Boost Your Interior Design Business with Blogging: The Why and How

How Blogging Can Help You Attract More Design Clients

As a designer, you know that in today's world, having an online presence is critical for success. But having a website alone isn't enough to attract potential clients and establish credibility. You need to think about how you are going to drive traffic to your site, engage your audience, and establish yourself as an expert in your field.

One way to do this is through blogging. Blogging can be an incredibly effective tool in boosting your interior design business. In this post, we will explore why blogging is important, what type of content you should be creating, and how to get started with your own blog.

The Importance of Blogging to Attract New Clients

Blogging has been around for a while, but it's more relevant today than ever before. With the rise of social media and increased competition, you need to have a comprehensive digital marketing strategy to stay competitive in the interior design industry.

Blogging is a great way to bring in organic traffic and position yourself as an expert in your field. By providing valuable and educational content, you can establish credibility and trust with potential clients. They will see you as an authority in your field and be more likely to choose you for their next project.

There are three specific ways in which blog articles help attract new visitors to a website:

1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Regularly posting quality blog articles filled with relevant keywords increases the chances of a website ranking higher in search engine results. This improves the site's visibility, which in turn draws in more organic traffic.
2. Social Media Sharing: Engaging, informative, and share-worthy blog posts have the potential to go viral on social media platforms. When users share your articles, it increases your reach and draws new audiences to your site.
3. Establishing Authority: High-quality, well-researched blog articles can position a website as an authority in its field. This reputation can increase the site's credibility, prompting other sites to link back to your content, thereby drawing in more visitors. The more authoritative a website is, the more likely visitors are to trust and choose it for their needs.

As an interior designer, blogging can also attract specific types of clients. By focusing on specific topics related to interior design, you can target potential clients who are interested in those particular areas. For example, writing about sustainable design can attract environmentally-conscious clients, while posts about luxury design can draw in high-end clientele.

Additionally, blogging allows you to showcase your expertise and portfolio. By including photos of past projects and discussing the process behind them, potential clients can see your style and skills firsthand. This gives them a better idea of what they can expect from working with you, making it easier for them to make a decision.

If this isn't enough to convince you that blogging is a powerful marketing tool, let's look at the statistics to prove the validity of blogging for the purpose of gaining more clients.

• A HubSpot survey found that companies who blogged received 55% more website visitors and 67% more leads compared to those who didn't.
• DemandMetric reported that businesses with blogs achieve 126% higher lead growth than non-blogging businesses.
• TechClient noted that having a blog has a direct impact on a company's visibility. Websites with blogs have a 434% higher chance of being ranked highly on search engines. This increased visibility directly translates to attracting more potential clients.
• Content Marketing Institute discovered that 60% of consumers feel engaged/more positive about a company after reading custom content on its blog.

Thus, blogging not only brings traffic but also builds trust and positive relationships with potential clients. These statistics clearly demonstrate how blogging can be a potent tool for client acquisition in the interior design business.

What Type of Content to Create that Attracts and Converts Visitors to Clients

The aim of your blog should be to educate and inspire your audience. It's important to create content that is tailored to your target audience. Consider who you want to attract to your business and what type of content they would find helpful.

For example, you could create posts on how to decorate small spaces, how to choose artwork for your home, or the latest design trends. You could also create 'before and after' posts, showing off your design projects and explaining your thought process. The key is to keep your content engaging and relatable.

When considering topics, ask yourself these three questions:

1. What is the relevance to the business and the audience?
   The blog topics should be closely related to your business and relevant to your audience's interests. If you are in the interior design business, topics like 'DIY home decor ideas', 'latest design trends', or 'how to maximize small living spaces' would be appropriate. Remember, the primary goal is to attract potential clients who are interested in your services.
2. What value are you bringing to the reader?
   People visit blogs primarily to gain knowledge or find solutions to their problems. Thus, it's vital to choose topics that can educate your audience or provide them with value. For instance, a blog post on 'how to choose the right color palette for your home' can teach your readers something new and demonstrate your expertise.
3. What do you want to rank for on search engines?
   This may seem self-centered, but if your audience can't find you through search engines, then you are wasting your time. Start with choosing topics that people are actively searching for online. These are phrases or keywords someone would type into a search bar to find design services. Additionally, using these keywords in your blogs can help increase there visibility on search engines, thus drawing more traffic to your site. Tools like Google Trends, SEMrush, or Moz can help identify popular search terms related to your business.

If you are struggling to brainstorm blog topics, check out “150 Blog Topics Your Audience Will Love to Read.” This is a completely free checklist and organizes blog topics by month to help you plan and develop content seasonally.

How to Get Started Creating Traffic-Worthy Blogs

Starting a blog might seem like a daunting task, but it's easier than you think. Luckily, you now have the help of AI.

First, make sure your website has the capabilities for a blog. If you are using a website builder like Kajabi or Squarespace, a blog is typically built into the system. WordPress is also a good platform for blogging. If you had someone else build your website, just check with them to ensure blogging is available.

Next, consider your blog design. Make it easy to navigate and visually appealing. You can use free or paid templates to create a stunning blog site. Once your blog is up and running, it's time to start creating content.

Now, you will create a content calendar. Start small, maybe 2 to 4 posts per month. Keeping aware of the keywords you want to rank for on search engines, identify your post topics for the next month. Write a quick summary of what you want to cover in the blog. Then, you can use Chat GPT to help you write out the content.

Sticking to a publishing schedule is important. Try working one month ahead of your schedule, that way, you don't get behind and feel overly stressed, missing your deadlines.

Another tip is to schedule a 4-hour block of time on your calendar to just work on blogs. This is called batching. Shut down your email, turn off your ringer, and close your door. Keeping distractions at bay will help you focus and complete your posts in the available time.

Promoting Your Posts Through Social Media to Expand Your Reach to New Clients

Although search engine optimization is key to gaining traffic, it isn't the complete solution for attracting new prospects to your website. Unfortunately, you are competing with many other sites to capture your audience's attention.

Social media is a great tool for sharing your blogs with a variety of people. At Behind the Design, we expect each blog article to produce at least six social posts that can be sprinkled over 6 to 8 weeks. As we develop a blog article, we then brainstorm how the content can be used across all social channels.

For instance, we break down one blog post into 6 to 10 different pins on Pinterest. This is just one social platform. These pins include sections of the article, questions that are answered, quotes, offers, and so forth. Although Pinterest is a social channel, it is actually a search engine above all else.

Using that same blog post, I can create at least 3 video shorts or reels based on the content. I can also create a carousel promoting different aspects of the article.

On LinkedIn, we reuse our blog posts to create articles that are shared across groups. We also reuse these posts for our Behind the Design Newsletter on LinkedIn. Plus, we include blog posts within our own newsletter.

As you can see, the opportunities are endless when it comes to repurposing your blog content.

Your interior design business needs a blog. Blogging is an effective and affordable way to attract potential clients and establish yourself as an industry expert. Make sure you're creating valuable and engaging content tailored to your target audience. Use the tips we've outlined to get started and watch your business thrive.

As an interior designer, you know how important it is to generate leads and build a strong online presence. But let's face it: marketing can be overwhelming and time-consuming.

Managing your website, social media, email campaigns, and content creation on your own can take away valuable time from your clients and the work you love. It's frustrating to see your competitors succeed while you struggle to keep up with marketing.

That's where Behind the Design comes in. We offer tailored marketing services specifically designed for interior designers. From website creation and management to social media and email marketing, our experienced team has got you covered.

With our help, you can focus on what you do best – designing stunning spaces – while we take care of your marketing needs. Say goodbye to stress and hello to a thriving online presence with Behind the Design. Schedule a call to discuss your marketing needs today!