Stop sharing the work of other designers on your Instagram page
I have a rant today!! ⚠️😬🫣
STOP sharing the work of other designers’ to promote your own design business!
I just don't get why people do this - all you're doing is sending potential paying clients to other designers. 🤦🏻♀️
Plus it’s misleading, unethical and potentially a copyright infringement.
Also - this type of content is just lazy (and boring - sorry 😳).
It's the same type of content we've all been scrolling past for years and years.
Here’s why you need to stop doing this:
1: You're promoting the work of another designer on your own marketing asset 🤦🏻♀️
Your Instagram page is an important part of your marketing strategy. Potential clients will come there to find out more about you and the work that you do. If they come to your page and only see the work of other designers the first thing they will think is 'where are the projects from this designer?' - i.e. you immediately lose credibility
2: It's unethical
I see so many designers who don't credit the work of other designers properly on their Instagram pages or who make out that the work they are showing on their page is their own (or at least don't make it clear that it's not theirs!)
By doing this your followers and potential clients may assume that the work displayed on your Instagram page is your own original work.
3: It's potentially a copyright infringement
Using someone else's work without permission is a violation of their copyright, which is a legal issue.
It's important to respect the intellectual property rights of other designers and to obtain permission before using their work - especially if you are using it to promote your own money-making entity!
By the way - if you do reach out to seek permission be prepared for them to say no when they find out you also have a design business and want to use their work to promote your own business..
4: It's a misrepresentation of your skills
By using someone else's work you are not showcasing your own skills and abilities as a designer.
This can be misleading to potential clients who may assume that you are capable of creating work that is not actually your own.
5: It's lazy
Using images of other designers' work on your Instagram page requires less effort and creativity than creating and showcasing your own work.
You also aren't showcasing your own unique style and aesthetic and instead are relying on the work of others to build your own brand and reputation.
Also - by not putting in the effort to create your own content you probably aren't providing much value to your followers or potential clients either, which will likely lead to a lack of engagement and interest in your work.
You also won't learn much as a business owner or marketer that way either!
Stop being generic and start standing for something.
Your potential paying clients want to get to know the real YOU!
When you start standing for something one of four things will happen:
✅ People will love you (🤑 = paying clients)
✅ People will hate you (🤷🏻♀️ = that's their loss)
✅ People will start to follow and engage with you (🧑🏻🏫 = you are helping them with a problem)
✅ People will scroll past you (🤔 - that's what they are already doing!)
Not sure what to post on Instagram?
Haven't done any client projects yet?
Here's some ideas for original content you could be posting:
Mood boards: Create digital or physical mood boards to showcase your design style and give your followers a glimpse into your creative process
Design sketches + 3D models: Share your hand drawn or digital sketches and explain the thought process behind them
3D mockups: Create 3D mockups of rooms or homes you'd like to design and share them on your page (e.g. using SketchUp)
Tips, tricks, knowledge: Share your design knowledge via how-to videos, tips, tricks etc.
Before-and-after transformations: Even if you haven't worked with clients yet, you can still transform a room in your own home - or ask a friend/family member if you can do it for free for them
Product reviews: Share your favourite furniture, decor or materials and explain why you love them
Industry insights: Share your thoughts and opinions on industry trends, news and events
Personal stories: Share your personal experiences as a designer and show your community the behind the scenes of your process, day or week
Get even more ideas in my FREE social media post prompts PDF.
If you run a design business you shouldn't be using images from other designers to promote your business.
Do the hard work and create your own original content. It’s not meant to be easy!
OK rant over 😬🤣
Thanks for reading and catch you in my next post :)
Clare x
Dr Clare Le Roy
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