
Quick Tip: Pinterest is keyword-driven. Always add detailed alt text and titles. Treat it like SEO for your closet.
Bonus: Cross-Post Like a Pro
Reels, TikToks, and Pinterest don’t have to be separate efforts. Repurpose intelligently:
- Use the same raw footage to create different edits for each platform.
- Remove watermarks using tools like SnapTik or Repost.
- Tailor captions and hashtags for each audience (Pinterest loves keywords, TikTok loves short and punchy hooks, Instagram loves aesthetics).
Final Thought: Content Is the Funnel
Every scroll is a potential customer. Every save is a potential sale. By using Reels to spark curiosity, TikTok to build connection, and Pinterest to drive discovery, you’re building a content ecosystem that works with your store, not just next to it.
Selling vintage is more than having great taste—it’s about creating content that moves people to click “Add to Cart.”
Think Oly 🫒can help your business? Drop us an enquiry here: https://www.oly-platform.com/contact
