Tips for Designing an Instagram-Worthy Brick-and-Mortar Space
By Mideya Kinney |
As social media continues to take the world by storm, especially with the younger generations, we see more and more trends rise every year. Because these platforms are all about sharing photos and videos, most of these trends revolve around things looking “aesthetically pleasing.” Some of the more popular ones include Cottagecore, Clean Girl Aesthetic, and Coastal Grandma.
What does this have to do with your local brick-and-mortar business? Well, in a world where social media is slowly taking over the function of search engines, it’s important to think about how “post-worthy” your store is. The more people post about your business, the more likely you are to be discovered by new audiences, a function that used to be taken care of on search engines like Google.
We’re here to offer a few suggestions on creating a space that people will want to visit and share all over social media.
Why worry about your business design?
According to research by Forbes, 24% of consumers now use social media to search for answers to questions, with Gen Z’s number being even higher at 46%. We told you it was quickly becoming the new search engine of choice. The more your business shows up on social media, the more likely you are to be found by potential customers.
It’s one thing for you to fill your business’s social feed with your own aesthetically pleasing photos, but it’s a game-changer when space is so beautiful that others want to share pictures of it. This is what we in the marketing world call “user-generated content.”
User-generated content, or UGC, is defined as “any form of content – images, videos, text, audio – that has been posted by users generally to social media but can also include online review websites, forums, etc.” 79% of people say UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions. And it most generally impacts purchasing positively, with 83% of people saying they’re more likely to purchase from brands that share authentic UGC.
How do you get people to share your business on their social channels and post photos with their reviews? We’re going to give you five tips in this blog post.
[Related: 3 Reasons Why You Should Use Online Content to Attract Customers to Your Local Business]
But first, define your brand
Before we get into those five tips, let’s quickly take a step back. Before either designing or redesigning your space, depending on where you are in your entrepreneurial journey, you’ll want to make sure you have a solid brand identity.
Here are a few things you’ll want to define to make sure your brand identity is cohesive and consistent:
• Your brand logo
• Your brand colors
• Your brand personality
• What makes your small business different
Once you have these elements down, designing your brick-and-mortar space will become that much easier.
[Related: Why Brand Consistency Matters for Local Business Marketing]
Tips for designing your Instagram-worthy business
Now, on to the good stuff, designing a space that will have your customers whipping out their phones to take pictures, because after all, photo sharing is one of the most popular content-creating activities. Try one or a few of these tips to help get your business on everyone’s feed:
1. Design an intriguing storefront
Your storefront is your first chance to make a good impression on a potential customer, and it’s also the first opportunity they have to snap a photo of your business. Keep this and your brand guidelines in mind when designing your signage and choosing paint colors. These elements are especially important because you won’t be changing them very often. Your window displays, on the other hand, are where you can get a little more experimental.
Window displays are something you can change out on a frequent basis. Think about updating them with the seasons, as new trends emerge, or with the holidays. Curate them so they showcase your products or services in interesting ways. If you’re a boutique, try displaying fully outfitted and accessorized mannequins with your pieces. For home décor stores, put together vignettes that people can use as inspiration while decorating their homes. And for service businesses try to create an inviting experience that will make people feel comfortable with stepping into your office.
2. Add a photo op
Want people to take pictures while in your store? Give them a designated place to take them! Creating a feature wall with greenery, florals, fun signage, and even seating that offers a place for people to take aesthetically pleasing photos is a great way to encourage user-generated content.
Once people share their photos and tag you, share them on your pages as well! A survey found that more than half of Gen Zers actively want to be featured on their favorite brand’s social media pages. By taking this approach, you just might gain some lifelong loyal customers.
3. Be intentional with your layout
You might not realize it, but how you lay out your brick-and-mortar business matters. It impacts buying decisions and influences how customers experience your brand. So, it’s important to think about when designing or redesigning your space.
Before you start, do some research on different layouts. Which ones make people spend more time in your space? Which ones allow you to display items or samples in ways that might encourage photos? Which flow from sitting area to reception desk makes the most sense? There is definitely a science to choosing the right design!
4. Create an appealing space overall
Similarly to your layout, individual displays also have an influence on your customers. Remember how we recommended creating curated vignettes in your store windows? You can do the same thing inside your store or office space as well. Group items that can be worn together, displayed together inside someone’s home, or that are all the same color. If you run a service business, like a home contractor for example, display the fixtures, flooring samples and paint colors that work best together… anything that says, “You know you want to snap a photo of me.”
Make sure the pieces in your space match your brand aesthetic as well. Does your brand have a vintage feel? Opt to display your products on thrifted vintage tables or inside wardrobes. Do you have a specific color theme? Paint boring metal display shelves to match. Do you want your law firm to exude a relaxing atmosphere? Add choose furniture in light and airy colors and designs. Little things like this can make your brick-and-mortar space feel more intentional.
5. Make the checkout process interesting
You got people into your store with your beautiful storefront then enticed them to make a purchase with your layout and overall design, now what?
Now, it’s all about the final interaction! Putting in a little extra effort when presenting customers with their purchases or completing the checkout process can make all the difference. If you’re a retail business invest in some cute bags with your store name and logo and even some tissue paper to stuff in the top. And if you’re a real estate agent for example, offer customers an opportunity for a photo with a giant “We’re home!” sign or something similar (that photo op backdrop pulls double duty for this one!) Not only will this extra effort make doing business with you feel like a luxurious experience, but it’s also more likely to make someone post about their new purchase (packaging and all) on their social channels.
Pro Tip: Special packaging can be used for online purchases, too! Sending your products in extra special packaging makes it more likely that the customer will want to post their “happy mail” on their social feeds, creating even more brand awareness for your business and more usable UGC for you.
Hibu helps turn social media into social marketing
While you’re busy creating a store that customers want to post about, along with handling your other day-to-day business responsibilities, you might not have enough hours left to worry about turning that user-generated content into a meaningful marketing strategy. That’s where Hibu has your back. We’ll help you create a strong social media presence and run social ads to get your platforms in front of an even larger audience.
If you’re interested in learning more, complete our short Get Started form or call 877-237-6120 for a free consultation. We’ll discuss your needs and see how we can help optimize your social channels today.
