The amount of online tools that we have available to display our projects and our portfolios is wide. Sometimes we think that we have social media just to procrastinate a little bit and have as a leisure. What we don’t really know is how social media can help us engage with our audience, or simply just to show the world our work, you never know you might be recruited to work in your dream job.
So how to use this powerful social media tool to turn it into your portfolio?
With some of these tips, you can start by showcasing your portfolio through Instagram.
- Attractive Bio
- Define your style
- Be consistent
- Engage with your audience
- Hashtags
Attractive bio
This is similar to your cover letter in your resumé. You might have a wide range of architectural images to show, but you if you don’t cause that first impression, you might risk your chance of having your audience stay for the rest. The audience needs to understand who you are, what you do, what you like. Think of a copy that conveys who you are in a short sentence.
Define your style
We know that finding your style can be not to say difficult but it does take a lot of time. This is not just about finding a color or a font, this is looking for the correct brand guide that has the response you were looking for from your audience.
If you are turning your Instagram into your portfolio you need to find out who is your audience, what do you want them to see. You might like different colors than they do, you need to be out there, you need to do field studies, you need to hear your audience. The beginning may not be easy, you may need to try with different styles until you for sure know that a certain one sticks.
Hey but don’t forget to be you, because believe it or not, people can notice when you’re just posting because and this will make you look like if you were a robot, and you obviously don’t want that. People need to be inspired from, and you can be their inspiration.
Be consistent
This is similar to when you hook up on a series or a tv show. You like it so much, that you just need more and more, and sometimes you just can’t wait for a whole year to watch that new season. You have your audience waiting for a new episode aka a new post every single day. We know that it may be a burden to come up with new content every single day without tiring our audience. Organization is key. Get yourself a calendar or one of those apps that reminds you when to post accordingly.
Make sure to be consistent, especially at the beginning when you’re starting your portfolio. Give your audience more even though they are not asking for it, later they will feel that they need more of this. Don’t let your audience escape from your hands like sand. Keep them there, even though it is just a story of how your day is going. Be consistent, use every single feature that this tool has.
Engage with your audience
Not very social in the outside world? Using online tools to communicate? Great! but you can’t expect to have a wide audience if you don’t interact or engage with them. We know that answering in those hideous group chats can wear you out. But if you plan to turn your Instagram into your portfolio and even wait to get recruited from your favorite architecture firm, you need to do the whole package.
Post, interact, show, give back. Try to answer every single comment, or at least the first ones once you post. Ask questions, ask for their opinion, make them feel that they count in your decisions.
Hashtags
#Usetherighthashtagnow, don’t let this be a boring and long hashtag. Instagram has this plan of marketing and if you plan to have something more than just likes from your posts, you need to start getting out there, you need to be visible. Hashtags will do the job, but having the right one. Make sure you use a hashtag that has to do with your portfolio or whatever you’re displaying.
Also, create unique hashtags, but remember that sometimes when trying to be unique, you just fail in the process. It is quality that counts, not quantity. Create also your own hashtag, an easy to remember hashtag for your audience, and also stick to those good old latest trend hashtags and the ones that are hottest at the moment.
These are just some of many tips you can follow to start your Instagram portfolio. Are you ready to start with yours? Do you have one already?
