In the Summer, it's easy for home remodeler's and design-build contractors to concentrate on work and forget about marketing. When the snow is flying it's time to reevaluate how to attract better clients more often.  Marketing your firm using social media can ensure a book of business that lasts throughout the year. Canva is a tool that we use to create our blog graphics. We then share the blogs and the images on social media platforms.

Customers want to see the work you've done. High-quality photographs that prospective clients can use to determine if you're an expert. They want to get to know you by looking at photographs of your work. These customers are online and looking and searching social media platforms like Houzz to better understand what you have to offer, to get ideas and to bookmark your work for future construction needs.

When it comes to social media, Facebook is often the first thing that comes to mind. But when it comes to marketing, not all social media platforms are equal. As experts in online marketing, we encourage you to look beyond Facebook. Platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and Houzz have very different users. Each has the potential to increase your online visibility with different audiences and buyer types.

Canva is a Good Place to Start For Facebook and Twitter Images

Creating engaging graphic design for social media posts can be difficult and expensive when using professional graphic design tools like those from Adobe. Canva's integration with Getty Images is unique. You can search for designs and photographs from within Canva. Some of the images available on the Canva platform are free, but Getty images are available at $1 each.

These $1 images are handy when it comes to social media posts.  Social media requires posting daily to get the best results. The $1 cost allows you to create a graphic for a new blog, a tweet, Pinterest or Facebook post at a reasonable cost making regular posting affordable.

If you have professional photos of your work, you can just upload them to your Canva platform free of charge. You can also import images from your Facebook account. Canva is an easy to use graphic design tool that helps you create graphic images quickly.

Pinterest is Used Daily by Your Target Market

Pinterest is one of the fastest-growing social media platforms. It's the third-largest in the U.S. and it's all about pictures and sharing. The site is lifestyle-oriented allowing users to create themed “boards” to collect images and videos in themed portfolios. They are then seen by other users and if people like them, they can  “re-pin” them on their boards. Popular categories include Home Décor, Interior Design, and Architecture, and great pictures get repinned often.

It’s best to Pinterest to reflect brand image rather than just present a portfolio of work: Users respond best to pins that reflect a firm’s or designer’s inspirations to gain a sense of its aesthetic. 

Houzz Now Has 46 Million Users Who Are Looking For You

The online platform Houzz “connects millions of homeowners, home design enthusiasts and home improvement professionals across the country and around the world”. “With the largest residential design database in the world and a vibrant community powered by social tools, Houzz is the easiest way for people to get the design inspiration, project advice, product information and professional reviews they need to help turn ideas into reality.”

Houzz’s prominent “Find Local Pros” button allows users to find a design-build firm or contractor within a particular radius of his or her home, browse photos of the firm’s projects and read reviews written by clients. Firms can also interact with potential customers via the “Discussions” section, where users post public questions about their home environments and seek advice from other Houzz users.

BEHANCE Is Where You Can Highlight The Work You Do

Finally, Behance, “the leading online platform to showcase & discover creative work,” according to its website, is a must for home remodelers and design-build firms. Called the “LinkedIn for creative professionals,” Behance makes it easy to share and promote your projects: Each post  displays how many views it’s had as well as how many “appreciations” (thumbs up) and comments. Users clicking on a project thumbnail can then choose to “follow” a particular user or firm and to send a direct message.

A potential client can select the “Interior Design” or “Architecture” categories, both of which include home remodelers and design-build firms, and then filter the results by location, most viewed, most appreciated, most discussed, most recent, or by a particular content tag.

Using social media may mean extra work, but if done using the right platforms, it will put you and your work in front of thousands of people who are in need of the expertise and talent you have to offer. If you're up to some fast paced visual marketing, give Twitter a try.

If all of this seems just a bit too much to handle, don't worry, we are here to help. Schedule a consultation call and we will walk you through the best practices. Want someone to handle it for you? No problem. We do that too.

About Michael Conway

I'm the owner and strategist at Means-of-Production. My firm builds Squarespace websites, Houzz profiles, and content marketing and advertising solutions for architects, interior designers, design-build contractors and landscape design firms. Our all-in-one marketing tactics attract the right clients with exceptional architectural photography and brand messaging that sets you apart from the competition.