How Architects Can Utilize Social Media to Grow Business

Before the dawn of the internet, business owners primarily took out ads in newspapers and magazines to attract new clients. Many still do, but online advertising — and social media marketing in particular — has become critically important for drawing in new customers.

However, for architects and design professionals, it can be challenging to navigate the evolving world of social media. Not sure where to start? Take a look at these key tips on digital marketing for architects.

Why Social Media Marketing?

If you’re already active on social media, you might have a good idea of how it can be helpful for marketing. However, if you’re not too familiar with it, you might wonder how it can help. Some of the main advantages of marketing on social media include:

• It helps you reach a wide audience
• It’s a great way to promote your services
• It lets you easily show off your current and past projects
• If you post informational content, it can help you build authority in the field
• It’s a way to connect with other professionals
• It lets you engage audiences that you might not otherwise reach

It’s important to note that marketing in this context refers to organic, or non-paid, content. Paid social media promotions can sometimes be a useful marketing tool, but it’s possible to successfully build brand awareness with only organic content — it just takes time.

Social Media Marketing for Architects: Which Platform Is Right for You?

Usually, a strong social media marketing strategy involves maintaining active accounts on multiple platforms. That doesn’t mean you need an account on every single one, though. Here are the basics that you need to know about some of the most popular platforms:

Instagram

Instagram is an image-centric platform, so it’s ideal for architects to showcase their work. Grab your audience’s attention with striking photos and include links to your blog, contact page, and other important pages in the captions.

Facebook

Like Instagram, Facebook lets you show off photos. You can also draw in potential clients by creating groups and events for anyone with an interest in architecture. Additionally, Facebook makes it easy to network with other professionals and potential collaborators.

Pinterest

Pinterest is primarily beneficial for architects who focus on building homes and not commercial buildings. This site lets you build “boards” to inspire other users. If someone is intrigued by your work, they might be interested in booking a consultation!

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is better for building a professional network than it is for finding clients. Professional networks are good for more than referrals — when you stay connected, you’ll be able to follow relevant discussions and stay up to date on trends in the field.

LinkedIn also offers opportunities for users to contribute to collaborative articles. If you’re able to contribute quality insights, you’ll gain the respect of others in the field.

TikTok

Some people think of TikTok as a site for silly dances, but it’s also a useful marketing tool. It’s video-based, so it’s great for posting videos of current and finished projects. You also can share animations of future projects.

Even if you don’t choose TikTok as your primary social media site, you can always include links to your other social accounts in your profile. That way, users can be drawn in by your videos and then directed to the content you have on other pages.

Tips for Building a Professional Online Presence

Having an online presence is an absolute must if you want to attract more clients. With that being said, though, an unprofessional online presence is often worse than no online presence at all. Here are a few tips to help you cultivate an online presence that will help you win over the clients you want.

Make Your Website Beautiful

As an architect, you design structures for a living. Your clients want those structures to be beautiful. So if you have a website that is poorly designed, those would-be clients might immediately start looking for someone else.

Unless you have great web design skills, you’re generally better off hiring a professional to create your website. You can collaborate with the designer and explain the aesthetic you’re going for, and the designer can make it happen.

Find Your Brand Voice

Part of building an online presence is creating a brand that your customers can identify and resonate with. The type of voice you choose will depend on the kind of clientele you’re hoping to attract.

For example, if you design upscale homes for mostly older clients, you probably want your brand voice to sound at least somewhat formal. If you focus on avant-garde homes for younger people, you might choose a more casual, conversational tone.

Once you’ve established a brand voice, make sure it’s consistent across each page of your website and all of your social media profiles. If you use vastly different tones on different pages, you’ll confuse your readers and potentially come off as disorganized.

If you're stuck trying to construct your brand voice, I encourage you to check out the "Build a Brand Identity Beyond Logos: How Interior Designers Can Use Branding to Build a Successful Business" CEU course. It delves into what branding is, how it affects buying decisions, creating a brand strategy, and implementing your brand - both for a business and your personal brand.

Interact

Having a quality online presence is one way to build trust with your target audience. Another way is to interact with other professionals on social media. It will show your potential clients that you’re serious about what you do, and it’s also a way to build valuable connections.

Make Sure Your Content Can Generate Leads

Suppose that a potential client is looking for someone to design a commercial building. They stumble across your Instagram and love your work, but they can’t find a link to your website on your profile. Your username doesn’t give them any clue as to your business name, so they give up and find someone else.

You don’t want to let this happen to you. Make sure that every social media page clearly communicates your business name and offers a link to your website and contact information.

Demonstrate Your Expertise

What sets you apart from other architects? Remember that the end goal of establishing a strong online presence is to attract more potential customers. If you want would-be clients to choose you over the competition, you need to set yourself apart.

Here are a few ways you might consider doing so:

• Highlighting your education, especially if you graduated from a prestigious school
• Writing a blog with quality architectural insights
• Creating and promoting a portfolio of your best work
• Starting an architecture-related podcast

Highlighting your expertise and accomplishments is an effective way to stand out from the crowd. And if you have a quality podcast or blog, it’s very possible that your next clients will stumble upon you by accident.

Tips for Creating Content to Attract Your Target Audience

Gaining a basic understanding of online marketing for architects is a great place to start. Setting up your social media profiles is another important step.

But if you want your social media marketing campaign to pay off, you’ll need to make sure that the content you create is both interesting and relevant. Try these tips for creating the right content to grow your business:

Add a Personal Touch

One of the reasons so many people love social media is because it gives them a glimpse behind the scenes of other people’s lives. You don’t want professional social media profiles to be overly personal, but showing off your workspace or documenting a day in the field can draw people in.

Document Progress on a Project

Anyone interested in architecture is going to appreciate photos of projects in progress. Side-by-side comparisons and even slideshow-style videos can be great, too.

Don’t Forget the Details

Pictures are crucial, but some audience members might be interested in the little details. For instance, if one of your projects has an unusual staircase, you might want to describe how exactly it was installed.

Offer Unique Insights

If you already have a blog or are planning to start one, you know that search engine optimization (SEO) can increase your chances of potential customers finding it. However, you also need to make sure your content is engaging enough to keep them there once they arrive.

You can build your authority in the field and among clients if you can offer valuable information to people trying to learn more about architecture. Similarly, if some of your blog posts answer common questions people ask when they’re searching for an architect, you might be able to keep potential clients hooked.

Show Off Top-Quality Photos

Beautiful visuals draw people in. Professional-quality photos with unique angles will catch your audience’s eye. If your photos are grainy or otherwise of poor quality, social media users are likely to scroll past — even if the project itself is beautiful.

Expand Your Business and Find Community With Behind the Design

No matter how talented you are, you aren’t going to see business growth unless you know how to market yourself successfully. This is where Behind the Design comes in.

We’re committed to building a thriving, supportive community of architects and interior designers, so we offer training, continuing education, and connection opportunities for these professionals after they’ve graduated from their programs.

Ready to see your business grow? Join us today!