How to promote your Whatnot show

Pick one platform to start: TikTok, Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts. Use the same name as your Whatnot shop, the same profile picture and a bio line that says what you sell and when you go live.

Put your Whatnot shop link in the bio. Post on that one account for a few weeks before you spread to the others.

The day before a show, post a 15–30 second clip of the best items going in it. Show them in hand, close up, with the show day and time on screen.

A phone on a tripod and a ring light is enough. A tripod is typically £18–30 and a ring light typically £35–60, and you will use both for the show itself.

Between shows, post short, useful clips: a new arrival, a packing video, a quick tip about the items you sell, a clip of the best moment from the last show. A 20 second clip every day reaches more people than one long video a week.

Batch them. Film five clips in one session, then post one a day. One setup session covers the whole week.

Clear photos of the headline items do double duty: they go on your show listing and on social posts. A 40 cm photo light box, typically £25–40, gives a clean, even background for small items.

Shoot from the same angle each time so your posts look like a set. Natural window light works for larger items if you shoot at the same time of day.

A buyer has already paid you once. Thank them by name on stream, put a card in the parcel with your social handle and next show day, and close the bag with a sticker. A roll of 500 thank-you stickers is typically £5–9.

Run shows at the same day and time each week. Regulars can plan their evening around a fixed slot.

Schedule shows in advance and share the show link on your social accounts. Whatnot changes these features, so check its help pages for the current scheduling and sharing tools.

Stay within the platform’s rules on promotions and giveaways. Read the current Whatnot guidelines before running anything that looks like a competition.