Impact of Social Media on Design Firms
Brand awareness is an important aspect of sustenance in today’s world whether it be through social, print, and digital media, exhibitions, or conferences. A design firm needs it all if it wants to become a ‘Brand’ from successful design practice. Faster, more efficient, and easily absorbed, communication through Digital media is the way forward. We are standing at a time when the audience is demanding credibility & authenticity, hence social media is the most effective way to communicate your brand’s story every day. The cart is now driving the horse. The pandemic has proven to be an apt time to get creative- as many business owners have already been forced to do, enabling remote working or shifting to virtual events & conferences. It won’t be long before this luxury turns into a modern-day necessity. An architect can become an influencer aiding to communicate through his design and communication activity in a language that the common man understands. Everyone we know is using some form of social media whether it be Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. Facebook offers a more personalized approach talking about all interactive aspects happening at your firm, Instagram serves as a visual directory of experiencing your designs through sight and LinkedIn builds a professional network.
Sharing a few tips to small SMEs and Startups can use social media to brand and plan their future better, digitally.
ZUCKERBERG’S THE WAY
Facebook can be a powerful way to communicate with clients and potential clients, allowing them to see your designs or design products without having to visit your premises. This serves as a first step communication model without having to do a preliminary meeting with a client. Saves time, isn’t it? You can upload your projects, on-site images, small videos, your travel stories, firm updates, or your media activity. Maintaining a Facebook page of your design firm not only helps in cataloging all your projects, but it also serves as a magnet that attracts new clientele. The general public has a unique visual stimulus that enables them to seek what they see, so get set and post!
CLICK.UPLOAD.REPEAT
Next coming to Instagram, Reaching out to the audience through a platform like Instagram makes your relationship with the target audience friendlier. According to a survey, about 800 million people use Instagram with over 500 million people using it every day. The consistency of posting here is extremely important. Whether you decide on doing one post a day or one post in three days, maintain it, and never run out of content as that creates a huge gap between your followers and you.
LINK & GROW
With over 500 million members, in over 200 countries LinkedIn is the largest business-oriented networking website geared specifically towards professionals. Using LinkedIn’s company page features, a design firm can ensure that it reaches its target audience. Your firm’s page can aid in promoting your brand’s core values, nurture leads and of course improve the visibility of any job opportunities currently available. It also has the power to drive business engagement through thought leadership articles, educating clients, and fraternity at large.
EASY TO PIN, HARD TO MISS
Pinterest has 8.12 million unique visitors from India alone and it keeps growing organically. Reaching out to such a gigantic market is, needless to say, attractive to business. Create your firm’s pinboard which users can then go through to discover about completed projects and upcoming ones. Upload plans, sketches, first drafts, finished images, presentations, blogs, and other content to show your products and services. This will allow potential customers to interact with your brand in a new, creative, and diverse way, thus spreading a faster online awareness of your brand.
In addition to establishing your social media presence on individual platforms, another important aspect is to link all of these together. For instance, link your Pinterest account to your Facebook and Instagram profiles. Similarly link your Instagram to Facebook, Twitter, or Tumblr. By interconnecting all of them, you allow more people to view them. As a consequence, it makes these platforms even more powerful as they circulate traffic between each other, allowing huge communities to connect. Lastly, submitting project stories and vision stories on Digital Portals and Platforms, will expose a design firm to an international audience, consequently broadening the scope of work.
Summing up, Creating and publishing rich content that is relevant to your expertise, can allow you to become a thought leader in your industry. Hoping for a great design feed on all your social media pages post this article, aiding to celebrate Communications in the Design world through Digital media.
This article is a contribution to Agency Reporter by Himani Ahuja, Founder & CEO at One Digital & Designworx Asia