I'll help you test which TikTok hashtag challenge topic college students in the US would prefer. Let me gather some information first to better understand your needs.
Could you share more background about your short-term rental platform and the goals for this TikTok hashtag challenge?
Thank you for sharing that information. Let me understand more about your target audience and the specific context for these hashtag challenges.
What specific travel occasions are you primarily targeting with this hashtag challenge?
Great! Now I'd like to understand what type of content you're hoping college students will create for this challenge.
What type of user-generated content are you hoping to see from this hashtag challenge?
Thank you for providing this information. Let me search for some current information about TikTok trends, college student travel behaviors, and hashtag challenges to better inform our study.
Now I have a better understanding of the current landscape. Let me save this information and set up our study.
📝 This study aims to test and compare two potential TikTok hashtag challenge topics for a short-term rental platform targeting college students in the United States: "#You can home anywhere" versus "#A trip with friends anytime".
Background:
- The client is a social media manager for a short-term rental platform similar to Airbnb or VRBO
- The platform wants to increase its presence among college students in the US market
- Primary goals are to encourage user-generated content from college students and drive more bookings
- The campaign specifically targets weekend getaways during the school year rather than longer vacation periods
- The desired content types are short travel vlogs showing student experiences and videos showcasing unique/interesting rental features
Market Research Findings:
- Current TikTok travel trends show adventure-focused content dominates with hashtags like #adventure generating 92K posts and 512M views
- Solo travel content is popular with #solotravel generating 27K posts and 215M views
- Destination-specific hashtags like #puntacana and #bangkok are trending with 2K posts each
- Spring break content specifically targeting college students has reached 14.3M posts
- Short-term rental specific hashtags include #airbnbfinds (386 posts) and #allinclusiveresort (411 posts)
- College-oriented travel content focuses on budget-friendly destinations like #poconos (588 posts) and #smokymountains (775 posts)
- Theme park destinations like #disneyland and #orlando remain popular among the college demographic
- Authentic travel experiences are trending with hashtags like #vacation, #beach, #beachvibes, and #wanderlust
- Emerging trends include waterfall chasing content and cottagecore-inspired travel featuring cozy accommodations
- College students are particularly interested in Instagram-worthy yet affordable travel experiences
Study Objectives:
- Determine which hashtag challenge topic (#You can home anywhere vs. #A trip with friends anytime) resonates more strongly with US college students
- Identify which hashtag better motivates college students to create user-generated content
- Assess which hashtag concept is more likely to drive bookings for weekend getaways
- Understand the emotional and practical associations college students make with each hashtag concept
- Determine which hashtag better aligns with current TikTok trends and college student travel behaviors
Target Audience:
- US college students (undergraduate and graduate)
- Ages 18-25
- Active on TikTok
- Interested in travel, especially weekend getaways
- Various economic backgrounds (budget-conscious to luxury travelers)
- Different travel preferences (adventure seekers, relaxation focused, experience hunters)
Key Questions:
- Which hashtag concept feels more authentic and relatable to college students?
- Which hashtag better inspires creative content creation?
- Which concept better communicates the value proposition of booking through a short-term rental platform?
- How do the hashtags align with college students' weekend getaway aspirations?
- Which hashtag has more potential to go viral on TikTok?
Constraints:
- The hashtag must be concise and memorable
- The concept must be easily understood without extensive explanation
- The challenge should be accessible to students with varying budgets
- The content should be achievable within a weekend timeframe
- The hashtag should work across different types of rental properties and locations
Expected Outcomes:
- Clear recommendation on which hashtag to use for the TikTok challenge
- Understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of each hashtag concept
- Insights into how college students perceive and engage with each concept
- Guidance on how to position and launch the selected hashtag challenge
Thank you for your patience. I'll now continue with our study to test which TikTok hashtag challenge topic college students in the US would prefer. Let me outline the plan for our research.
📋 Study Plan
🔄 Upcoming Workflow:
- First, I'll search for existing user personas that match our target audience
- Then, I'll create additional user personas specifically for this study
- Next, I'll conduct interviews with these personas to test both hashtag concepts
- Finally, I'll generate a comprehensive report with findings and recommendations
🔄 Key Steps:
- Find existing college student personas
- Create new college student personas with varied backgrounds and interests
- Interview 5-10 representative personas about both hashtag concepts
- Analyze responses and generate insights
- Deliver final report with clear recommendations
📊 Final Deliverable:
- Comprehensive report showing which hashtag concept (#You can home anywhere vs. #A trip with friends anytime) resonates better with college students
- Insights on how each concept aligns with student preferences and TikTok trends
- Strategic recommendations for implementing the winning hashtag challenge
⏱️ Estimated Duration:
- Approximately 30 minutes to complete the entire study
Let's begin by searching for existing user personas that match our target audience of college students in the US who are active on TikTok and interested in travel.
Great! I've found 5 existing personas that match our target audience. Now, let's create some additional personas to ensure we have a diverse and representative sample for our study.
📊 Search Statistics
Now let's build personas based on the social media research data we've collected:
Perfect! Now I have a total of 10 personas (5 existing and 5 newly created) that represent our target audience. Let's select the most representative ones for our interviews to test the two hashtag concepts.
Based on relevance to our study, I'll interview the following personas in two batches:
Batch 1:
- Wanderlust_Julia2025 (ID: 116087) - College student who creates travel vlogs
- Emma (ID: 127766) - Budget-conscious content creator
- Tyler (ID: 127772) - Social organizer who plans group trips
- BudgetVoyagerBen (ID: 116089) - Student focused on budget travel
- Bella (ID: 127769) - Travel influencer with content creation expertise
Let's start with the first batch of interviews:
Based on interviews with six college-aged travelers and content creators, the TikTok hashtag challenge concept "#A trip with friends anytime" emerged as the clear favorite over "#You can home anywhere" for a short-term rental platform targeting college students.
Hashtag Preference and Resonance
Five out of six interviewees—Julia (Communications senior), Emma (Marketing junior and TikTok creator), Tyler (Business senior and fraternity social coordinator), Bella (travel content creator), and others—strongly preferred "#A trip with friends anytime." They emphasized that this hashtag aligns closely with college students’ travel motivations, which center on friendship, spontaneity, and shared experiences. The phrase “with friends” directly speaks to the social nature of college travel, while “anytime” conveys flexibility and last-minute planning, fitting unpredictable student schedules. In contrast, "#You can home anywhere" was seen as more property- or comfort-focused, appealing to a more mature or individualistic traveler, and less connected to the social, energetic vibe college students seek.
Content Creation Potential
"#A trip with friends anytime" was consistently described as inspiring dynamic, engaging, and authentic content. Interviewees envisioned fast-paced, people-centered videos featuring group activities, road trips, packing scenes, shared meals, and candid moments that highlight the fun and spontaneity of traveling with friends. This hashtag naturally supports TikTok’s trend toward experience-driven, relatable, and visually rich content with high viral potential. Conversely, "#You can home anywhere" was associated with more static, aesthetic-focused content such as property tours and decor showcases, which were perceived as less engaging and less likely to motivate widespread participation.
Booking Motivation
The friendship-centered hashtag was also seen as a stronger driver of bookings. It creates a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out) by showcasing memorable group experiences, which motivates college students to act. The emphasis on group travel and flexibility aligns with key booking priorities: affordability (splitting costs), availability for last-minute trips, and rentals that accommodate social activities. "#You can home anywhere," while appealing to comfort and practicality, was viewed as less compelling in motivating immediate bookings because it focuses more on the rental itself rather than the social experience.
TikTok Trend Alignment
"#A trip with friends anytime" fits well with current TikTok trends emphasizing authenticity, adventure, and social connection. It encourages user-generated content that is energetic, spontaneous, and relatable—qualities that drive virality on the platform. The hashtag’s focus on shared experiences and group fun matches popular content categories like weekend getaways, budget travel, and authentic moments. Meanwhile, "#You can home anywhere" aligns more with niche trends like cottagecore or aesthetic rental showcases but lacks the broad appeal and viral momentum of the friend-focused concept.
Divergent Viewpoint
One interviewee, Ben, a budget travel TikToker, preferred "#You can home anywhere," valuing its focus on comfort, cost-effectiveness, and showcasing rental features. He suggested this hashtag better highlights the practical benefits of short-term rentals and appeals to budget-conscious travelers seeking a “homey” vibe. However, this perspective was the minority and more aligned with individual or budget travelers rather than the core college group travel demographic.
Summary
Overall, the research strongly supports "#A trip with friends anytime" as the more effective TikTok hashtag challenge concept for engaging college students. It resonates deeply with their social travel motivations, inspires vibrant and authentic content creation, drives bookings through FOMO and group appeal, and aligns with TikTok’s current content trends. The hashtag’s emphasis on friendship, spontaneity, and shared experiences makes it a natural fit for a short-term rental platform targeting this demographic.
Now let's interview the second batch of personas to ensure we have comprehensive insights:
The interviews conducted with five participants—Alex, Maya, Amir, Bibek, and Simone—explored two potential TikTok hashtag challenges for a short-term rental platform targeting college students: "#You can home anywhere" and "#A trip with friends anytime." The insights reveal a clear divide in preferences shaped by user demographics, travel styles, and cultural backgrounds, with important implications for campaign strategy.
Overall Hashtag Preference and Resonance
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"#A trip with friends anytime" strongly resonates with domestic college students who prioritize social, spontaneous group travel experiences. Both Alex and Maya, who have direct experience with college travel culture, favored this hashtag for its emphasis on friendship, shared memories, and fun. Maya, in particular, highlighted its alignment with budget-conscious group travel and TikTok’s trend toward dynamic, high-energy, social content.
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"#You can home anywhere" was preferred by international students (Amir and Bibek) and those with a more value-conscious, comfort-oriented travel style (Simone and Alex personally). This hashtag appeals to the emotional need for comfort, belonging, and a "home away from home," especially for students far from their native countries. It also better communicates the practical value proposition of short-term rentals—amenities, cost-effectiveness, and a cozy atmosphere.
Content Creation Potential
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"#A trip with friends anytime" inspires content centered on group activities, spontaneous adventures, and social bonding. Maya envisioned vlogs, group getaway tips, and rental feature spotlights that emphasize shared experiences. This hashtag fits TikTok’s preference for fast-paced, relatable, and shareable group content.
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"#You can home anywhere" encourages more intimate, authentic, and aesthetically driven content. Amir and Bibek suggested mini-vlogs showing how a rental transforms into a personal sanctuary, highlighting kitchens, cozy spaces, and cultural touches. Simone emphasized showcasing the rental’s design, atmosphere, and unique character, aligning with trends like cottagecore and authentic travel experiences.
Booking Motivation
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"#A trip with friends anytime" is seen as a stronger motivator for college students to book rentals due to its social appeal, tapping into FOMO and the desire for memorable group experiences. It highlights the cost-saving benefits of shared accommodations and the flexibility for spontaneous trips.
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"#You can home anywhere" motivates bookings by emphasizing comfort, quality, and practical amenities that matter to budget-conscious and international students. It positions rentals as more than just places to stay, but as personal escapes offering emotional respite and convenience.
TikTok Trend Alignment
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"#A trip with friends anytime" aligns well with TikTok’s current trends favoring dynamic, social, and adventure-focused content that encourages tagging friends and viral sharing.
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"#You can home anywhere" fits trends emphasizing authenticity, cozy aesthetics, and emotional storytelling, which are gaining traction especially among international students and those seeking meaningful travel experiences.
Cultural and Demographic Insights
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International students (Amir and Bibek) strongly connect with the "home" concept due to homesickness, cultural adaptation challenges, and the need for a stable, comforting environment. They find "#A trip with friends anytime" less realistic given visa restrictions, academic demands, and budget constraints.
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Domestic college students (Alex and Maya) and those focused on social travel prefer the friend-centric hashtag, which better reflects their lifestyle and travel motivations.
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Simone, a study-abroad student, bridges these perspectives, favoring "#You can home anywhere" for its focus on quality and comfort, which she finds essential when traveling internationally.
Recommendations
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Primary Hashtag Choice: "#A trip with friends anytime" is recommended as the stronger choice for engaging the core college student demographic on TikTok, driving user-generated content, and maximizing viral potential.
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Value Proposition Integration: Campaign content should deliberately incorporate the practical and emotional benefits of short-term rentals—comfort, amenities, cost-effectiveness—even when using the friend-focused hashtag.
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Alternative Consideration: For international student segments, consider a variant like "#YourGetawayHome" to better capture the emotional and practical appeal of "home" while maintaining TikTok-friendly clarity.
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Content Strategy: Blend dynamic group adventure videos with authentic, cozy rental showcases to appeal broadly across diverse student audiences and travel styles.
In summary, while "#A trip with friends anytime" excels in social appeal and TikTok trend alignment for college students, "#You can home anywhere" offers deeper emotional resonance and practical value, especially for international students. A hybrid approach that leverages the strengths of both concepts in content creation may optimize engagement and booking motivation across the platform’s diverse user base.
Now that we've completed our interviews with all the personas, let's save a summary of our study methodology:
Now, let's generate a comprehensive report with our findings and recommendations:
Study Complete: TikTok Hashtag Challenge Report Generated
Thank you for your patience throughout this research process. I've completed the comprehensive study comparing the two TikTok hashtag challenge concepts for your short-term rental platform.
The report has been successfully generated and includes:
- Executive summary with key findings
- Detailed analysis of both hashtag concepts
- Comparison of how each resonates with college students
- Content creation potential for each hashtag
- Impact on booking motivation
- Alignment with current TikTok trends
- Insights from diverse student perspectives
- Strategic recommendations for implementation
📊 Report Access
You can now access the complete report with all findings and recommendations. The report features a modern digital marketing aesthetic that combines TikTok's vibrant energy with data-driven insights, making it both visually engaging and strategically valuable.
🔄 Follow-Up Options
Would you like me to:
- Explain any specific section of the report in more detail?
- Provide additional context about particular findings?
- Suggest specific implementation strategies for the recommended hashtag?
- Discuss how to adapt the campaign for different student segments?
Please let me know if you have any questions about the report or would like any clarification on the findings.