Social media and architectural design guide, Property online marketing advice, Internet building style tips

Social Media and Architectural Design

23 Feb 2021

Social media has become an integral part of popular culture, affecting the way we perceive and consume products and services in all industries. Architects are finding that even building design is influenced by social media. There are multiple factors that can inspire or limit architectural design, and the current mode of communication has a way of influencing many of these factors.

Social Media and Architectural Design – online marketing

Architects Cater To The Consumer

Architects strive to have a good public opinion of the buildings they design. On social media platforms, anyone can influence the market by growing a social media presence. SocialGreg helps even the smallest social media accounts gain a large enough audience to be considered influential. As social media reviews are generally thought to be more honest, architects may be studying these influencers’ opinions closely to cater to their followers which in turn become consumers.

Researching Consumer Needs

When an architect is developing the design for a building, a significant first step is to research the needs of the consumers that will be using the building. This is true whether the design is for residential projects like a home, or city planning, or even public buildings such as libraries and schools.

Social media can be used as a source of information on the wants and needs of a population that will be the target consumer of the building. Effectively, social media is used as a method of market research. By observing on social media how spaces and buildings are used, architects can modify their design accordingly. In this way, the architect is better able to cater to consumer needs.

Architects can also use social media as a source of feedback. In the past, magazine photos of architectural designs gave no feedback from the public eye. However, with over 86 million posts on Twitter including the hashtag #architecture, it can be safely assumed that feedback on architecture on social media can be instantaneous.

A Database of Inspiration

Nothing is new under the sun. Architectural design can be inspired by old designs as well as current trends. With a huge database of photos and videos of architecture, social media can serve as the ultimate source of inspiration for architects.

Additionally, if an architect wishes to publicize a design in an attempt to create a trend, viral posts on social media are an ideal way to do so. Whether they are seeking to keep within the latest trends or create new ones – social media is an important tool for architects.

Instagram – Architectural Inspiration and Marketing Tool

The popular app is heavily used to share photos of beautiful places and foods, among other things. Businesses have been trying to be easily recognized online by designing spaces within their establishments for people to take an Instagram photo from. The design would be part of their brand image, and even if their logo or the establishment’s name is not mentioned, people on social media will easily be able to recognize the design. In this way, the business has combined architecture and social media as a marketing tool to increase brand awareness.

Numerous accounts on Instagram are dedicated to architecture and related design topics. Many consumers look to the app as a source of inspiration for design projects in their homes and businesses. Architectural Digest, the 100-year-old magazine, has over 4 million Instagram followers. In addition to other related Instagram accounts, this makes for a significant influence Instagram has on the architectural tastes of the average user.

There are multiple uses and impacts of social media on architectural design. It can be easily utilized as a tool for market research before starting design, and even be a source of feedback after.

Comments on this Social Media and Architectural Design article are welcome.

Edinburgh Architecture

Liberton Brae Townhouses
Design: LBA Architects

image courtesy of architects
Liberton Brae Townhouses

St James Quarter Edinburgh

image of the development
St James Quarter

Comments / photos for the Social Media and Architectural Design Advice page welcome