If you’re anything like me, you spend a lot of time online looking at beautiful, interesting homes and all sorts of different home décor ideas. While Pinterest has proved to be a viable resource for interior design and décor junkies, Houzz is really the perfect place to get your fix. Why you ask? Houzz is the leading online platform for home remodeling and design, providing people with everything they need to improve their homes from start to finish – online or from a mobile device. Plus Houzz is very similar to Pinterest because of the image sharing capabilities.
From a digital marketing agency standpoint, Houzz is an imperative part of some of our clients’ strategies because it’s such a visual and opportunistic platform. There is no better place where our clients in the housing industry can showcase their projects and capabilities. If you’re new to Houzz, here are a few tips to get started.
Account Creation
- Go to http://www.houzz.com. Signing up is free and can be done with your email and through your Facebook account.
- Choose a username and password then select homeowner or home improvement professional; click “Sign Up”
- Be sure to have a complete and organized profile from the start. Once people find your profile, they want to be able to browse projects easily and read about you!
Project Creation
- In the top right corner, click “Upload.”
- You’ll have the option to upload photos to either an Ideabook or a Project. The purpose of an Ideabook is to showcase a collection of styles that inspire you and ideas that match your interests. A Project is a collection of photos that showcase a completed home or room of your own.
- When you’re ready to select photo files, you can upload more than one at a time, so select the pictures and then click “Upload” at the bottom of the page.
- After the photos are uploaded, it’s time to describe them. Note: This is important! Add a name, category and style. Then include a link that directs back to your website or blog. Lastly, add keywords, a description and photo credits, if needed.
- When you share images on Houzz of projects that you have completed, it invites engaging conversation and feedback from other Houzz users. Plus when you upload projects, the images can be added to users’ Ideabooks, which will spread the word about your interests and capabilities.
Ideabook Creation
- The best way to start an Ideabook is to click “BROWSE ROOMS” toward the top left corner and choose the kind of room that you want your Ideabook to focus on.
- Each photo will have a small plus sign in the bottom left corner when you put your cursor over it; click the plus sign and this will add it to an Ideabook.
- Separate Ideabooks by different rooms as well as different styles (modern, contemporary, Victorian), décor ideas and tips. Ideabook categories are endless so have fun with it and make them as unique and specific as you would like! One of my favorite Ideabooks is “Backyard Ideas to Delight Your Dog.”
Once your Houzz account is up and going, seek out engagement opportunities on the platform! Be active: add pictures to Ideabooks, comment, ask questions, follow other users. Also make sure you put a Houzz badge on your website or blog and remind online visitors that that’s where they can find your projects, ideas, tips and more.
What I’ve provided for you today is just small taste of what it really takes to effectively create and manage a Houzz profile. If you know Houzz sounds like the right platform for your company, contact the Agency Entourage team. We have several Interactive Producers on staff, like myself, who manage Houzz accounts daily, implement best practices and stay on top of how the platform is changing and helping its users visually communicate and connect.
