Getting Started on Instagram - How to Promote your Design Business on Instagram

Instagram did not come easy to me. I, too, have struggled in the past with not understanding how to promote my business via Instagram. The algorithms made no sense to me. I did not understand the purpose of why the layout was so important. 

Facebook just seemed to be so much easier for me, but I knew the importance of being on both platforms, so I kept reminding myself that I should operate my business from a place of always growing and finding new ways to reach people where they are.

This is why it is so important to have your business set up on several social media platforms. I found that having my business on social media really helped me start driving the traffic that I wanted to see to my website. This was very important because the resources I share for interior designers are all found on my website, after all.

I want to strive to be the core spot for every Interior Design need. But if they cannot find me, then what is the point? Knowing how to utilize social media is a crucial part of running a business and getting seen by potential clients. 

As an interior designer, you need to find new clients, but word of mouth can only take you so far. Did you know that 81% of users research products and services? This is why having a presence on social media and utilizing every part of it that you can, is essential to helping your business grow, especially now that most of the world operates off of the internet.

Here are some great questions I will answer to help you get started on Instagram so you can start using it as an asset for your interior design business. 

What is Instagram? 

Let’s start with the basics. What even is Instagram? I start here because I know that some interior designers may not like social media. I do not fault you for that. You may have grown a solid business without it, but you know that now is the time to begin utilizing social media.

Not everyone has been on social media before. Some people just choose to stay away from it, but if you are going to continue to grow, sometimes that means you have to get out of the norm and expand yourself into places that make you a little uncomfortable. For some of us, that may be social media. 

Instagram is one of the biggest social media platforms being used today, which is another reason why you should be utilizing it for your business. It is a great place to share videos and images of the ins and outs of your business, all while driving traffic to your site through hashtags and aesthetically pleasing content.

It is a place where you can follow other users, create a community, and even showcase your amazing artistic abilities by creating a feed that has incredible before and after transformations, color schemes, behind-the-scenes videos, and so much more! It also allows you to share images and short video clips in what they call “stories.” These last 24 hours and are archived afterward.

It also offers direct messaging, and you have the ability to go live if you choose to. There are many features to Instagram, and they all work together to help you promote your personal brand as an interior designer and your business. 

Related Article: “Everything an Interior Designer Needs to Build a Personal Brand”

How Often Should I Be Posting?

You want to do your best to stay as consistent as possible on your page. It is important to remember that if you stay consistent, then viewers will also stay consistent. Whatever you choose to post, make sure that you are frequently pushing out that same amount of content each week. For example, if you share one post every Monday through Friday, then the next week, you should be doing the same thing and so on.

Many marketing teams are posting either Monday through Friday or every day of the week. It is truly up to you to decide how often you want to post, but know that if you only post once a week and your competitors post every day, you may want to rethink your strategy.

What Should I Be Posting?

As an interior designer, you need to ensure that you put out relevant content for your brand. For example, if you have a blog, share about your blog posts. If you build courses, share those courses. If you are offering classes, share about your classes.

Related Article: “Why Blogging Can Help You Grow Your Interior Design Business”

Take some time to sit down and create a weekly or monthly content plan. Write out what you want to post about each day. You can do this a couple of ways: 

1. Use a monthly calendar and write the topic of your post for the day. 
2. Go even further and write out word for word what you want to post that day, including the image. 

I recommend taking the time to do number two because you will be able to copy and paste your work, which will save you time in the long run. 

Another great tip when creating your plan would be to think about how much of each type of content you will put out each week and split it up so that way you are not putting too much of the same content out. You can do this a couple of different ways, as well: 

1. Have set themes for each day. For example, Monday - Quotes, Tuesday - Blogs, Wednesday - Informative Posts, Thursday - Courses, Friday - Interior Design Tips 
2. Split your content up by thirds. For example, ⅓ of your content is about your website, ⅓ of your content is about your blog, ⅓ of your content is third-party content.

If you are still not sure what you can post about, here are some other great ideas that you can post about on your Instagram: 

• Blog Content
• Available Training Courses
• Inspiring Quotes
• Interior Design Tips
• Room Transformations
• Website Content
• Your Services
• Day in the Life of An Interior Designer
• Video Content
• Run a Giveaway
• Completed Projects
• Before and After Images
• Even Repurpose Old Content 

Here is a great example of how you can repurpose old content: “How to Create 8 Social Posts from One Image” 

Should I Start the Account Under my Personal Account or a Business Account?

If you are ready to create your own business profile, then you need to step away from your personal account and create a business account with your business. Even if you do not have an Instagram account yet, you need to make sure that you are creating your account as a business account. The reason for this is that it is important to track your analytics on your page. With a personal account, you are not able to track analytics.  

With your business account, you will be able to track things like: 

• How many people clicked on your website
• How many viewers you had on your content
• How many interactions you had on your content
• How many accounts you reached collectively
• How many followers you gained or lost
• How many people watched your stories
• How many people visited your profile
• How many people went to email you

With a personal account, you will not have access to this information, and it is important to be able to track your analytics each month to see what is working and what is not working. This way, you can listen to your audience and continue to push out content that your viewers react well to, and then hopefully, that will convert into leads for your business. 

What are Hashtags and Which Should I Use?     

Hashtags are used to categorize content and allow it to be more discoverable. On Instagram, you are allowed to use up to thirty hashtags for each post that you make. You can put it in the comments section of your post, or you can put it in the description; either way, it will work.

Using hashtags allows you to have up to thirty more chances to view your content by users who are not your followers. In addition, people can search for certain hashtags in their search bars on Instagram, and because you used that hashtag, your post will come up as a post in their search.  

For instance, if I am a client looking to remodel my home with a Transitional Design in mind, then I might search #transitionaldecorideas on Instagram to get some inspiration. If you happened to post an image with this same hashtag, then now I have a better chance of seeing your content as opposed to other designers. 

You want to always use thirty hashtags, that way, you are using every chance you have to get your content seen by as many users as possible. Without hashtags, your content will only be seen by the viewers that you have unless they share it in their stories, which is less likely to happen. 

Another great rule to follow when it comes to hashtags is to make sure that you are searching for the correct ones when you are finding hashtags to use. Most marketing experts say to use this method: for each post, we include a combination of three to four frequent hashtags, six to eight average hashtags, and twelve to sixteen rare hashtags. This proportion guarantees the highest reach for the post.

Some great examples of hashtags for Interior Designers would be: 

#interiordesigner #interiordesigners #interiordesign #instadecor #interiorboom #luxuryarchitecture #luxuryhomedecor #interiordesigninspo #luxuryinterior #interiordesire #homedesigns #interiordesignerslife #interiorarchitects #classyinterior #contemporaryinterior #interiordesignproject #interiordesignidea #modernbedroom #interiorstylists #modern_house #interiorstudio #homestylingideas #interiordecorater #livingroomdesigns #diningrooms #interior_styling #furnitureantique #stylingmyhome #interiorsinspiration #interior_designer

What do you Mean by Aesthetically Pleasing?

Several years ago, when Instagram first came out, this really did not matter, but now if your Instagram feed is not aesthetically pleasing, people will not want to stay on your page long. The truth is, Instagram is a vanity-driven platform. This means that your page has to have great branding, then the content has to be just as great to keep people engaged and on your page longer.

Taking steps to have branding in place for your interior design business is very important. Using a program like Canva will help you create graphics that are on brand and trending. All of your images need to be cohesive and make people want to look at it, then they will want to read it. It all plays together. For an example of what this can look like, take a look at my Instagram, and you will be able to see how your page can look aesthetically pleasing while still offering great content for your viewers. 

Check out GAI's Instagram and be sure to follow us.  

Branding, of course, is more than just colors and your logo. To learn more about branding, check out this branding article, “What is Branding and Why is it Essential for Your Interior Design Business.” 

Branding is a part of our everyday lives. It affects our lives in many different ways: where we shop, what we buy, and who we trust. You may not realize it, but you are a brand. You can use that brand to build an interior design career or business. In this CEU course, “Build your Brand Identity Beyond Logos: How Interior Designers Can Use Branding,” participants will learn about branding and how to use branding to build a design career or business. Sign up today. This is a 1.5 IDCEC credited course and is $49!

Some Final Thoughts

Instagram can be a great asset to your Interior Design business. It can take some time to really understand the platform, but you will get the hang of it after a while. It is so important to continue expanding your knowledge not only in your field but also in what resources can better your business. You never know what could come of it. Instagram could end up being the best decision you make for your business. Never be afraid to try something new. 

Here are a few extra tips to help you in your Insta journey: 

• Take time to research and build out a solid plan. Check what your competitors are doing on their profiles, and analyze what is working for them and what isn’t.
• Take steps to create solid branding. 
• Create great calls-to-action for your content. 
• Use the thirty available hashtags
• Make sure to engage with your audience.
• Stay consistent! 

Each day the platform will get easier for you to use. If you remember these tips and continue to push out great content for your viewers, then this platform can really be great for you. Take it a day at a time and stay focused on your goals.