Last Monday, TDG's Instagram account was hacked and temporarily deleted. Losing access to the Instagram account that our firm has curated and grown to 14,000+ followers was a shock. The positivity and passion we cultivate at TDG, both in the office atmosphere and as a firm in general, was something I was going to rely on as I looked for a solution.
With that in mind, I began to think about the lessons my team would take away from this experience. Almost immediately, we realized that we needed to be better about maintaining the security of our social media so that something like this would never happen again. Most of my employees had access to the Instagram account so that they could post things throughout the day showcasing life at our office. While this behind-the-scenes access is something our followers love, it also means that the login is being passed around throughout the day. Now, going forward, I know that can no longer happen. We have already begun to brainstorm a safer, more sustainable way to keep our Instagram account attainable and representative of our brand: dynamic, inclusive, and dedicated to design.
One of my favorite things about being so active on social media is getting to interact with our followers, made up of TDG clients past and present, colleagues in the interior design space, or just fellow design lovers who want to follow along with our brand. After seeing that our account was down, an amazing contact got in touch and connected me with someone at Facebook who helped us get our account back on track. We have cultivated such an incredible, engaged audience, and this proved that they will have our back at every bump along the road. Thanks to the help of this contact we were able to work with Facebook and Instagram to gain access back to our account.
Above all else, I was so impressed with the way my team handled the ordeal. Each and every one of my employees proved how professional and capable they are as they sprung into action and worked to find a solution. They knew what I know: that The Designers Group is not defined by its social media presence. We are not successful because we have thousands of Instagram followers, or because of the likes, we receive on our posts. We are successful because we are experts in our craft, and we take pride in designing beautiful and innovative spaces. Our designs will stand the test of time, and our presence on Instagram has nothing to do with that. More than that, there is so much more to know about our firm than the beautiful designs posted online, like the way we are invested in giving back to our community. Regardless of the outcome, this would not ruin our company or our brand, or even our day.
We felt lucky that our account wasn’t gone for long and that we were able to view this as a lesson, allowing us to take stock of our security and marvel at the community we created. The Designers Group is better and stronger than ever, and we are just getting started. -Blima