If you’re a busy interior designer trying to juggle all the many roles you play in your business, I bet social media feels like just another chore you “have” to check off your to-do list. But even if you’re sick of struggling against the algorithm, social media plays an important role in the success of your business. And no, I’m not just saying that because I’m a social media manager! In today’s heavily digital world, many consumers use social media to influence their buying decisions and “vet” potential purchases. Platforms like Instagram and Pinterest also allow you to be discoverable beyond your local community. In this blog post, we’re diving into the best social media platforms for interior designers. You’ll also learn how to use them successfully for your business.
How do interior designers use social media?
Social media plays a variety of roles in your interior design business:
- showing off your portfolio
- enhancing your online presence
- building a community around your brand
- and perhaps most importantly, attracting new leads for your design services.
Newer interior designers will likely focus their social media efforts on marketing their services. More established designers with a strong marketing funnel will have a purpose for each channel in their marketing plan, with most social media platforms driving awareness (and their website and sales process being the strongest driver of conversions).
The best social media platforms for interior designers: the options
Before I share which platforms I believe from my experience managing the social media presence for interior designers like Rebecca Rollins Interiors and Brianna Michele Interiors, let’s dive into a brief overview of your options for social media marketing:
The bread and butter of most interior designers, Instagram is a popular choice because of how visual the platform is. While it may have gotten more complex in recent years with updates like reels, it is still a great place to display your work. It also offers strong community-building potential, more so than other options on this list.
Threads
Threads is newer on the social media scene but I mention it here because it is linked to Instagram. I think it’s worth being on here for connection and networking. However, I don’t know interior designers who are getting a ton of business from it.
Oh Facebook. To put it bluntly, you’re a dinosaur. And if you’re expecting organic reach from this platform, you will be sorely disappointed. It is still important to have a facebook business page connected to your Instagram however. I recommend crossposting the same content you share to Instagram here.
Pinterest is not just for gathering design inspo for projects! It’s also very effective at attracting new eyes to your business, particularly clients who are already thinking about design projects. I absolutely love Pinterest for interior designers, but there are two caveats you must remember:
- You need a substantial amount of content to drive people to (a website with blogs being the most effective)
- And you need to be willing for it to take time – it can take between 6-9 months to build traction on the platform.
If you want proof you should start pinning, here are three reasons.
TikTok
We all dream about what it would be like to go viral on Tiktok and make money off our video content (or at least, maybe I do because I’m a social media manager!) But while the platform is very fun for scrolling, I don’t believe it works for the majority of interior designers. Unless your design services are virtual and affordable with a mass-market appeal, you’ll struggle to find your target audience here.
Similar to TikTok, unless you work with a particular target audience (in this case, more of a commercial/real estate audience), LinkedIn likely isn’t the best use of your time.
Which social media is best for interior designers?
In my experience, there is a clear tie between the top two social media platforms for interior designers: Instagram and Pinterest. Despite the complaints about the algorithm one might hear, no other social media platforms come close to the effectiveness and suitability for marketing interior design. Pinterest serves as an optimal top-of-funnel platform to bring new eyes to your website and blog content, and Instagram perfectly complements as a community-focused cannel.
What is the best platform to advertise interior design?
If you’re interested in venturing into paid media to support your interior design business, you have a number of options – from Instagram and Facebook ads to Pinterest to non-social media ads such as Google. Which one you choose depends on your business goals and location. I highly recommend chatting with an ads specialist before diving into paid media (and remember: boosting posts is not the same as running ads!)
How to use social media to support your interior design business
While it would be incredible if you could build a successful business solely on the back of a social media platform like Instagram, that just isn’t realistic. A strong interior design business requires the right foundation, a well-thought-out business and pricing strategy, a varied marketing approach, an excellent sales and client process, and of course, a good network and community. One piece alone won’t make – or break – your business.
Social media is best suited to an awareness and community-building role. It allows people to discover you and connect with your brand, but without the right customer journey in place, it can’t be expected to drive sales on its own. However, when you do have that strong ecosystem built up, social media can be a strong lead generator for your business.
Looking for support with your social media?
Whether you want to explore outsourcing your Instagram or Pinterest to a social media manager like us, want fresh eyes on your Instagram with an audit or are looking for on-demand support from a social media manager while you DIY your content, we have a solution for you. Not sure which option is right for your needs? Book a free call to learn more about our services!
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