In marketing, visual elements have always had a big impact. You’ve probably heard of the saying: “an image speaks a thousand words,” which is very true. Humans are visual beings, and we can get a lot more information for a short period through visuals than text.

However, we are no longer talking about visuals in terms of images or videos, as digital technology development has led to various improvements. Specifically, we are talking about architectural rendering. Renderings are images developed digitally on a computer without the use of a camera.

Architectural rendering focuses on developing visuals of buildings, structures, interiors, and their surroundings. This new approach has brought many benefits to the architecture world. Today we are going to look at how architectural rendering can be used in marketing and help improve business results.

Portfolio

A 3D visualization portfolio has become the main indicator of how good a designer or architect is. We are no longer living in a world where architects present their work with hand-drawn pieces. The whole approach was very impractical, and it required carrying around a large number of paper documents.

Architectural rendering has made it easy for architectural companies to present their previous work. These digital portfolios allow service providers to let future customers see their residential and commercial developments. Renders are atmospheric, realistic, and accurate.

They help stakeholders or customers see how you approach your work and what projects you’ve done in the past. Not only are these examples immersive and realistic, but they are also much easier to do. They require far less time, and customers can get them online to show their partners or other people involved in a project.

Clients often don’t have any knowledge about architecture or design. They want to see something that is clear and easy to understand. That’s what architectural renders can provide. At the same time, a portfolio is very important for “selling” your work and convincing people to give you a chance.

Social media options

No matter what kind of business we are talking about, online marketing is essential. More specifically, social media marketing. There are millions of people on social media today, and any business can find its audience on one platform or the other.

Since most social networks support visual content, they are a good place to share and present architectural renderings or portfolios containing them. Here are some of the best social media platforms you can use for this.

1.      Instagram

Instagram isn’t the largest social network, but it’s the most active one. Simply put, it has the best engagement rates and allows various businesses to market themselves. Since Instagram is a visually-based platform, it’s perfect for marketing rendering projects.

In 2018, Instagram had over half a million users, and they are all very active. There are a lot of marketing companies that use Instagram actively. At the same time, lots of companies promote their services and products on this platform.

Instagram is a good platform to share visual content. You can share stories daily about your renders, promote portfolios, and projects you’ve finished.

2.      LinkedIn

LinkedIn is the most popular professional social network. It’s great for B2B, which makes it ideal for architecture companies and professionals. It has around 600 million users worldwide, which means that you can always find your target audience here.

LinkedIn is very versatile and offers you the option to share various types of marketing materials. It includes infographics, photos, videos, and plain text. You can mix all of these formats together or switch between them.

LinkedIn lets you display your portfolio in a detailed way and post articles to showcase your expertise. On the other hand, it’s a great place for brand storytelling and discovering information about your products and services along with proper visualizations.

3.      Facebook

Facebook is the most popular social media network and offers the most variety in terms of audiences. Research shows that posts on Facebook that have images have almost 2.5 more engagement than posts with plain text. Almost 15% of Facebook users engage with posts with images, while 12% do it with video posts.

Simply put, quality imagery can perform well on Facebook. However, this platform gives you the option to combine visuals with texts and other forms of content. And that makes it very versatile for different kinds of businesses and professionals to use renderings on Facebook.

4.      Pinterest

Although it’s a relatively new social media platform, Pinterest has been growing quickly. One of the best things about Pinterest is that it’s extremely convertible. It has a small number of steps that customers need to make from discovering something to converting.

Pinterest is also really good at driving traffic. It’s a completely visual platform where people “Pin” images and videos. It gives space for adding links that can lead potential customers directly to your website. Users are really engaged on Pinterest, and they know why they are on the network.

They want to see quality content. That’s where renders fit in perfectly and can be used for driving traffic or converting people into paying customers.

Newsletters

3D renders can make your newsletters more persuasive. You might think that newsletters are outdated and don’t give any good results, but in reality, you’re probably using them wrong. There is lots of room to spice things up and bring in something new to your newsletters and emails.

In most cases, email campaigns are used for targeting people that already have some interest in acquiring architectural services. But the question is, what makes people want to contact a company? Apart from the copy, there also needs to be a visual representation or a demonstration of their work.

With 3D rendering, architectural firms can showcase all of their projects in their truest form. Newsletters are a great option for companies that need to keep in touch with their customers. They are efficient and easy to use.

However, it’s important to send out quality content that will have value to your potential customers and engage them somehow. That’s where 3D renders come into play. Artists can help deliver different designs with different seasons, depending on the clients’ profiles and interests.

Video commercial for both television and online ads

Architectural renders are very versatile. They aren’t limited to static images only. You can combine them with 360-degree imagery, animation, and visualization, which means that they can come in the form of a video. Video marketing is highly effective and can be used for various purposes.

First of all, video renders are a great way to showcase your work. People can see how a project unfolded and get a clear picture of all the details. Your video can guide viewers through the whole interior, all the rooms, and showcase all essential elements.

On the other hand, you can use videos to present your brand. Add your branding elements, talk about yourself, what you do, and how you approach your work. If you spice it up with renders, you can easily convince people to check out your business.

Image-based blog

Many people forget about the power of blogging and how valuable it can be. No, a blog won’t be effective at instantly driving new leads or conversions. It takes time to develop one, but once it starts working, you will passively be able to engage audiences, reach new clients, and find projects.

A blog allows you to share lots of information that can help your prospects, clients, and stakeholders. Architects have many things to do with a blog and promote themselves. But when you think of a blog, it doesn’t have to be limited to text only.

A blog can be image-based or even vide-based. You can combine visuals together with short lines of texts. You can use your blog to teach beginners how to do their work, help them with different approaches, and explain how you got where you are.

There is a wide range of subjects you can cover. When you engage a large number of people, they will repay you by sharing, suggesting you to others, and being more open to working with you.

Presentations

B2B reports include whitepapers that can suggest solutions to problems, point out to issues, and overview different subjects. Professionals can mix a promotional and educative narrative to encourage readers to learn about a company and become interested in its services.

Consider offering whitepapers in exchange for something. You can ask people to subscribe to your newsletter, give you their email, or any other action. Still, whitepapers don’t have to be text only. Although this can provide lots of information, they won’t attract attention.

You can combine 3D renders with your whitepaper to convey your ideas and deliver knowledge more effectively. At the same time, quality visuals will attract attention and make people want to get your whitepaper in the first place. You can create previews with 3D renders that are shareable and can help attract attention to social media.

Contests

Contests are very important in the architecture world. They can help architecture firms and individuals get the exposure they need, network with important players, and even find future projects to work on. At the same time, contests can help earn recognition and present your work.

It’s a great opportunity to instantly put your brand on the map and gain traction. Getting first or second place in an architectural contest proves that you are, in fact, a professional that knows what he is doing. People are always reluctant to work with someone new who doesn’t have a lot of experience.

In some cases, there are valid reasons for this, but in some, there are not. Like it or not, it’s just how things work. That’s why contests can be a good marketing tool to help put your name on the map. Even if you don’t win, you will be able to intrigue people and establish valuable connections.

Contests often attract thousands of people, some of which are participants, and others are just interested in what will be displayed. |Architectural renderings can be a great addition and help compete with others. They can help you highlight all the details and advantages of your work and make you stand out.

Trade shows

When it comes to architecture, trade shows are really effective for generating leads. Anyone can come to a trade show and present their products or services. It’s a great place where all the members of the architecture industry will come together to discuss, demonstrate, and display their latest work.

Trade shows also offer a great opportunity to present your work instantly and talk with many different people. When it comes to architectural rendering, this technology can help you showcase your work in a realistic way. At the same time, renderings are easily adjustable, and you can showcase stages and discuss important solutions and details of your work.

They are a great conversation starter. At the same time, they aren’t yet that common, and you will leave an impression with them. You can use 3D animation, 3D graphics, and visualizations to draw attention to your stand. Make sure to create an extensive range of renders that can present different approaches, interiors, exteriors, and illustrate your versatility.

Conclusion

If you use architectural rendering for marketing, you will be able to find more partners, get recognition, and increase the number of clients. The immersive value of CGI, animation, and visualization has a huge power to convert and help viewers experience a certain project.