Stand Out On Social Media as an Interior Designer
Every Designer is doing the same thing!
What do you see when you scroll through interior design posts on Instagram?...
You see before and afters, project pictures, maybe a reel with a few images of projects clipped together… (if they’re doing something extra special). Sure, there’s nothing wrong with this. That type of content can do fine on social media! The question though, is that type of content providing real value for your audience?
Let’s say you’re an interior design firm that focuses on design for families who live in high-end areas, and love travel, sustainability, family time, comfort, etc. So, if that’s who you want to SPEAK to with your socials how will that demographic know when they land on your Instagram feed, that you’re the perfect choice for them? Well, they won’t if you’re posting the same content as everyone else!
So then, how do you stand out?
First, outline your ideal client as specifically as possible. Brainstorm every possible struggle, want, need, interest, value you could possibly think of for this imaginary person. To use the previous example, when speaking to their love for sustainability, create posts about how you thrift pieces and what you’re doing to limit your business’s impact on the earth. Since this ideal client really values family, you can create content that talks about the best way to design a home to maximize family time. For example: Create a reel talking about the best floor plans/home layouts to encourage the most family time as possible. An open floor plan where the kitchen leads to the living room which leads seamlessly into the backyard, where you can watch your kids play. To make this even more visually engaging and captivating, use a greenscreen, (which is a feature on instagram’s reel editing tool), so you can show the different types of floor plans you’re talking about.
Why this is so important
Do you see where I’m going with this here? Sure, people love to see a beautiful design project, BUT if you speak to their emotions, show that you understand their needs, wants and that you know how to achieve those results, your social media marketing efforts will be so much more effective!
By speaking directly to your ideal client, you will be much more likely to convert your followers down the line! Now of course, it’s important to mix in a lot of photos + videos of your projects, but remember that shouldn’t be ALL of your content. In order for your audience to know what you do and who it’s for, it’s crucial that you find the balance between these two.
Going the Extra Mile
Nobody wants to feel like they’re following a cheesy, slimy salesman. As an interior designer especially, you need to ENGAGE! Respond to every comment you receive on your posts. Don’t hesitate to repost other designers' content on your stories out of fear that it would compete with your business. It won’t! It will instead add variety and your followers will appreciate it. It’s important to view Instagram and social media as if it were a networking event. Make connections with other designers like yourself! This will build community and relationships with your followers. Oftentimes, by reposting other designers' work, they will end up reposting some of your work! You may even get a few referrals from them (especially if you repost work from designers outside of your niche). Social media is a community, and the more that community begins to see YOUR content, the more your platform will grow! This will also build up credibility with your clientele. Whenever they see other designers they like sharing what you have to say, your content will be seen as much more credible.
What this Looks Like
Okay, so now we’ve talked about WHAT you need to do, let’s discuss how your content should look. Focus on quality over quantity. We’ve all heard the term “Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover”, and yet, when it comes to interior design, that’s just what people do. Yes, functionality and livability is important BUT the first thing people notice is aesthetics. Make sure you’re taking bright, crisp, visually appealing, and most importantly, vertical photos and videos. There doesn’t need to be a hard and fast, rigid theme for your feed as far as color scheme. If all of your photos and videos are taken in a similar fashion and style, that in of itself can serve as a theme for your feed and make it more cohesive. By doing things this way, you will have the flexibility to post a variety of images and videos of your work without worrying about it sticking to a single color scheme. To use our previous example, if you’re filming a reel for the best floor plans for family oriented clients; ensure that you’re filming at the brightest time of day and make sure to avoid glare from artificial lights or windows.
Give your viewers a boost of serotonin whenever they open up their feed and see your content. You want to inspire your current and potential followers to decide it’s time they revamp their living area (and this way, they’ll know just who to hire). Most importantly, remember that you are unique and have something special to share!!
