When you promote your interior design business on Instagram, you can gain more clients, affiliate sales, and collaboration opportunities.
Instagram marketing is a proven way for interior designers to grow their businesses. Design is visual, and so is Instagram. But marketing a business on Instagram is a lot of work. There are over 2 billion active monthly users on Instagram, so how do you get your content to stand out to the right people? How do you get engagement from target clients?
In this epic guide to Instagram marketing for interior designers, we’ve pulled together essential strategy tips from Instagram experts and designers who’ve used this platform to get clients on the regular.
Table of Contents
Why Instagram marketing is important for designers
Even if Instagram doesn’t represent a large source of leads for your business, it is probably still worth your time to maintain a presence on this platform, even if you post just once a week.
Here’s why:
- Satisfying clients’ research needs during the vetting phase – Clients who are considering working with you will might check for your portfolio of work on your Instagram account.
- Generating and connecting with leads – Leads who are not ready to work with you yet can stay connected with you on Instagram.
- Maintaining client relationships – You can deepen and nurture your existing client relationships. Clients who have already worked with you can stay connected with on Instagram and will be more likely to remember to refer you to their friends and family.
Carefully curate your logo, profile, and posts to create a cohesive brand that viewers will remember and soon come to instantly recognize. Nothing will kill your brand quicker and turn away viewers faster than a confusing profile, pointless or random pictures, and unreadable captions. – Doreen Amico Sorell, Sorell Interiors
11 tips for promoting your design business on Instagram
Instagram is one of the most powerful platforms for interior designers to showcase their work, connect with potential clients, and grow their business. But with so much content being shared daily, standing out can be challenging. Here are ten tips tailored to help you promote your design business effectively on Instagram.
1. Know your ideal client
The first step is to figure out who exactly you’re marketing your business to. A high-end client with a historic home is going to be interested in different content than a young professional who wants to impress their friends with a polished flat.
If you don’t have your target client ironed down, check out our guide to StoryBrand for interior designers, which goes deeper into a client’s desired transformations and main objections.
2. Use raw and authentic visuals
In the world of Instagram, authenticity is king. Gone are the days when every post had to be picture-perfect. Now, people crave real, unfiltered content that feels genuine and relatable. As an interior designer, this is your opportunity to pull back the curtain and show the reality behind the scenes. Share raw and authentic visuals that capture your design process in all its messy, beautiful glory. Whether it’s a candid shot of you rearranging furniture or an unedited photo of a project mid-progress, these moments resonate with audiences because they’re real. Authenticity builds trust, and trust is the foundation of any strong client relationship.
3. Write long captions for Reels and short captions for carousels
Instagram Reels and carousels are where the action is. Reels allow you to dive deeper into your storytelling, and this is where long captions come in handy.
Going viral comes down to looping. The more watches-per-viewer your Reel gets, the more Instagram will show it to other users. Long captions give users something to read, causing them to stay on your Reel while it plays over and over again.
When you post a Reel showcasing a project or design tip, use the caption to tell a story—explain your design choices, challenges you overcame, or the inspiration behind the look.
On the flip side, when posting carousels, keep your captions short and punchy. Carousels are visually driven, so let the images do the talking while the caption provides a quick context or a call to action. For example, a carousel showcasing different angles of a room could simply have a caption like, “Which angle is your favorite? Swipe to see the transformation!” For more inspo, check out our mega list of short Instagram captions for interior designers.
4. Post lifestyle content, even if you don’t consider yourself an influencer
Your followers don’t just want to see your work; they want to see you. Sharing lifestyle content, like your daily routines, favorite places to shop for décor, or even a behind-the-scenes look at a day in your life, makes your brand more relatable. You might not think of yourself as an influencer, but sharing glimpses of your life helps clients connect with you on a personal level. It humanizes your brand and shows that you’re not just about the end product but the journey as well. Plus, it positions you as a well-rounded professional who is in touch with the latest trends and lifestyle choices that influence design.
Check out this example from Kerrie Kelly. The Reel mimics that of a travel influencer but is used to promote upcoming content from the Salone del Mobile expo in Milan.
5. Showcase your design process with timelapse videos
There’s something mesmerizing about watching a space transform, and timelapse videos are perfect for capturing this. Use Instagram Reels to create timelapse videos that showcase the transformation of a space from start to finish. These videos give your audience a behind-the-scenes look at your creative process, making them feel involved and invested in the project. You can even take it a step further by remixing Reels with other designers or clients to show different perspectives on the same project, adding depth and variety to your content.
6. Create tours of client projects
Real estate agents have mastered the art of the virtual tour, and it’s time for interior designers to do the same. Create Reels that offer virtual tours of your completed projects. These tours can be as simple or as detailed as you like—showcase the entire space, highlight specific design elements, or discuss the choices you made and why. These tours not only show off your work but also give potential clients a sense of how you think and approach design, making it easier for them to envision working with you.
7. Use trending music and sounds to boost your visibility
If you want your content to rise to the top of the Instagram algorithm, using trending music is a must. Instagram’s algorithm favors content that aligns with current trends, and music is a big part of that. When you use popular, trending audio tracks in your Reels, Instagram is more likely to push your content to a wider audience. This is because the platform wants to promote content that engages users, and trending music often drives higher engagement.
To get the most out of this, keep an eye on what’s trending in the audio library and incorporate these tracks into your design videos. Whether you’re showing off a new project, creating a timelapse, or giving a virtual tour, pairing it with the right trending music can significantly increase your chances of being seen. This is one of the easiest ways to tap into a larger audience and ensure your content gets the visibility it deserves.
8. Set your posting schedule
If you post on a whim, you’re likely to forget. Create a posting schedule for yourself, ideally at least two times per week, and either add it as a task to your digital calendar, or pre-load the content in a platform like Later or Buffer.
Consistency is key. Consistently post your work, whether it’s every day or every week. It helps to keep you and your brand relevant. – Doris Roberts, Doris Roberts Interiors
9. Use Instagram stories for further reach
Instagram stories are a great way to stay top of mind with your followers. Plus, they show Instagram that you are an active user (not someone who’s just posting on their feed and ditching the app). And, your followers can respond to your stories, making them a great way to initiate sales conversations with potential clients.
So make sure to occasionally use CTAs in your stories like “Message me if you’re interested” or “Let me know what room in your house you’d love to design.”
Here’s an example Instagram story from @elevatedlivingbysarah that explains what e-design is and encourages followers to book a consultation.
“Use Reels to educate your audience and market your work. First I create a concept board in Photoshop. I start hiding elements one by one and save the image of each layout until the canvas is empty or includes elements that I want to be the cover of the video. Then I upload my images in reversed order to Canva and create the video by using a mobile video blank template. The timing is 0.2s so the transition is fast. All this takes about 30 minutes, excluding the actual concept board design.” – Viktoria Gilanyi, Viktoria Gilanyi Design
10. Strategically grow your following
For the most part, the content you post (its quality, formats, and consistency) will dictate how quickly your following will grow. However, there are actions you can take to get yourself in front of your target audience:
- Use niche and large hashtags: On all of your posts, aim to include a mixture of hashtags with 100,000 or more posts associated with them and those with 10,000 to 99,000 posts. (When searching a hashtag, you can see how many posts use that hashtag.) And of course, make sure the topics of the hashtags are relevant.
- Comment on similar content: Don’t go around dropping emojis. Instead, comment something insightful or encouraging that will get likes and replies, putting your comment towards the top. People will click through to your profile and hopefully follow you.
- Follow people who follow relevant content creators: Find accounts that post content similar to yours. For example, interior decor brands and magazines that your ideal client loves. Find these accounts and follow their followers. Don’t use the follow-unfollow method, as Instagram doesn’t like it. That’s why you can set a low goal for how many people to follow each week, such as 5 to 10, so you don’t suddenly have a big disparity between your following and follower counts.
11. Optimize your link in bio page
Having a “link in bio” page is essential for interior designers, especially on platforms like Instagram or TikTok, where you’re limited to one clickable link in your profile. A link in bio page acts as a mini hub, making it easy for potential clients to navigate to essential information like your portfolio, contact details, and booking options. By prioritizing key actions like booking a consultation or viewing your portfolio, you can guide followers toward meaningful engagements.
“This page can have links to all your important places you want visitors to check out such as blogs, concept boards, website, YouTube, etc. But most importantly it is driving traffic to your website!” – Kim Jones, Staged By Design
Here’s an example of Kim’s awesome page, which drives traffic and solidifies her brand:
How to optimize your page:
- Keep it clean and simple: Limit the number of links to a maximum of five. Too many options can overwhelm visitors and reduce the chances of them clicking anything.
- Prioritize key links: Place the most important links at the top, such as:
- Book a consultation: Direct potential clients to schedule a consultation as the primary action.
- View portfolio: Showcase your best work with a direct link to your portfolio to demonstrate your design style and skills.
- Use concise labels: Ensure each link is clearly labeled with simple, action-oriented text, like “Shop My Designs” or “See Latest Projects.”
- Incorporate a contact option: Include an easy way to get in touch, such as “Contact Me” or a link to your email.
Consider aesthetic consistency: The design of the link in bio page should reflect your brand’s style (colors, fonts, etc.) to maintain professionalism.
The best interior designers to follow on Instagram
Need some inspiration? Check out what these amazing Interior designers are posting on Instagram to keep you motivated.
1. Amber Guyton
Based in Atlanta, Amber Guyton offers colorful, vibrant, and ethnic designs. Founder of Blessed Little Bungalow, Amber is an Instagram powerhouse who regularly posts engaging Reels with client transformations, behind-the-scenes peeks, and lifestyle content. Her account offers tons of inspiration for infusing your unique personality and design perspective into your content.
2. Sarah Adnan
Sarah Adnan of Elevated Living By Sarah offers full service design for luxury spaces. She uses her Instagram account to showcase client projects, design tips, and inspiration. Some of her recent Reels include quick tips, design-focused travel footage, and day-in-the-life videos.
3. Justina Blakeney
Justina Blakeney is the founder and creative director of Jungalow, an online shop designed to help create wild and natural spaces. Although product design and book writing takes up most of her day, her Instagram is still the perfect inspiration for interior designers doing service-based work, because she does a great job of showing designed spaces, interesting details, and candid photos of her life.
4. Claudia Hardy
Claudia Hardy, owner and principal interior designer at Nest Obsessed, offers e-design and in-home services. Specializing in bohemian and traditional spaces, Claudia uses her Instagram account to show off her finished projects, virtual design boards, and client testimonials.
5. Sarah Sherman Samuel
A color and pattern expert, Sarah Sherman Samuel is known for effortlessly combining styles to create distinctive spaces, coveted products, and artful images that have been shared and repinned by millions of Pinterest users. Additionally, Refinery 29, Domino Magazine, House Beautiful, and Lonny all agree that Sarah’s instagram account is a must follow.
6. Bitty Bromley
Known for her imaginative use of color, unexpected vignettes, and historic colonial interiors, Bitty Bromley knows how to stand out on Instagram. With plenty of portfolio pieces and enviable lifestyle shots, her IG feed draws in her target audience.
7. Heidi Caillier
Her love of vintage furniture and materials that feature raw and natural textures, balanced with an appreciation of color and pattern make Heidi Caillier’s instagram account a must follow. Check out her Instagram profile for inspiration on how to experiment with light and shadow in photography to create a cohesive moody feel.
8. Lisa Furey
Hello farmhouse luxury! Lisa Furey is a pro at elevating this popular trend for high-end residential projects. She keeps her captions short and sweet and let’s the images shine. If you’d rather share details about the project process than your daily life, check out her feed for inspiration.
9. Noel Gatts
Noel Gatts of Beam & Bloom offers a Designer Day experience, where clients get 6 hours of done-with-you designing. She uses her Instagram page to not only share portfolio content, but her personality as well. You get the sense that working with her would be a blast. Take her Instagram feed as inspiration to be yourself and show who’s behind the lens.
Key takeaways
While there is always something new to learn, using Instagram for your business doesn’t have to be complicated. One of our interior designer members sums it up perfectly:
Be consistent with your posts, have a pattern when posting, include tips when posting to show knowledge in your field, and show a bit of your personality of who you are outside of your business. – Zora, Zora + Co Interior Design
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