Each year, the RIBA Client Services team runs a programme of client-facing activity promoting the benefits of working with RIBA Chartered Practices.
The focus for 2020/21 is on private domestic clients – the source of 57% 'by value' of our members’ work. We’re working to raise public awareness of the benefits of employing RIBA Chartered Architects and Practices for residential projects.
The aim of the campaign is to sustain the increase in client click-throughs to our free online service Find an Architect – the database of all RIBA Chartered Practices.
Digital campaign featuring client case studies
For the digital campaign, we are showcasing RIBA award-winning homes and their owners. We have commissioned bespoke videos and stills at each property, to create a suite of original assets for use across social media channels including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
The objective is to promote RIBA award-winning homes that get to the heart of the benefits of employing an architect. This is especially topical when, over the past year, many people have made the shift to working and schooling from home in the response to COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.
The impact of these lifestyle changes has highlighted the desire amongst homeowners to adapt their living spaces to meet their new needs. The selected case studies explore and promote design for improved sustainability and accessibility, alongside the clever and innovative use of space. They are a mix of refurbishment and new build projects in different locations in the UK.
By making the campaign topical, it’s meant that this has resonated with homeowners – as demonstrated in the positive results we’ve seen.
The first phase of the campaign (between September 2020 and January 2021) was viewed 7.46 million times and generated 746,959 combined clicks and shares, with a high overall engagement rate of 10.02%. Over a thousand clients every month are now using Find an Architect for their project.
PR campaign
In summer 2020, the RIBA commissioned a survey of 1,500 homeowners, aged 24 to 64 from across the UK, to investigate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on how people want to live and work at home.
The survey results revealed that homeowners are demanding environmentally efficient properties that better support their new ways of living, as well as their mental health, happiness and family cohesion.
The PR campaign had significant success, achieving:
- media coverage across the BBC, Forbes, The Week, The Times, Yahoo and House Beautiful magazine
- successful collaboration with social media influencers
- radio and television interviews which reached a combined audience of 7.3 million
Advertorials
We’ve also been running advertorials promoting the Find an Architect service, which have been published in The Sunday Telegraph, Saturday Mail and the Guardian.
Supporting you - Marketing Toolkit
Available exclusively to Chartered Practices, we have published a free online Marketing Toolkit tailored to your specific needs.
It is packed full of straightforward, up-to-date advice, hints and tips about how best to market your business, and comes with various free templates.
We recommend using the toolkit to help your practice make the most of the client-focused campaign and promotional activities taking place.
On the Marketing Toolkit page, Chartered Practices will also be able to access a range of assets to post across social media channels, to help promote your practice to potential clients. Practices can stay connected to the central campaign while tailoring the messaging to highlight the work of your individual practice.
Lastly, remember to keep your Find an Architect profile updated regularly and to look out for notifications on the email address you registered for enquiries.
