In today’s digital age, an interior designer’s online presence is just as crucial as their portfolio. But creating fresh content for every social media platform can be time-consuming and overwhelming. That’s where the power of content repurposing comes in. To guide us through this process, we’ll be drawing insights from Joanna Hawley-McBride, a Pacific Northwest digital influencer with a wealth of experience in content creation and social media strategy.
Joanna Hawley-McBride: A Social Media Success Story
Before we dive into the strategies, let’s take a moment to understand why Joanna’s advice is so valuable. With a background in textile design and an eye for beautiful things, Joanna created Jojotastic, a lifestyle blog focused on interior styling.
Based in the North Cascades, Joanna has made a name for herself renovating her cabin and sharing inspiration on various platforms. As an early adopter of Pinterest, she has amassed an impressive 3.8 million followers and 15 million monthly viewers. On Instagram, her #SmallSpaceSquad hashtag has been used over 319,000 times, demonstrating her influence in the interior design community.
Joanna’s success extends beyond social media. She has collaborated with major brands including Amazon, KitchenAid, and Spotify, and has been featured in HGTV and Domino magazine. Her experience and success make her insights on content repurposing particularly valuable for interior designers looking to boost their online presence.
The Importance of Diversifying Your Content
As Joanna points out, “You’ve spent the time, the energy, and maybe even the money on creating this piece of content. You should be able to get the most out of it that you can so that you can maximize that investment.” By repurposing your content, you’re not only working smarter, but you’re also reaching a wider audience across various platforms.
Moreover, diversifying your content across platforms can significantly impact your SEO efforts. Search engines like Google recognize the unique contribution of each social channel in driving visitors to your site. This means that a robust social media presence can actually boost your website’s visibility in search results.
Understanding Your Audience on Each Platform
Before you start repurposing content, it’s crucial to understand that different platforms attract different demographics. As an interior designer, your target audience might vary slightly across platforms:
- Instagram: Perfect for showcasing your visual work, attracting potential clients, and connecting with other designers and brands.
- Pinterest: Ideal for sharing design inspiration, DIY ideas, and driving traffic to your blog or website.
- LinkedIn: Great for networking with industry professionals, sharing thought leadership content, and attracting commercial clients.
- TikTok: Excellent for reaching younger audiences, sharing quick design tips, and showcasing your personality.
Tailor your content strategy for each platform’s unique user base. For example, content geared towards Gen Z on TikTok might focus on budget-friendly DIY projects, while content for LinkedIn could highlight your expertise in commercial design projects.
Adapting Content Format for Each Platform
Once you understand your audience, the next step is to adapt your content format to align with each platform’s strengths. Here are some ideas:
- Blog Post to Instagram Carousel: Transform a detailed blog post about a room makeover into a visually appealing Instagram carousel. Each slide can showcase a different aspect of the transformation.
- Project Reveal to TikTok Video: Turn your latest project reveal into a quick before-and-after TikTok video set to trending audio.
- Design Tips to Pinterest Infographic: Compile your top design tips into an eye-catching infographic for Pinterest.
- Client Testimonial to LinkedIn Post: Share a client’s success story as a text post on LinkedIn, highlighting your problem-solving skills and professionalism.
Remember, while the format may change, the core message should remain consistent across platforms.
Leveraging Platform-Specific Features
Each social media platform offers unique features that can boost engagement. As an interior designer, here’s how you can leverage these:
- Instagram: Use hashtags relevant to interior design trends, create Stories showcasing your design process, and use Reels to share quick design tips.
- Pinterest: Create boards for different design styles or room types, use rich pins to drive traffic to your website.
- LinkedIn: Share long-form articles about industry trends, use polls to engage with other professionals.
- TikTok: Participate in design-related challenges, use duets to collaborate with other designers or react to design trends.
Encourage engagement through platform-specific calls-to-action. For example, on Instagram, you might ask followers to save a post of a room design they love, while on TikTok, you could encourage users to duet your video with their own design interpretations.
Prioritizing Quality Over Quantity
While repurposing content allows you to post more frequently, it’s crucial to maintain quality. As Joanna emphasizes, “Quality is king. By sharing high-quality content, you’ll boost your engagement, including likes, shares, and comments, which then equals increased visibility and reach.”
For interior designers, this means:
- Ensuring your visuals are high-quality and well-edited across all platforms.
- Providing valuable, actionable advice in your content, not just pretty pictures.
- Maintaining consistency in your brand voice and aesthetic across platforms.
Quality content not only leads to increased engagement and visibility but also builds brand trust and legitimacy. As Joanna notes, “Maintaining that appearance on social is important.” Potential clients often check a designer’s social media presence before their website, so consistent, high-quality content is crucial.
Tracking Performance and Adjusting Strategy
To ensure your repurposing efforts are effective, it’s essential to track performance across platforms. Use analytics tools provided by each platform to monitor engagement and traffic. Pay attention to:
- Which types of content perform best on each platform
- What times of day your audience is most engaged
- Which platforms drive the most traffic to your website
Use these insights to refine your repurposing strategy. For example, if your Instagram Stories featuring behind-the-scenes glimpses of your design process perform well, consider adapting this content for TikTok or YouTube Shorts.
Seasonal Content Recycling
Interior design trends often align with seasons, making seasonal content recycling a powerful strategy. As Joanna shares, “During the holidays I reshare all of my old holiday content from recipes, entertaining ideas, DIY posts, decorating ideas, the whole gamut.”
As an interior designer, you can:
- Reshare summer home styling tips each year, updated with current trends.
- Recycle holiday decorating ideas, adapting them to current color trends.
- Repost timeless design advice, framed in the context of current design movements.
Remember the 7-11-4 Rule
Joanna mentions the 7-11-4 rule: “Before somebody buys anything, a consumer typically needs seven hours of engagement across 11 different touch points and in four separate locations.” For interior designers, this underscores the importance of repurposing content across multiple platforms. Your potential client might first see your work on Instagram, then check out your Pinterest boards, read a LinkedIn article, and finally visit your website before deciding to contact you.
Maximizing Your Impact
Effectively repurposing content across multiple platforms is a powerful strategy for interior designers to maximize their online presence. By understanding your audience on each platform, adapting your content format, leveraging platform-specific features, prioritizing quality, and continuously refining your strategy based on performance data, you can create a robust and engaging online presence that attracts clients and establishes you as an authority in the interior design world.
Remember, the goal isn’t to be everywhere but to be where your potential clients are, with content that resonates and showcases your unique design perspective. Start looking at your existing content with fresh eyes – that stunning room reveal could be the starting point for a whole series of repurposed content across your platforms, reaching new audiences and reinforcing your brand message.
By following these strategies and drawing inspiration from successful influencers like Joanna, you can elevate your social media game and make your content work harder for you. So, get creative, start repurposing, and watch your online presence flourish!