Self-storage operators Storage Sense and Valley Storage recently partnered with two niche social media influencers to promote their properties. Both experimental initiatives led to more than a dozen new rentals each, according to a press release from Storage Asset Management (SAM), the company that provides third-party management for both brands.

When searching for personalities, SAM Social Media Strategist Paige Weary searched for individuals who speak with esteemed authority, are knowledgeable in their fields and have a loyal following, the release stated. She also looked for people who could authentically promote the self-storage experience. “I wanted to avoid someone that had a large following but not a lot of engagement or respect within their community. I also wanted to avoid an influencer that didn't come across as authentic or fully understand the need for self-storage,” Weary said.

Referred to as “micro-influencers,” the people SAM chose have a following greater than the average person but less than a celebrity, with roughly 1,000 to 100,000 followers. Each of them promises honest content that’ll serve their viewers, and the followers gladly show their support when that promise is fulfilled, according to the release.

Storage Sense collaborated with Jon Schoeller, a real estate investor who creates YouTube videos. He and his wife, Rhianna, share their adventures in house flipping and exemplify a natural voice for an industry that benefits from self-storage. In a recent post, the couple discussed the benefits of renting storage when purchasing a home, displaying a Storage Sense facility in the background. Rhianna offered viewers a code that would allow a new tenant to waive their administrative fees and receive a free unit lock. The net result was 15 rentals.

Valley Storage partnered with TikTok creator Sydnysky, who operates an online shop selling vintage goods. She filmed two TikTok videos featuring the self-storage operator and talked about storing with the company during a local news segment. She shared her overall experience, from packing boxes and moving her boxes to navigating the facility and opening her unit. Like Schoeller, she offered her viewers a discount code that netted 15 new rentals within a month.

Storage Sense operates more than 215 facilities in several states.

Owned by Todd and Tina Snook, Valley Storage has 54 locations in six states.

SAM provides third-party management to 515 self-storage facilities. Based in York, Pennsylvania, it employs more than 800 people at its store, regional and corporate office level.