In the ever-growing age of technology and social networking, Instagram is ESSENTIAL in growing your business. It gives you an “in” and a platform on which to show off all your amazing work to homeowners and paver manufacturers (that’s right, we’re always lurking). Depending on how good your pictures are, social media will also give you competitive edge over your competitors.
1. Geo-Locate All Your Posts (meaning: indicate your location on all your posts)
By doing so, you’ll ensure that homeowners that are looking for contractors in your area know where you are. If not, they have no idea whether or not contacting you is worth their while.
Can't tell where you're supposed to add in your location? See the arrow in the picture above.
2. Choose Your Photos & Filters Wisely
Unrealistic filters aren’t your friend. Make sure not to overdo filters that turn your photos into something that looks like you’re on a sci-fi movie set. Don’t take away from the natural beauty of what you’re building. Also, sweep before you snap. We love construction sites but dirt & mud-laden patios & walkways don’t sell well.
3. Mentioning
Mentioning partners or brands in your posts can increase your reach. In order to mention someone simply type in the “@” sign followed by their Instagram account name.
We recommend mentioning the coworkers, brands (i.e. Techo-Bloc), homeowners, or anyone else involved in the project process. By doing so, you gain those peoples’ attention in more ways than one:
- If they “like” your post, your picture will show up in the activity feed of whoever follows them, which can translate into new more likes, new followers, and even new clients. (Don’t know what we mean by activity feed? See the picture below)
Don’t know what we mean by activity feed? This is a sample of ours (Open the Instagram app and press on the heart in the bottom right-hand corner to see your own) - If your content is amazing, brands (Techo-Bloc often does this) might repost your work which will get you in front of ALL of their followers. For advice on how to take good social media pictures, press here.
4. Useful and Minimal Hashtagging
Hashtagging is used as a search mechanism. Basically, if someone is interested in a specific subject like #backyards, they might search that hashtag on Instagram to find some inspiration.
Hashtagging is a great way to be discovered. We at Techo-Bloc use hashtags to scout for photoshoots and social media content.
When you do hashtag, make sure all the tags are relevant to that specific picture. There is no use hashtagging all the paving manufacturers you’re usually involved with, hashtag only the one you’re using in that picture.
Posting too many hashtags can lead to confusion for anyone looking at your photos and may lead them to skipping your post all together, which will lead to #LessExposure.
5. Clever Captions
Everyone is enthralled and amused by a good caption once in a while, don’t let them slip away. If you’re a hardscaper, it’s also a great idea to mention the different pavers you used in the job in the caption. That way, when homeowners come to see you, they’ll already have an idea of what they want to work with.
6. Ask Your Clients to Take a Photo of Their Backyard and to Mention You
Fast and simple, this is free word-of-mouth, which works wonder for referrals.
7. Consistency in Posting Times
If you don’t think you’ll have enough new content to last you the month, consider spacing out older projects across time. Try sticking to a schedule so your followers know when to come looking for new pictures.
Remember, people will get bored if you only post once every 3 months. We suggest uploading a picture at least once a week.
More Tips:
#TBT and #FF
Techo-Bloc has Throwback Thursdays and Feature Fridays where we post amazing and unique pictures of projects from our landscapers. They’re a great way to increase your clientele base as well as your presence in the hardscape community.
To find these photos, we search through the #TechoBloc hashtag on Instagram. If you want to get featured on one of these days for extra exposure, don’t forget to use the tips mentioned above!
Some of our most notable contractor’s usernames that you can use for inspiration are:
Everyone Loves Timelapses
Timelapses are a great way to show people what your company is capable of. It’s a great compliment to any portfolio and will convince homeowners all the more that you’re the right choice for their backyard renovation. It also doesn’t hurt to create 3D renders alongside these and post them to your Instagram account.
Do you use Instagram for your landscaping company? Did we miss any points? Let us know that and more in the comments below.
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