Do Followers Still Matter on Instagram? What Interior Designers Really Need to Know

Introduction: The Follower Count Trap

For years, we’ve been taught to see follower count as the ultimate measure of success on Instagram. The bigger the number, the more credible and successful you must be… right?

It’s easy to fall into that mindset, especially when you see other designers growing quickly or getting a ton of likes and comments. But here’s the truth: that number doesn’t mean what it used to.

Instagram has changed. The way people discover content has changed. And most importantly, the way clients choose to hire you? That’s changed, too.

So let’s unpack what actually matters for interior designers who are using Instagram to grow a business, not just a following.

Social Media Has Changed—Big Time

There was a time when Instagram was simple: you followed someone, and their posts appeared in your feed. That was it.

Now? Not so much.

Today’s algorithm is designed to show you content it thinks you’ll like, even if you’re not following the person who posted it. That means your feed is a mix of people you follow, suggested Reels, ads, and random posts the algorithm believes you’ll engage with.

So what does that mean for your content?

It means even your most loyal followers might not see your posts. And the people who do see them may have never heard of you before.

Which leads to a pretty valid question:

So… does anyone actually see your posts anymore?

Spoiler: yes, but it’s not just the people following you. And that’s a good thing (we’ll get to that soon).

What Follower Count Really Means (And Doesn’t)

Let’s be honest, there are some cases where follower count still matters.

Follower count can be a helpful metric if you’re trying to land brand deals, influencer partnerships, or sell digital products. It gives brands and buyers a quick way to gauge their reach (even if it doesn’t tell the whole story).

But if your main goal is to book design clients, grow your studio, or build a thriving service-based business?

Follower count matters a whole lot less.

Here’s the truth: high follower numbers don’t automatically equal paying clients.  We’ve seen accounts with tens of thousands of followers struggle to book consistent projects, and designers with a few hundred followers land dream clients—because their content speaks to the right people.

Your follower count is not your value. And it’s definitely not your conversion rate.

The Quiet Watchers Are the Ones Who Hire

Here’s something we’ve noticed in our own business: about 90% of the clients we’ve worked with weren’t following us before they reached out. They weren’t commenting, liking, or replying to Stories. In fact, from the outside, you’d never know they were paying attention at all.

But they were.

They quietly watched, scrolling through our feed, tapping through our Stories, reading the captions. They weren’t showing up in the engagement metrics, but they were absolutely forming an opinion.

And chances are? The same thing is happening on your account, too.

This is why it’s important not to equate “low engagement” with low impact. You’re building trust before people ever interact with your content. And often, the people who turn into clients are the ones who’ve been silently observing, waiting for the right moment to reach out.

What to Focus on Instead

So if follower count isn’t the goal, what is? Think of this as a mindset reset—a checklist for using Instagram like the business tool it really is:

✅ Reaching the right people, not just more people It’s better to have 200 local homeowners paying attention than 20,000 random followers who will never hire you. Focus on attracting the kind of audience that aligns with your services.

✅ Creating content that builds authority and connection Show your process. Share your point of view. Talk about the “why” behind your design choices. These things build trust and position you as a professional, not just a pretty feed.

✅ Treating Instagram as a tool, not a trophy case Your account doesn’t need to be perfectly curated to be effective. It just needs to clearly show who you are, what you do, and how you can help.

✅ Showing up consistently so you're there when they’re ready Remember those quiet watchers? They might not engage now, but when they’re ready to hire someone, you want to be the one they’ve seen showing up, sharing value, and staying visible.

This shift in focus makes Instagram less stressful and a lot more strategic.

You’re Playing the Long Game

If your follower count hasn’t skyrocketed lately, you’re not doing anything wrong. You’re not behind. You’re building something sustainable.

When you stop chasing numbers and start showing up with intention, everything changes. You create content that speaks to your ideal clients, builds trust, and leads to real conversations. That’s the kind of strategy that holds up—even when the algorithm doesn’t.

So keep sharing. Keep showing your process, your perspective, and your personality. You never know who’s quietly watching, waiting for the right moment to reach out.