Text me and tell me what you think of this ep. If Instagram has felt like you’re posting into the void lately, Trial Reels might be worth your attention. In this episode of Designing Success, I’m sharing the Instagram growth strategy I’m actively testing in my own business — and the results have been pretty hard to ignore. In the last 30 days, I’ve added around 4,500 Instagram followers, had a Trial Reel reach 300,000 views, and while recording this episode, five Trial Reels posted across one day had put my business in front of around 50,000 new eyeballs. And no, this does not mean I’m suggesting you add five beautifully edited Reels to your already ridiculous weekly to-do list. Trial Reels work differently from your normal Instagram content because they’re designed to be shown predominantly to people who don’t already follow you. That makes them a really interesting top-of-funnel marketing tool for interior designers who want to increase Instagram reach, grow an aligned audience and ultimately create more opportunities for enquiries and in-home consultations. In this episode, I’m breaking down exactly how I’m approaching them. We talk about: What Instagram Trial Reels are and why they’re different from posting to your normal feedWhy Trial Reels should be treated as top-of-funnel contentThe simple 6–9 second B-roll format I’m usingHow I’m repurposing videos already sitting in my camera roll rather than constantly creating new contentWhy strong opinions and specific points of view make better Trial Reel hooksHow interior designers can use their expertise to create content potential clients actually care aboutThe problem with designers constantly creating content for other designersHow I’m using ChatGPT and Claude to turn existing long-form content and IP into Trial Reel ideasWhy every Instagram content strategy needs an actual business goal behind itHow I’m tracking views, comments and performance so I can work out what’s actually driving growthHow you could adapt this strategy to generate more followers, DMs, enquiries or interior design consultationsI also share the exact workflow I’m currently using to create five Trial Reels in around 20–30 minutes — without filming five new videos every morning. Because the point isn't more content for the sake of more content. It’s using content you already have, pairing it with a stronger message, putting it in front of people who don't know you yet, and then paying attention to what actually works. FREE AI + CLIENT DATA WEBINAR I’m also running a free live webinar for interior designers: What’s Really Happening When You Upload Files to AI? The Truth About Client Data, Intellectual Property & AI for Interior Designers We’re talking about client files, transcripts, floor plans, intellectual property, privacy, AI tools, internal policies and what responsible AI use actually looks like inside an interior design studio. No AI panic. No “delete ChatGPT immediately” nonsense. Just a practical conversation about understanding the tools we’re increasingly using inside our businesses. Register free here: Register even if you can’t attend live and you’ll receive access to the replay. WANT THE SYSTEMS BEHIND THE STRATEGY? Inside Studio Build, we go much further than simply asking AI to write a few Instagram captions. We build the documented business underneath it — your systems, processes, SOPs, AI workflows and marketing infrastructure — so AI actually has something useful to work with. The next round of Studio Build kicks off in September and is the final cohort for the year. Explore Studio Build HERE Topics: Instagram marketing for interior designers, Instagram Trial Reels, interior design marketing, social media marketing for interior designers, Instagram growth strategy, how to get interior design clients, content marketing for interior designers, AI for interior designers, ChatGPT for interior designers, Claude AI, interior design business, interior design business coaching, marketing an interior design business, Instagram Reels strategy, Studio Build. Thanks for listening to this episode of "Designing Success: From Study to Studio"! Connect with me on social media for more business tips, and a real look behind the scenes of my own practicing design business. Grab more insights and updates: Follow me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/the_rhiannonlee For more FREE resources, templates, guides and information, visit the Designer Resource Hub on my website ; https://www.rhiannon-lee.com/ Get your interior design studio running on AI in 6 weeks. admin, client follow-ups, content, and operations handled. Six live build sessions. You leave with a working system, not more mess. Studio BUILD ( now open) Remember to subscribe to the podcast and leave a review. Your feedback helps me continue providing valuable content to aspiring interior designers. Stay tuned for more episodes filled with actionable insights and inspiring conversations. Thank you for your support!
