What if visual media could change the urban design industry? What if the main player wasn't a person or a group, but was a university in Nottingham, England? The possibility is more tangible than one might think. Coupled with the school's award winning buildings and sustainable designs, Instagram could be used to market the school's beauty and thus attract designers and future designers worldwide.

Preface: Why it's Important

My previous article on Instagram noted the heightened correlation between visual content and online interaction. As the world becomes smaller in terms of globalisation and connectivity, collaboration becomes a giant need for growing industries.Sustainability is a vital issue for every country.

Intro: How it Works

With content provided, followers will interact depending on discussion titles and content. For example, questions that lead to discussion, trivia points, and the overall grandeur of said visual content: "What eco-materials should we use?"

Step 1: Build a Visual Catalogue

The more beautiful and relevant the content, the more interaction will form. More importantly, the consistency of pictures is a crucial factor to the role you will play on Instagram.

Step 2: Utilise SEO's

SEO's continue to play an increasingly vital role in social media and branding. Utilising the correct SEO's will give the University of Nottingham a reach stretching beyond Instagram.

Step 3: Decide Purpose (Recruitment/Challenges)

A strategy must be formed for the account. Recruiting could be the general purpose, or creating a platform for discussion leading to followers finding more about the school's programme.

Step 3a: Allow Users to Decide Purpose (Forum/Discussion/Collaboration)

The beauty of social media is its flexibility to evolve and change from its initial use. The same can be said about users and their followers. Collaboration can be stimulated by handing the reins over to users to lead discussions.

Step 4: Be Active and Creative

Nottingham University must focus on delivering an experience and offering that engages urban designers and supports learning and discussion.

Once you have nurtured the community, you have essentially developed a platform and forum for urban design. In what other ways could visual media change the landscape of urban design?

Credits: Images and data linked to sources.