Social Media Has Forever Changed the Way Décor Printers Do Business

IF YOU’RE EQUALLY as committed (okay, as obsessed) about interior design and home décor as I am, then you know a lot has changed over the past 10 years; how technology is revolutionizing interior design and how many more people want to personalize their space. The PSPs with commercial projects in hospitality or that operate print-on-demand companies can probably attest to customization increasing as consumer demand for home décor products rose. Still haven’t dabbled in rental friendly adhesive-backed wallcovering? Reconsider. According to a DIY Home Improvement Retailing Market Report, global DIY home improvement is expected to reach a healthy compound annual growth rate of 4.37 percent, or $1.2B by 2030 (Source: Research Dive). Bottom line, that means more business for you.

A little over 10 years ago, Pinterest first launched to the market, and a few months after that, in November of 2010, Instagram followed. Since then, image-based search engines have evolved into the shoppable platforms we know and use today and have completely disrupted the interior design industry. Sharing images, sometimes out-of-reach, of what we like and love for our homes through these apps has caused a proliferation of design-savvy consumers. Hard to believe we’ve been scrolling and consuming content at warp speed for more than a decade.

There are pros and cons associated with consumers now having a heightened awareness of design. With apps like Pinterest, the shared board feature helps interior designers and their clients communicate, save ideas, and curate project themes. On the flip side, it sends most of us down the 2 a.m. rabbit hole of searches and pins. For design professionals, they’re often bombarded with out-of-budget ideas from clients. What are your thoughts on using Pinterest with your print clients for custom projects and communication? I’d love to know! (Find me on LinkedIn or leave comments below.)

Moving ahead to 2015 to 2020: Social media, retail, and ecommerce continue to converge. Even Business Insider’s tech headlines read, “It’s time for retailers to start paying closer attention to social media.” Just around 2015 is when social media finally became shoppable after product referrals from social media to retailers increased 200 percent (Source: BI Intelligence). Why is this significant? Consumers were not only using social media to stay connected, but they were discovering and curating products they loved along the way. The more time spent on social media and online shopping, the further these worlds collided.

As a PSP, that means you should be asking questions during the project scope about what the interior designer is looking to achieve for their client. Remember, they always have their best interest at heart. And if you’re selling directly to consumers, include clear product descriptions with before and after mouseovers and 3D renderings, if possible, to help customers visualize what their product will look like within a space. The name of the game here is adaptability, and if you can keep up with new print and ink technologies to create leaner efficiencies and beefer profits, combined with a true understanding of end-user expectations, you’ll have a much higher success rate than you might have thought.