Why Blogging is an Essential Marketing Strategy for an Interior Designer
I may have mentioned before that I have a love/hate relationship with social media. The only reason I am on social media is my work. I can’t say that I enjoy it, and I have never been the person posting pics of my family. One of the worst things about it is the sheer randomness of it. I know there are algorithms, but I can’t muster a lot of interest in gaming it for my life.
I’ve struck with a strategy that I have employed since the very first days of Eclectic Cool, my interior design business and furniture and accessories store in Hong Kong- blogging.
Eclectic Cool started as a design blog. I confess that I didn’t know much about SEO in those days and tended to write about anything I wanted. It wasn’t very strategic. However, it got a ton of traffic in its heyday and positioned me as an expert in design.
As my business grew, I stopped writing regularly, which was a huge mistake. I started getting into Instagram, which has a lot of advantages as follows:
Visibility: Instagram is a visual platform that allows interior designers to showcase their work to a large audience. It's a great way to gain exposure and attract new clients, and it’s free.
Building a following: Interior designers can use Instagram to build a following of fans and potential clients interested in their work. This can be a powerful marketing tool. In the early days, designers could grow their businesses by reposting content.
Portfolio exposure: Some designers can set up their businesses without a website. Did I mention it’s free?
Networking: Instagram allows interior designers to connect with other professionals in their industry, such as suppliers, photographers, and other designers. This can lead to new business opportunities and collaborations that can be fun and lucrative.
Brand Awareness: Instagram allows interior designers to establish their brand and promote their services to a broader audience. They can share their unique style, approach, and values, making them stand out in their field.
However, though effective, Instagram has one big drawback: the content you post on Instagram only lasts for a few days, if not a few hours. You must keep posting new content, creating work and stress.
There is another way of creating content that reaps the rewards for years and drives traffic to your website- not only for a few hours or days but months and years. It’s blogging!
Though blogging may seem like a lot of work, blogs on your website are a great marketing tool. It has many of the same advantages as using social media, but it also has longevity as a bonus.
Here are some of the advantages of blogging for interior designers and how it can be a great marketing and business strategy.
Establishing Expertise: Blogging can help interior designers establish their expertise and showcase their knowledge in their field. The long-form nature of blogging means that the posts have to be more than superficial. This can help potential clients see their level of expertise and build trust in their services.
Building a Community: A blog can help an interior designer build a community of readers and followers interested in interior design. This community can be leveraged to generate leads and promote your services.
Improving SEO: A well-optimized blog can help improve an interior designer's website's search engine ranking, making it easier for potential clients to find their website and services online. This is easier than you think. There are many tools that you can use to help you with this.
Providing Valuable Content: A blog can provide valuable and educational content to readers, making it a resource they will come back to time and time again. You can tell your clients and potential clients about your business, work, and processes. You can display beautiful large images and videos that your readers can access repeatedly.
Building Brand Awareness: One of the biggest advantages is a blog can help an interior designer build brand awareness and promote their services to a broader audience. With a blog, you can reach out to other bloggers, podcasters and media. You can become well-known for a well-written and curated blog.
In my new course, Website in a Weekend, we will cover blogging practices and SEO tips. I’ll give you some ideas for blogging for interior designers that will build your business, establish your expertise and gain more clients.
Hi 👋🏽 I’m Joanne!
I’m an interior designer, educator and business coach. After studying Economics and Education at uni, the design world beckoned, drawing me to Christie’s in London, where I completed post-grad studies in art & design and then to Hong Kong, where I founded Eclectic Cool, a design firm and design store. . Eclectic Cool represented international brands such as Gubi, &tradition, HAY, Armadillo Rugs & Dinosaur Designs to name a few. My work and store have been featured in Monocle, Conde Nast Traveller, Elle Decor, Expat Living, Cathay Pacific inflight magazines, South China Morning Post and the ABC (Australia) network and more. I live on the south coast of Australia on a country property between the beautiful Australian bush and the Pacific Ocean with my husband and cavoodle. I’m the mum of three adult children.
