In today’s ever-evolving digital landscape, standing out online is no easy feat. Design professionals, builders, and marketers alike are discovering that success on social media hinges on authenticity, storytelling, and adapting quickly to changing platforms. In our recent Members Only discussion, a group of social media experts and creators shared real-world strategies that are working right now — for both brands and individuals.
The Video Content Revolution
Gone are the days when perfection reigned supreme. Today’s social audiences crave relatable, real-life moments over high-production gloss. As Hannah Watson, local content creator @the_crestmoor, put it: “People don’t want perfection. They want to see you mess up. That sounds ridiculous, but they want real.”
Short-form, vertical video continues to dominate across platforms, and it’s not just about being trendy — platform algorithms are prioritizing it. Even LinkedIn has rolled out a vertical video player, signaling the demand for mobile-first, native content.
“Today’s platforms count the first three seconds as a full view,” stated Aaron Komo, director of growth at The Social Lights agency, “So your hook has to hit immediately and get people to stop scrolling.”
And those first few seconds? Don’t waste them on intros or over-explanations. Get straight to the good stuff.
“Nobody’s going to watch your 10–15 seconds of an introduction,” emphasized Nataliya Lee, marketing specialist at Sustainable 9, “We want to know what is so cool about what you’re showing off.”
Hooks That Stop the Scroll
A compelling hook isn’t optional, it’s everything. Whether it’s curiosity, surprise, or humor, the first frame should give your viewer a reason to stay. Some tried-and-true favorites shared by the panel:
- “Stop scrolling.”
- “I’ll bet you didn’t know…”
- “I can’t believe I waited so long to…”
Keep it short and impactful. Ideally only on screen for 5–7 seconds, but only if you can keep attention that long.
“It doesn’t have to be complicated,” Komo shared, “Sometimes it’s just a line of text across the screen that gets people to keep watching.”
Make Technical Content Relatable
The homebuilding and design world is filled with industry jargon. That doesn’t mean your content has to be. The panelists emphasized the value of making technical concepts digestible.
“The biggest thing we’ve learned: be conversational and easy to understand and people will actually want to watch a video they relate to,” shared Lee, “Our team can be so technical so I have to remind them to just ‘keep it simple.’”
One pro tip? Treat every video like you’re explaining the concept to someone who has no idea what you do. Break it down. Simplify. Be educational.
And if the technical details are important, drop them in your caption, alt text, or metadata. Those spaces are gold for search engines and AI tools.
Trends: Play With Purpose
Trends come and go, and the pressure to jump on every viral audio or dance is real. But the panelists reminded us: if a trend doesn’t fit your brand, skip it.
“If it feels way off base, your audience will know,” warned Carrie Lilligren of Prime Advertising + Design, “It’ll feel like you’re chasing engagement instead of being authentic.”
Also, be careful about using trending audio. Copyright issues are real—and expensive.
“Using Beyoncé might sound fun… but not worth the $30 million lawsuit,” Lilligren explained.
Instead of relying on sound, use text, motion, or visual storytelling that works even when audio is off. (Remember: most users watch without sound anyway.)
Influencer Partnerships That Work
When it comes to influencer marketing, bigger isn’t always better. Mid-tier creators often outperform high-dollar accounts because of their niche audiences and authentic voices.
“Don’t just look at the biggest, brightest name, especially budget-wise,” Lilligren advised, “We paid $60,000 for one influencer integration and saw less return than from a $1,000 video from a micro-influencer who genuinely loved the product.”
The key to a strong partnership? Authenticity, shared values, and mutual respect.
“Relationship-building is so important when you work with someone in the influencer space,” Watson shared, after years of being a content creator herself and working with brands. “Treat influencers like brand partners, not just a quick promo. I’ll sometimes accept lower negotiations just because I’ve fallen in love with a company or product and genuinely want to help.”
Relationship-building also plays a major role. Don’t be afraid to ask for collaboration, even if your offer is product-based. A meaningful mission, like working with a nonprofit or cause, can motivate creators to donate their time or accept lower fees.
Behind Every Great Brand Is a Team
Whether it’s mining ideas from your interior design team or pulling in quirky, knowledgeable employees, your best content might already be in the room.
“Some of our most engaging videos are our experts doing something weird and funny; because it’s real,” Lee shared.
Schedule regular brainstorms across departments. Set recurring meetings. Encourage input from the people who live the brand every day. And most importantly, challenge your coworkers to speak in plain language.
“I think a lot of us get stuck in the need for perfection. The lighting needs to look perfect, our hair needs to be done,” offered Lee, “but we’ve done a lot of content that is bite-sized and educational while also being a little quirky and nerdy and it works for us.”
Komo offered up some advice to teammates who might be asked to be in front of the camera for a social media project. “Just trust that person behind the camera a little more and be open to feedback.”
Moral of the story? Lean into your team’s natural talents and build up from there.
Building Community (Not Just Followers)
Growth is exciting, but numbers aren’t everything. Focus on attracting the right people and nurturing those relationships.
When Lilligren first entered social media, she was chasing vanity metrics like growth numbers and reach. “It sounds cheesy to say, but I’ve learned quality over quantity,” she confessed, “If you have a following of 1,000 but 10 people are your core engaged audience of who you really want to target, only care about what those 10 people think.”
“The communities we’re building on social are what keeps it unique from, say, your website or your banner ad to your email,” noted Komo.
Employee engagement is another underrated tool. Encourage your team to comment, share, and interact with posts. It increases visibility and deepens connection.
The Bottom Line
The most effective social media strategies today are rooted in storytelling, simplicity, and sincerity. If you’re overwhelmed, start small. Film a short, casual video. Skip the perfect backdrop. Skip the intro. Just show up.
Because at the end of the day, the secret to online growth isn’t a one-time hack. It’s owning your brand and showing your audience what makes you different.
