For product designers, there are a number of vitally important tools that they cannot work without. While design software is clearly number one, there is no point in designing a killer product if nobody is going to see it or invest in it. That is why social media is, or at least should be, a product designer’s main marketing weapon.
Social media allows designers to share their creations, work collaboratively and increase their pool of potential customers. To understand exactly why it is so critical, one must first understand the profession.
Becoming a product designer
Product designers can range from anything such as those who invent brand new items to sell in shops or online to those who use their knowledge to improve pre-existing products. Improving a product could be making it from cheaper materials, making it more aesthetically pleasing or making it more sustainable, for example.
Becoming a product designer takes natural talent and an eye for detail, alongside training in courses along the lines of engineering, art and design or architecture.
Benefits of social media
Once in the product design profession, anyone wanting to boost their profile, improve their sales or client base and gain support and investment should set up a professional social media account. Creating a professional Instagram, for example, opens a designer up to over a billion users. If growth is slower than anticipated, ads can be bought and targeted at a specific area to try and boost engagement.
Social media allows a designer to build their brand visually, which is a creative and artistic partner to their more informative, business-like website. Social media allows more designers to try and go it alone rather than relying on working for a huge company, as it is easier now than ever to get noticed and get liked.
Why Instagram?
The opportunities stemming from social media are endless. With Instagram especially, influencers can promote products to thousands of followers, boosting popularity overnight. If a designer were to harness this social power; traffic to their portfolio or online shop could skyrocket.
Planning stage
Any product designer knows that the most exciting, yet stressful, part of their job is the planning stage. Social media can be used throughout this stage of the product creating process, as followers will love to see the thought and development that goes into a new product. Using state of the art product management tools will also help here as they can aid roadmapping social strategy across a number of platforms.
Final thoughts
Social media is a modern and powerful tool for any business owner, but especially so for those in creative industries. When working in a job which relies on aesthetics and user feedback, the ability to engage with followers helps build a brand and improve products before they are even finished.
Finally, for those who are self-employed, social media provides a platform from which they can boost their following, driving traffic to their website or portfolio, ultimately improving business. When used properly, social media helps big and small business alike.
