Top Instagram Tips for Designers

Set your account up correctly

When you use Instagram for business, your username needs to match your business name so that when people look for you, you’re easy to find. If your business is called Phoebe's Interiors but your insta handle is @ditzyblonde2004, you’re immediately giving off the wrong vibe and people looking for a professional will think twice about following you.

Make sure you add "interior designer" to your name field eg. Ross Gellar – Interior Designer so people can find you if they search using that key term.

ALWAYS fill in the URL field, even if you don’t have a website. Put your email, link to your portfolio or create a single page on a blog with more information – whatever you do, just don’t leave it blank.

Use the bio area to tell your audience what you’re about. Do you live for ^19th-century Gothic style or are you inspired by a modern muse? Tell your audience what floats your boat - people want to know about other people. But keep it within reason – this is not where you tell people how many bottles of wine you average on a Friday night. 

Keep your content relevant

As tempting as it may be to post selfies or pictures of your beloved pug, this is not the place. Instagram has made it really easy to switch between accounts without logging in each time, so keep your #challengeaccepted nomination for your personal account and focus on how to sell your skills as a designer in your business account.  

Business...but make it fun

It can get boring when every day you're firing off by-rote posts describing the interiors you've worked on. The solution is simple - post about design in the way you want to see it. Take a pic of the sun and talk about how it inspired a yellow-splashed kitchen you're dying to create. Show people your strawberry smoothie and mention how it matches the industry's current obsession with pink. Have fun with colour, talk to trends and what inspires you - the sky is the limit as long as your posts all relate back to business and aren't simply your personal likes and dislikes. 

Make it beautiful

Here's where you have an edge - as a designer, you're already working with gorgeous materials in stunning settings and your career choice means you obviously know what is visually appealing to an audience. This would be a whole lot tougher if you were a plumber! 

Follow our top tips for smartphone photography and post pics that are well composed with great lighting. Add a caption that tells a story rather than simply describing what's in the photo. Never underestimate the power of storytelling - people want to know what goes on behind the scenes of a brand or public persona. 

Hashtag like a boss

Are hashtags #cancelled? Research says no. But there are some rules to follow if you want to get the best out of them. Generally, 7-10 hashtags will generate engagement without turning people off. Use more and people will get annoyed at your apparent desperation. Even worse is hashtag 'stuffing' - the process of using hashtags on content that's not relevant to the tag for clickbait, like #beachvibes on a photo of a bedroom. Use general interior design hashtags that potential clients will search for - here are some popular ones to pick from.

#interiordesign #design #interior #homedecor #architecture #home #decor #interiors #homedesign #furniture #art #interiordesigner #designer #decoration #luxury #handmade #style #inspiration #interiordecor #interiorstyling #lifestyle #furnituredesign #instahome #interiorinspo #interiordecorating #interiorinspiration #photography #luxurylifestyle #luxuryhomes  #designinspiration #instadecor #londoninteriordesigner (add your own city)

Once you've picked the hashtags most relevant to your brand, add a couple of your own. You know your brand better than anybody and you know what you want to communicate. Are you a specialist in #rusticspaces or do you shine at #artdeco style? What words tell your story? You can also develop a set of hashtags just for your brand that you can share with your followers. Elsie and Emma from A Beautiful Mess have done this really well, encouraging their followers to use their hashtags #ABMlifeissweet and #ABMlifeiscolorful which now have over 1 million and 3 million posts respectively, primarily from users. This makes their account easy to find, it effortlessly creates content and it builds a community among their followers who feel like they're part of a special club. 

Tag places and people

Location tags help people find you through common spaces. If you're at your favourite paint shop buying the latest shade of dove-grey, tag the shop and let your followers know what you found there. If you're friendly enough with your clients that you know they won't mind a tag, snap a pic of the beeeyootiful armchair you saw in our showroom and comment that you love it for @monica_bing's new bedroom. Tag your designer friends with shared design inspo that will filter through to their audience - "hey @rachel_green, this Ralph Lauren sofa always makes me think of you!"

Another tagging option is the brands you use. Tag the manufacturer of the furnishings in your new project, or just tag brands that you love and want to work with. Sometimes they'll feature you in your feed which could give you more design-minded followers. 

As always, we're here to help. Chat to one of our design team today for more tips on all things Instagram or general design assistance.