Undoubtedly, the social distancing and self-isolation we were forced to endure during the COVID19 pandemic dramatically changed the role of social media. In order to keep connected, informed and entertained, we were drawn to social platforms in an unprecedented way. For that reason, companies also found that different social media channels are the best way to keep in touch with their customers and even build better connections with them. They were also able to understand the mood of their brand better thanks to the deeper interactions social networks can offer.
Within the Architecture & Design field, a very image-driven industry, the most popular social media channels are Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. Professionals in this area spend an essential part of their time on these platforms seeking inspiration or with the objective of discovering new products and materials. But, what are the main differences between these three platforms? Should your company decide to focus on one of them over the others? Or are they complementary? Let’s take a look at the different characteristics and see what the three of them offer.
1. Facebook
Since Facebook is the oldest of the three platforms, it also has the largest user base. Its demographic is very diverse and almost everyone has an account, so it is highly probable that your company will find its target audience there.
It is a very multifaceted platform in which users – your potential customers – can discover new brands while navigating the News Feed, researching them through their specific Facebook Pages and receiving ads. It is very complete in terms of the different features it offers for business, such as Messenger to provide clients support or even generate leads, Facebook Groups to engage even better with your specific community, Ad campaigns that you can run in a targeted manner and Facebook Marketplace, where you can sell your products and get reviews from your clients.
How are architects and designers using Facebook?
Besides sharing images from their last holidays and pictures of their kids and pets, Architects and Designers also use Facebook to keep updated with news on the Industry. Since Facebook is a good platform for sharing links from other media, professionals tend to publish content that’s relevant for them such as projects that serve as inspiration or news about innovative materials and products. Of course, all of this content needs to be properly accompanied by attractive images that will be displayed as a visual preview of the post. The more appealing the preview image is, the more chances the post has to be shared or recommended by other users.
2. Instagram
Instagram has become one of the most important platforms for businesses in recent years, and with the recent Instagram Shop feature, brands can now showcase their product catalogue. But despite its recent e-commerce leanings, Instagram is, first and foremost, a visual platform, which brands use as a medium to tell their stories through imagery and video content. It also has different layers in which you can interact with your audience, including Instagram Stories, feed posts, IGTV and Instagram Reels, where you can also post the visual aspect of your brand.
An important aspect to highlight about Instagram is the existence of the ‘influencer concept’ which gives your brand the opportunity to partner with relevant voices from your Industry in order to drive interest back to your products.
How do architects and designers use Instagram?
Since it’s an image-driven platform, Instagram is super-successful among architects and designers who see it as a good way to promote their own work, keep up-to-date on what other professionals are doing, and also about what the Industry has to offer in terms of new products and materials.
If the Facebook News Feed consists of content that your friends have been sharing or interacting with, the Instagram Feed can be more customised according to your own interests, as you get to follow not only accounts but also hashtags. If you’re an interior designer specialising in lighting, you can follow both hashtags #interiordesign and #lighting to see the most popular posts related to those topics displayed on your feed.
In terms of the interaction with each post, Instagram adds a fourth dimension to the like-comment-share triad with a new bookmark button that allows you to save posts you might want to review in the future. You can also make different collections with titles, as for example ‘Lighting Ideas‘ to facilitate the search afterwards. Why is this important to brands? Because the more saves a post gets, the more likely Instagram is to move that post higher up in the feed.
3. Pinterest
Pinterest is a social platform that offers tremendous branding and content marketing potential. Its visual bookmarking and discovery engine makes it a perfect tool to showcase products, drive traffic to your website and generate leads or retail sales. That's why more and more companies are starting to use Pinterest for Business.
How are architects and designers using it?
Through Pinterest, Architects and Designers find inspiration and ideas using a visually focused search engine. Every time a professional finds an idea of interest they can mark it with a pin which can also link back to a website where the user can find more information about your brand and similar products.
It is important for every company that their brand has a social media presence, but it is even more important to work with strategic partners who already have a large number of followers, in order to showcase your products in front of a larger audience, to build a bigger and stronger community, and drive traffic to your website.
ArchDaily has more than 11 million followers across all social media channels. Our community of architects, designers and builders allows you to maximize your brand's reach, engage with relevant people and achieve your social media goals.
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