Designed by Wingnut Social | Interior Design Business

The Psychology of Brand Love and Happiness (with Aaron Ahuvia)

Dr. Aaron Ahuvia is an expert in the psychology of brand love and happiness. But what really is brand love? And how can you use psychology to attract more clients to your brand? Dr. Ahuvia says if you want consumers to truly love your products, they need to either resemble people or connect to people in the consumer's mind. Check out this episode for more fascinating tips!
Dr. Aaron Ahuvia is a Professor of Marketing at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, teaches in the Human Centered Design program, and is also faculty at the Penny W. Stamps School of Art and Design. He is widely regarded as the world's leading expert on brand love. He is the author of a popular book explaining the psychology of brand love titled The Things We Love: How Our Passions Connect Us and Make Us Who We Are, which Amazon has named one of the best 20 business books of 2022.
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📲CONNECT with Aaron:
Website: thethingswelove.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronahuvia/
📲CONNECT with Darla:
Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/
📚Resources & People Mentioned:
"Influence Is Your Superpower: The Science of Winning Hearts, Sparking Change, and Making Good Things Happen" by Zoe Chance
"The Things We Love: How Our Passions Connect Us and Make Us Who We Are" by Aaron Ahuvia
🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:
Website: http://www.wingnutsocial.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WingnutSocial/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wingnutsocial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/
Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar
Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/
🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK
Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts
TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein
YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

Design Strategy, Interior Product Sales, and Social Selling (with Nicole Lashae Ben)

Nicole Lashae Ben joins us today to discuss the changes in interior design and sales processes in a virtual world, the latest trends in the interior design industry, and how interior product companies can get ahead of the trends. Nicole also shares some wisdom on how to understand your clients' needs, the difference between social selling and social media marketing, and much more.
Nicole Lashae Ben has always had a passion for interior design and design strategy. After earning her BFA in Interior Design from Syracuse University and MA in Design Management from Savannah College of Art and Design, Nicole went on to work in sales for a handful of international interior product companies including Lamin-Art, USAI Lighting, and Koroseal. She started Thrive In Design to help interior product companies take deep dive into their customer's journey and reimagine an experience that doesn't solely depend on in-person interactions.
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📲CONNECT with Nicole:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thriveindesign
Instagram: @thriveindesign
📲CONNECT with Darla:
Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/
📚Resources & People Mentioned: "The 4-Hour Workweek" by Tim Ferriss
🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:
Website: http://www.wingnutsocial.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WingnutSocial/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wingnutsocial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/
Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar
Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/
🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK
Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts
TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein
YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

Instagram Photos are Making a Comeback in 2023 | Mini News

Huge news this week - Instagram photos are making a comeback in 2023! Instagram is switching focus back to photos and less videos this year. Social Media Manager Hayden is here to weigh the pros and cons of this update and share information straight from head of Instagram Adam Mosseri.
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⭐️Instagram gained its original popularity by featuring still images, giving users a place to share all their new memories they captured on their phones - remember that phone cameras were newer technology back then. After the feed post gained its hype, they released the story feature to combat against Snapchat’s rising popularity. User focus shifted to stories because at the time, that was a great way to grow your account as Instagram rewards users that use its newest features. Given the various algorithmic shifts, the original focus of the app has largely been overshadowed by Meta’s broader business push. While Instagram popularity has grown, it’s also become more cluttered and less focused on how they originally gained popularity. 
⭐️Mosseri said in his recent IG story, “ I think we were overfocused on video in 2022 and pushed ranking too far, and basically showed too many videos and not enough photos. We’ve since balanced, so things like how often someone likes photos versus videos, and how often someone comments on photos versus videos, are roughly equal, which is a good sign that things are balanced.” Mosseri further notes that photos will remain a key focus for the app, and that maintaining the right balance in this respect will be key. Although, as we have seen in the past, whatever performs the best and keeps user on the app the longest is what will stick. For interior designers, this can be a very exciting change! No more endless filming of projects and more focus on using the still images that are quick and easy. Making your videos into reels can be very time consuming and something that many of people don’t want to do, or just don’t really know how. Having the ability to upload pictures and them still get extensive reach will be a positive change for interior designers.
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📲CONNECT with Darla:
Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/
🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:
Website: http://www.wingnutsocial.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WingnutSocial/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wingnutsocial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/
Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar
Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/
🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK
Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts
TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein
YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

Tax Tips for Business Owners and Interior Designers (with Aaron Smyle)

It’s officially tax season and it’s time to get all of your paperwork together. W2s, W9s, 1099s - what are all of these documents? Tax practitioner Aaron Smyle joins us today to offer tax advice, define the differences between employees and independent contractors, and what you need to do to set your business up for success.
Aaron Smyle MBA, MST is an Enrolled Agent (EA), a federally-authorized tax practitioner who has technical expertise in the field of taxation and is empowered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury to represent taxpayers before all administrative levels of the Internal Revenue Service for audits, collections, and appeals.
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📲CONNECT with Aaron:
Website: https://www.smyleandassociates.com/
Instagram: @smyletaxes
📲CONNECT with Darla:
Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/
📚Resources & People Mentioned: "Let the Great World Spin" by Colum McCann
🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:
Website: http://www.wingnutsocial.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WingnutSocial/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wingnutsocial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/
Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar
Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/
🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK
Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts
TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein
YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

Meta Is Shutting Down Facebook Creator Studio: Facebook Updates 2023 | Mini News

Did you know Meta is shutting down Facebook Creator Studio? This sounds like a big deal, however, not to worry - all those features will be moved into Meta Business Suite. Emily is here to walk us through the latest Facebook updates and how the new Meta Business Suite will have increased functionality to manage your Facebook and Instagram business accounts.
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⭐️Meta is shutting down Facebook Creator Studio. This sounds like a big deal, however, not to worry - all those features will be moved into Meta Business Suite. Facebook Creator Studio is Facebook’s built-in tool that lets you create and schedule Facebook and Instagram content for your business profiles. You can manage your page content; track posts, insights, and analytics; manage your inbox like your comments and DMs - all in one place via Facebook Creator Studio. So why would Meta get rid of this tool? They are taking all of these features and putting them into the Meta Business Suite, which is formerly known as Facebook Business Manager, which is a tool with backend access to your pages and settings as well as your ads manager and more.
⭐️What’s the point of getting rid of Facebook Creator Studio? Meta wants to streamline things and have everything in one spot. You used to have to visit a specific url to access the creator studio, but now you just have to go to business.facebook.com to access Meta Business Suite. Meta states, “We’re actively working to bring Meta’s creator tools together in one place. You can access all of your content and data when you switch. After trying the new creator experience in Meta Business Suite, you can switch back to Creator Studio.” In terms of functionalities, it seems that Meta Business Suite may have more to offer. You’ll be able to see your notifications for Facebook and Instagram; your messages and comments; plus you’ll be able to create, schedule, and post stories, reels, and more. It’ll also be easier to utilize the ads manager.
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📲CONNECT with Darla:
Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/
🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:
Website: http://www.wingnutsocial.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WingnutSocial/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wingnutsocial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/
Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar
Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/
🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK
Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts
TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein
YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

REPLAY: Business Tips for New Interior Designers

Meredith founded the “House of Huck” in 2020 as a passion project. She gave herself an ultimatum: If she wasn’t successful in three years, she’d go back to the corporate world. But in one year, she transformed her business into a full-time career. 
She’s leveraged her unique background in corporate sales—and some genius social media marketing tactics—to build a thriving business. In this episode of Wingnut Social, Meredith shares some business tips for new interior designers that you just can’t miss!
Connect with Meredith Huck
House of Huck
Connect on Instagram
Resources & People Mentioned
Wingnut Webinar Aug 25, 2022 11:00 AM: Let’s Get Real About Reels 
Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
Dakota Design Co.
The Brownstone Boys
Record your podcast episodes on Riverside
Why House of Huck grew quickly
95% of Meredith’s clients have come from social media. How does she leverage various platforms to gain visibility? 
Meredith got in front of the camera. It allowed people to learn about herself and her life. She also embraced a unique social media marketing strategy: Throwing a scavenger hunt. 
Meredith chose 5 local businesses, bought gift cards, and hid them around town. You had to follow her on social media and answer a riddle to find the gift card(s). Once someone found one, they had to tag her in a post. 
She gained followers, gave back to her community, and it even led to a request for a design consultation.
Why Meredith doesn’t want to grow and scale a team
Meredith is struggling with a great problem to have: Getting too many requests for her design services. She’s learning how to take discovery calls, explaining how her process works, and scheduling out (sometimes weeks or months). 
She sets the expectation that it may be weeks before she can connect back to work on their project. But then she communicates via email, notes in the mail, etc. She’ll have those clients work on creating a Pinterest board to fill in the gap during those weeks. 
Meredith is busier than ever, but she isn’t interested in growing and scaling a team right now. She loves what she does and chooses to outsource when necessary. She works with a virtual assistant and outsources renderings and sourcing tasks. 
Business tips for new interior designers
What has Meredith learned from her first couple of years as a new interior designer? 
Tip #1: It’s not just about charging a design fee. Whenever you can, open up wholesale accounts and purchase furnishings directly from them. A large portion of Meredith’s revenue has come from the margin she makes on furnishings. 
Tip #2: Trust your gut. Meredith agreed to do some design work for a couple despite seeing numerous red flags. Meredith requires her clients to request revisions within one week of her design presentation. After her design presentation, this client asked for more than a week to decide. Two months later, they asked her for a refund of her design fees. 
Tip #3: Don’t take every job that comes your way. Only work with people who appreciate what you’re doing for them. 
Meredith shares more tips, tricks, and business strategies in this episode of Wingnut Social. Check it out!
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Subscribe on YouTube
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
786-206-4331 (connect with us for your social media marketing needs)
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn
Audio Production and Show notes byPODCAST FAST TRACKhttps://www.podcastfasttrack.com

Instagram Group Profiles and Collaborative Collections: New Instagram Updates 2023 | Mini News

What are the latest Instagram updates in 2023? Social Media Manager Abby is here to share some exciting new features coming to Instagram this year, including Group Profiles and Collaborative Collections. Tune in to see how you can take advantage of these new features as an interior designer and business owner.
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⭐️Last year, Instagram’s main goal was transparency, which was demonstrated through insight updates and peeling the curtain back on the algorithm. This year, one of their biggest initiatives is connection: connecting people to things they love, and connecting them to one another. They are testing some new updates, including group profiles. Yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like. Group profiles are a place where you can have multiple users post to it. What will this look like? When you’re logged into an account that has access to a group profile, whenever you go to share any type of content (stories, reels, or feed posts), you’ll have the option to share it to your personal profile or to share it to the group profile…or both! Think of it as Facebook groups, but on Instagram. This could change a lot for social media agencies in particular as it won’t require you to log in to all of your clients accounts but rather simply have access via a group profile. It will also be great for teams that have a social media account and have multiple posters without risking a security breach.
⭐️Another update coming to Instagram in 2023 is Collaborative Collections. Collections can be found in your saved photos on Instagram and are great for staying organized. Let’s say you have 10 kitchen pictures saved, and 1 bathroom picture, but you don’t want them all mixed up. You can create separate folders, or collections, for different spaces. Previously, these collections have been private to individual users. These collections will now be able to be collaborative shared and added to by other users. For interior designers, this will be great because you can share these collections with other team members. Think of it as a Pinterest board or a mood board. You can use collaborative collections to save your ideas and share them with one another.
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📲CONNECT with Darla:
Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/
🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:
Website: http://www.wingnutsocial.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WingnutSocial/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wingnutsocial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/
Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar
Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/
🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK
Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts
TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein
YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

REPLAY: Why Interior Designers Need Ongoing SEO to Remain Competitive

Why is SEO so critical for your brand’s online presence?
How does it help you compete with other interior designers? Why is ongoing SEO the key to keeping your interior design business ranking on Google?
The biggest piece of misinformation that we hear about SEO is that it’s a “one-and-done” service that’s complete when your website is created. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Ongoing SEO, when done correctly, is your key to remaining competitive. Gavin—Wingnut’s resident SEO guru—covers this important topic in this episode of Wingnut Social!
Resources & People Mentioned
Wingnut Webinar: 7/28 at 11 am EST: SEO 101
Wingnut Academy: Instagram for Interior Designers
Record your podcast episodes on Riverside
Wingnut Social is on YouTube! 
How ongoing SEO can boost your business
When your website is created and SEO-optimized, you can’t just set it and forget it. You can’t just run ads and call it good. Why? 80% of people searching on Google ignore paid ads. Secondly, most people won’t go past the first page of search results. So your business needs to be ranked in the top 10 search results.
How do you achieve that? You have to track and measure the impact of your work and adjust your SEO continuously. You can make adjustments as you go to make sure your pages stay on the first page of Google’s search results. 
Your competition’s SEO tactics are constantly changing. If you’re ranking for a keyword and it falls from #2 to #10, you need to make some adjustments or you’ll lose traffic. If your competition is ranking for keywords that you used to rank for, changes need to be made. 
That’s why a robust and ongoing SEO strategy can mean the difference between being flooded with clients—or being irrelevant. 
Your clients have questions—make sure you provide the answers
When it comes to blogging, people think they need to produce a chunk of new content once a month and they’re okay. Gavin points out that blogging is a great strategy and you need to do it. However, you have to keep in mind that Google is trying to connect people who have questions with the answers they’re looking for. 
5–10 years ago, people would stuff keywords into a blog and rank for it. Google is now an intelligent platform that can’t be fooled. If you’re keyword stuffing, your content won’t rank. When you write content, focus on answering questions that your ideal client is searching for.
What questions are they asking? How do YOU provide the best answer and share value? The keywords and phrases you use reflect your ability to understand your customer. If you have a great idea of what your customers are looking for and provide them value, you’ll see a bump in SEO. 
What tools can you use to help you write SEO-optimized content? How does Google’s algorithm play a role in your success? Listen to the whole episode to learn more about ongoing SEO’s impact on your bottom line. 
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Subscribe on YouTube
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
786-206-4331 (connect with us for your digital marketing needs)
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn
Audio Production and Show notes byPODCAST FAST TRACKhttps://www.podcastfasttrack.com

Twitter Advanced Search on Mobile: How to Use for Social Media Marketing | Mini News

Twitter advanced search for mobile is here! Is there a tweet you’ve been trying to find forever, or do you want to clean up some of your old tweets? Twitter is launching a new “advanced search” feature on the mobile app that will provide users with a range of filters when searching for content. Social Media Manager Hayden is here to walk us through the latest developments.
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⭐️Twitter’s advanced search on mobile will provide you with a range of additional options when searching for content, including accounts mentioned, date ranges, personal mentions, hashtags, and like and retweet counts. All of these qualifiers are already built into the app, and are available in the Advanced Search tab on desktop - but until now, they haven’t been easily accessible on mobile. You’ll also be able to use these additional search parameters when conducting a tweet search on an individual user’s profile.
⭐️This new feature can be a very helpful addition for businesses and interior designers when trying to search things that are specific to your field. If someone is looking for interior design trends, they will be able to easily search any of these in the new Twitter advanced search option. Being able to search tweets with large amounts of retweets and engagement will be a fantastic way to identify content that is trending currently. 
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📲CONNECT with Darla:
Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/
🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:
Website: http://www.wingnutsocial.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WingnutSocial/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wingnutsocial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/
Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar
Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/
🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK
Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts
TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein
YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

REPLAY: Perfecting Your Interior Design Niche

Anne Gillyard—along with Jodi Arellano—own and operate GrOH! Playrooms, specializing in educationally-based children’s interiors. They strive to create spaces full of color, joy, fun, and playfulness that encourage your child’s development. But how did they choose to niche down into something so specific? How have they built a thriving play-focused business? Anne joins Darla to discuss all things marketing, niching down, and incorporating play into your child’s every day.
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[1:02] Subscribe to Wingnut Social on YouTube!
[2:01] Mini News Sesh: YouTube Shorts
[5:43] Learn all about Anne Gillyard
[7:55] How Anne chose her interior design niche
[12:39] How Anne reaches her ideal clients
[16:01] The benefit of industry partnerships
[22:36] How to choose work you enjoy
[25:05] Tips for mastering reels and videos
[28:55] The What Up Wingnut Round!
Connect with Anne GillYard
Connect on Instagram
GrOH! Playrooms
Resources & People Mentioned
Mike Michalowicz’s books
How Anne landed on a niche in playrooms
Anne worked in early education for years as a teacher and curriculum designer. But her expertise is play. She always wanted to be an interior designer but never thought she’d land there. Now, she designs family rooms, playrooms, bedrooms, and outdoor spaces where the intention is to live, breathe, and move around with your kids. 
When they launched GrOh!, they were worried they wouldn’t survive if they niched down too far. So if a client asked them to do something outside their scope, they quickly agreed to it. But it wasn’t where they thrived. Once they fully committed to their niche, they took off. Now they have a waitlist of 6+ months.
How to choose your interior design niche
Anne says to pour your favorite drink, get comfy, and spend some time thinking. What lights your fire? What takes the least amount of energy to brainstorm about? When you complete a project, what are you proud of? How can you make your experience special? What can you do to make your relationship with your client wonderful and easy? 
Reflect after every project and determine what you enjoyed—and what you didn’t. What did you find to be easiest? Anne once created a gorgeous custom kitchen, designed to help create independence for kids. While the project was a smashing success, they didn’t enjoy the work. Now, they only focus on what they love. 
How GrOH! Reaches their ideal clients
In December 2019, GrOH! had committed to only doing commercial spaces. A few months later, because of covid, no one was going to commercial play spaces—maybe ever again. So they pivoted to residential spaces. Word-of-mouth wasn’t a possibility at that point. So what marketing stuck?
They invested in photography immediately. Then they hired social media out to professionals (Wingnut Social, of course) and the change was transformative. It’s allowed them to niche and establish themselves as go-to experts. Since then, 99% of their clients find them through social media.
And Anne is a social media genius. Her content is eye-catching, playful, and educational all while perfectly showcasing their designs. How has she found such social success (aside from Wingnut Social, of course)? She shares her tricks of the trade in this episode. Don’t miss it!
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Subscribe on YouTube
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
786-206-4331 (connect with us for your social media marketing needs)
 
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn
Audio Production and Show notes byPODCAST FAST TRACKhttps://www.podcastfasttrack.com

How to Keep Your Instagram From Getting Hacked: New Instagram Safety Updates | Mini News

Have you received a suspicious "Giveaway" DM on Instagram, or been followed by an account that may be impersonating someone? On today's Mini News, Emily walks us through some new account safety features that have been added on Instagram to help users regain access to their accounts if they find themselves locked out or hacked.
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⭐️Instagram has added some new tools to help users regain access to their accounts if they find themselves locked out or hacked. The new recovery center is at instagram.com/hacked. The con is most help options just direct you to the Help Center, which already existed, to help you troubleshoot your issue. In other words, you’re not being put in touch with a real person at Instagram Support. However, the pro is this tool makes the recovery and troubleshooting process much more streamlined. You’re provided quick, easy access to steps you can take depending on your issue.
⭐️A great new safety measure Instagram has provided is this: if you find yourself locked out of your account, you can choose two of your Instagram friends to confirm your identity and get back into your account. Instagram is also testing measures to combat impersonation and ways to help prevent hacking before it happens. There have been many instances where people impersonate design businesses and run fake giveaways to get other users’ info or hack their accounts. Instagram is testing a feature that sends warnings if an account that is suspected to be an impersonator follows you, or if an account that may be impersonating a business sends you a DM.
⭐️How can you keep your Instagram account safe before any of this happens to you? Use a strong, unique password with numbers, letters, and special characters. Don’t use this password for anything else. Change your password regularly, at least once a year. Ideally, you should change your password every few months. Lastly, turn on your two-factor authentication in Settings under Privacy and Security. You’ll get a login code when you sign in on a new device, so it offers a little extra security for your account.
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📲CONNECT with Darla:
Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/
🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:
Website: http://www.wingnutsocial.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WingnutSocial/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wingnutsocial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/
Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar
Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/
🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK
Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts
TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein
YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

REPLAY: The Secret to Getting Your Interior Design Work Published

Molly Schoneveld is the award-winning PR strategist behind the luxury public relations firm, The Storied Group. She represents the industry's top interior designers, celebrities, and hotels, i.e. “Talented faces, spaces, and places.” She has 20+ years of experience with press placements in Architectural Digest, ELLE Decor, Vogue, and more. And she knows the secret to getting your interior design work published. What is it? Find out in this episode of the Wingnut Social podcast!
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[1:13] Wingnut webinar and wingnut academy updates
[1:56] Mini News Sesh: LinkedIn’s repost update
[4:32] Learn all about Molly Schoneveld + The Storied Group
[7:08] Why proving publications enough images is important 
[10:56] Do you need to hire a photographer with connections?
[16:06] Can a presence on YouTube help you?
[17:21] Do you need to have a celebrity client? 
[20:15] Why you need to read photography contracts carefully
[23:16] Can you post the photos online if you want them featured?
[26:22] Make your photography stand out by using a stylist
[28:50] How to get your clients on board with being published
[33:46] How to stand out (and get hired by celebrities) 
[38:20] The What Up Wingnut! Round
[40:26] How to connect with Molly Schoneveld
Connect with Molly Schone
The Storied Group
Connect with Molly on LinkedIn
Follow Molly on Instagram
Resources & People Mentioned
The Mystery Guest by Lorin Stein
Record your podcast episodes on Riverside
This is Marketing by Seth Godin
The secret to getting your interior design work published
What’s the secret? It all comes down to photos. Now—likely starting with Covid—many magazines will not do reshoots. What you provide them in your pitch is what will get published. So you need to give them enough photos to publish a full story. Luxe Magazine has design features that can be as long as 10–12 pages. That’s why you need to provide a variety of photos. 
But Molly emphasizes that you don’t need the best photographer in the business. Why? You need to be able to afford someone who will provide you with a full range of images. What does that look like? If you want to get featured as a full home tour, you need 25–30 images of your work. 
Molly landed one of her clients a feature in AD Digital. It was the home of a celebrity chef and a big-name interior designer. They didn’t reshoot the project. The photos Molly sent them were the photos that ran. The bar is high, and if you want to get into AD, you’ve got to be so much more than good. The photos you send must be shot knowing they’re going to be run in the magazine. 
Do you need to hire a photographer with connections?
Molly points out that working with a specific photographer who has previously done work with the magazine you want to get published in can give you an advantage. But the advantage isn’t that the photographer can get you published—it’s that they know what the magazine is looking for. They understand the angles publications like, the styling they like, and the vignettes they prefer. Those are the things a photographer can help with. 
But a magazine won’t say yes to a project solely based on the photographer. There are factors at play that are 100% out of your control, like editorial calendars, previously published homes and kitchens, and much more. But you can control your images. So work with a photographer who understands what magazines are looking for. 
Make your photography stand out by using a stylist
Look at a potential photographer's social media. What is their aesthetic? That’s what you’ll end up with for your social media. What else is important? Molly believes that bringing in a stylist to bring life to your images makes the biggest difference. Magazines do this all the time. If magazine editors rely on them, designers should see them as someone who can bring their vision to life in a different way. That—coupled with a photographer versed in magazine photography—can make a huge impact.
Can you post photos online if you want them published in a magazine? Does it pay to have celebrity clients? Molly answers these questions and so much more in this episode. Don’t miss it!
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Subscribe on YouTube
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
786-206-4331 (connect with us for your social media marketing needs)
 
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn
Audio Production and Show notes byPODCAST FAST TRACKhttps://www.podcastfasttrack.com

Elon Musk’s Latest Twitter Updates: Longer Videos and 4,000 Character Tweets | Mini News

Elon Musk’s latest Twitter updates may include the addition of longer videos and tweets up to 4,000 characters. Social Media Manager Hayden is here to walk us through these potential updates, the pros and cons of Twitter going long-form, and how this could impact your interior design business.
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⭐️Twitter is planning to give users more capacity to share longer posts, either in video or text form, within the app. As you probably know, Twitter has been on shaky ground over the past few months with Elon Musk’s acquisition. There have been lots of updates, like Twitter Blue: an opt-in, paid monthly subscription that adds a blue checkmark to your account and offers early access to select new features. Musk has mentioned wanting to add  YouTube-like features into the app, enabling users to post longer video, in order to keep viewers from on the app instead of switching to another app to consume video content. He’s also said that longer tweets are coming soon, possibly up to 4,000 characters. Short-form content has been the foundation of Twitter since its inception, so this will be a big change for your Twitter feed. There is no set date as to when these features will roll out, or if they’ll be available to all users or just Twitter Blue subscribers.
⭐️Longer tweets will appear as normal, displaying around 280 characters, with the message “show more” to expand into a longer panel. This allows for users to share longer tweets without disrupting the normal Twitter stream feel. There is also a possibility that, rather than “show more,” it will display how many characters remain in the tweet (ie “remaining 3,000 characters”). It’s possible that displaying this remaining character number and indicating how long the tweet is may reduce the amount of interaction with the tweet. Users may also grow tired of clicking to expand longer tweets and stop interacting with those altogether. Another concern is whether or not Twitter users are asking for this feature to begin with. Most users gravitate to Twitter because of its short-form nature.
⭐️What does this all mean for interior designers? Long-form content on Twitter could be a great way to share about your business and tap into an audience that you may not have been able to connect with previously via short-form content. You may have felt limited in the past by Tweets with a lower character count. Regardless, we recommend that you take advantage of as many platforms as you can to get your business out there! The easiest way to do this is by repurposing content that you’ve already created for other platforms, like Instagram and TikTok, and posting that to Twitter as well.
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📲CONNECT with Darla:
Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/
🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:
Website: http://www.wingnutsocial.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WingnutSocial/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wingnutsocial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/
Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar
Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/
🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK
Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts
TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein
YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

REPLAY: How Maria Killam Grew to 100k+ Instagram Followers

Maria Killam is a decorator, stylist, speaker, educator, and true color expert in interior and exterior design. She’s also the creator of the Killam Color System™, a proven system for choosing color that anyone can learn. 
Maria has always shared her work on her blog and has thousands of readers. But her Instagram never took off—until recently. Maria leveraged a popular Instagram trend and grew to 100k+ Instagram followers in mere weeks. Learn how she did it in this episode of Wingnut Social! 
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[1:48] Housekeeping: Wingnut Webinar + YouTube
[2:50] Mini News Sesh: Instagram Feed Videos = Reels
[6:43] Learn more about Maria Killam and her business
[12:44] The basics of the Killam color system
[18:00] The importance of understanding color
[24:44] How Maria’s eDesign business stands out
[29:13] How Maria feels about white interiors (and trending colors)
[31:51] Maria’s marketing strategy on Instagram
[38:36] What Maria would say to someone who wants a trendy space
[40:30] Maria’s What Up Wingnut Round!
[46:29] Blooper Reel!
Connect with Maria Killam
Maria’s Website
Maria’s course: Colour Made Easy™
Follow Maria on Instagram
Resources & People Mentioned
At Your Best by Carey Nieuwhof
Record your podcast episodes on Riverside
The evolution of Maria’s business
Maria Killam launched her career while working in a paint store. She took a color course and learned how to accurately describe colors. As she helped clients choose the right colors for their homes, she started painting out large color samples and used them over and over again. 
She saw that beiges always had the same undertones: pink-beige, green-beige, yellow-beige, etc. The undertones expanded from there. Her goal is to help her clients understand undertones so their design choices are complementary and timeless. 
Maria created a color wheel tool to help people identify the undertones in their spaces to choose the right neutrals. Now Maria offers online courses and eDesign to help both designers and homeowners create timeless spaces.
Keep listening to learn how understanding color and undertones influences every design choice you’ll make.
Maria’s Strategy to gain 100k+ Instagram followers
Maria has spent a lot of time on Instagram. Why? Because people judge you as a marketer, designer, and businessperson based on your number of Instagram followers. They’re either impressed—or not. 
One day, Maria was watching an influencer who did a “10 ways to do something…” video series that they split into 10 parts. It was a light-bulb moment for Maria. So she launched her own 10-part series: “10 Finishes that Immediately Date Your New Build.” Her Instagram following grew by 100,000 followers in a matter of weeks. 
Instagram is trying to be like TikTok. It’s ALL about video. It worked for Maria because her no-nonsense personality was fully expressed in these videos. Before, she followed different random trends. Secondly, you build trust faster when they watch a video. If you’re not on video, you’re going to be behind. So how do you get started? 
Start sharing videos on your stories. They’re only 15 seconds and get you comfortable in front of the camera. Maria felt extremely awkward in her first videos. But you have to go through that awkward phase to become a rockstar on video. Maria has attracted a whole new audience. Learn how you can do the same in this episode of Wingnut Social!
Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social
www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Subscribe on YouTube
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
786-206-4331 (connect with us for your social media marketing needs)
 
Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn
Audio Production and Show notes byPODCAST FAST TRACKhttps://www.podcastfasttrack.com

Are You Shadowbanned on Instagram?! | Mini News

Are you shadowbanned on Instagram?! How do you find out, and more importantly, how do you fix it? Social Media Manager Abby is here today to walk us through a new Instagram feature that will show you whether or not your content is getting recommended to other users (a.k.a. if you're shadowbanned or not). This new Instagram feature will also tell you exactly how to fix your shadowban and get your content out there again!
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⭐️One of Instagram’s main goals in 2022 was to be more transparent with its users. We’ve seen this goal met as Instagram has been more open about how the algorithm works, plus they’ve launched a few new helpful features for creators. The latest update will allow users to see whether or not their content is eligible to be recommended in places like the explore page or the recommended feed. In other words, you’ll be able to finally find out whether or not you’ve been shadowbanned. Shadowbanning is when you are boxed out of a social media platform because the platform is preventing your content from reaching other users. Not only will you be able to see the status of your account, Instagram will provide pointers on how to rectify past issues that have gone against their community guidelines, so you’ll have the opportunity to correct this issue and get your content back out there.
⭐️To access this new feature, go to your profile on Instagram. Click the menu. From there, you’ll click Settings, Account, and Account Status. On this page, it will show you whether or not you’ve posted something that would affect your account status, or prevent your content from being recommended to other users. If everything is in good shape, but you still aren’t seeing the results you’d like with your content, then it’s time to address if your content is just not resonating with people. Overall, this update is extremely helpful. Before this update, if someone let you know they weren’t seeing your content, or if you noticed in your Insights that your reach had dropped, you wouldn’t have known why. You may have assumed you were shadowbanned. This update dispels that myth and you’re able to find out the exact reason why your content may not be getting pushed out - or if you just need to improve your content.
***
📲CONNECT with Darla:
Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/
🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:
Website: http://www.wingnutsocial.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WingnutSocial/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wingnutsocial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/
Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar
Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/
🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK
Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts
TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein
YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube