Reels and Repairs: One Shop’s Social Media Success Story 

Are you curious about marketing your business on social media? Well, know up front that the deck is stacked against you.

For example, there are roughly two billion monthly active users on TikTok. It doesn’t take a marketing degree to know that’s a very deep well that could be tapped into to gain attention and fill more bays. Unfortunately, making a genuine mark using TikTok and other social media platforms as an auto body shop is about as easy as digging a hole in the middle of the ocean. Can a collision repair facility truly make the often-overwhelming world of social media work in its favor?

Absolutely. Just ask Ken Miller (821 Collision; North Haledon, NJ.)

Early last year, Miller decided to experiment with adding TikTok, Facebook and Instagram – far from the traditional means of spreading the word about this industry – to the regular marketing efforts at his shop.

“Advertising for collision repair is difficult,” he explains. “Except for paintless dent repair or things like that, consumers only need us after a collision. I wanted to continually stay in front of people in their feed in a way that would be informative but not annoying or salesy.”

Utilizing professional video production/editing and social media services recommended to him by a fellow shop owner, Miller quickly carved an impressive niche for himself online. Although he posts daily videos to all three platforms, the response to his TikTok page at
tiktok.com/@821collision has been particularly notable. As of late May, the site boasted more than 5,300 followers, with some videos exceeding 5,000 views. Miller’s formula for maintaining such a successful presence is simple: toss out the industry jargon and formality and talk about collision repair in ways that anyone can understand.

“I’d rather have the uhs and the ums in there, because I’m human.”

821 Collision’s TikTok output ranges from consumer tips on how to navigate the repair process (including the benefits of frequenting OEM-certified facilities) to easy-to-understand explanations of OEM-recommended procedures and examples of improper repairs by other facilities. Supplementary content includes clips from Miller’s podcast appearances (including on Lucas Underwood’s Changing the Industry) and cameos from his former office manager, Danielle, whom he says may turn up in more videos down the line.

Although Miller created his TikTok account to appeal to the general public, he has also seen a groundswell of support from within the automotive community.

“It took on a life of its own, because I never intended this to be informational for shop owners or technicians. I was trying to provide value to customers who would see me and say, ‘Okay, this guy knows what he’s talking about,’ or, ‘This is an expert, and I want to go there.’ Now, I have as many technician and business-owner followers as I do non-businesspeople. I had people at this year’s NORTHEAST® Automotive Service Show stop me and say, ‘Oh, we love your stuff, and we learn so much!’ Other shop owners have sent emails to the store, asking questions and about repair-related things. Some people want me to share the documents that I’ve talked about.”

All of this sounds wonderful, but what’s the monetary benefit of being so active on a platform typically reserved for teen influencers or silly pet tricks? What is the real ROI of being a TikTok auto body star?

“That’s an impossible question to answer from the standard definition of ROI,” Miller observes. “The ROI from this standpoint is the investment in the future and the unquantifiable benefit of living in people’s heads, where they go, ‘I just got into an accident, and I know where I want to go because I saw this video.’”

As for tips for other shops interested in taking the social media plunge, he suggests keeping things light and leaving high emotions at the door.

“I don’t talk bad about people, I don’t talk bad about shops, and I don’t talk bad about insurers. That’s not my job. My job is just to promote my business, and I don’t believe any of those negative things bring positive energy to my business.”

Additionally, he urges any shop considering a similar move to have its insurance underwriter review potential online content to ensure it stays within legal bounds.

While there’s no magic bullet for making any marketing strategy work, Miller’s success on social media shines a light on possibilities previously foreign to most shops. The financial rewards may not be concrete, but the advantages to his reputation in and out of the industry are easy to spot.

“It’s so funny, because there’s a certain ‘celebrity status’ that comes along with being on the little screen that people are looking at in their hands. I have people who come to the shop and say, ‘Oh, I know you!’  I’ll say, ‘Oh, I’m sorry. Did I forget your name?’ They’ll say, ‘No, I know you from TikTok!’

Want more? Check out the July 2026 issue of Hammer & Dolly!