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Blogging: Do People Read Blogs and does your Interior Design Business Need One?

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Yes, and yes.

The fact that you’re reading this confirms it. But some interior designers and firms roll their eyes at the thought of making blogging an integral part of their marketing blueprint. Because some think blogging is dead.

Is blogging really dead though? Keep reading to find out if you should even bother starting a blog for your interior design business.

Blogging is Dead. Why Do People Say That?

Let’s say you’re moving into a new home you purchased from a builder. You got the basic model and the kitchen design is nothing to brag about. So you decide to redesign it to make it fit with your aesthetic. What’s the first thing you do when you want to find out how to redesign your kitchen?

You Google it.

And then?

You click on the suggestions that appear in the search results to get an answer. The search results might include some design inspo, some before and afters, some DIY strategies, some HOW-TOs, etc – you take it all in. What you just did was read a blog. Most likely published by interior design business. You like the content on the website and decide to look up the publisher (a.k.a. the designer). One thing leads to another, you’re now following her on Instagram and down the road scheduling a date for an initial consult.

So where does this notion of blogging is dead come from when there are businesses clearly profiting by having one?

Personal blogs, business blogs, niche blogs, affiliate blogs. There are different types of blogs.

The one most people know of is personal blogs. Where the content is writer-focused.

You don’t read those “What I eat in a day” type blogs anymore. Forget about reading them, where do you even find them? This is what most businesses refer to when they say blogging is dead.

Personal blogging. And they’re right. Personal blogging is dead because people now do a form of personal blogging on Instagram – venting about their day or how many lattes they’ve had. But that doesn’t mean other forms of blogging are.

The number of people reading blogs has not decreased but the way people read blogs has changed.

CONCLUSION >>> Blogging is not dead. It is alive and thriving but is certainly nothing like it used to be.

how to write a blog

Does your Interior Design Business Need Blogging? The Final Verdict.

Here are some blogging stats by RyRob (1-3) and HubSpot (4-6). Let’s do the math.

  1. A whopping 77% of the internet users still read blog posts.
  2. The optimal length for blog posts is anywhere between 2250 to 2500 words.
  3. The average reader spends about 37 seconds reading a blog post.
  4.  33% of blog readers suggest they read blogs to learn something new.
  5. At least 20% of blog readers reason entertainment as a driving force to read blogs.
  6. 12% of blog readers are in it to learn about the latest trends in their job industry.

Do you see a pattern here? A majority of people still read blogs (long-form content). Skim through blogs actually. But only those blogs that are educational, entertaining or help people learn something new are being consumed regularly.

I can go on and on about the benefits of having a blog on your website. Blogs are the easiest way to differentiate yourself from your competitors, blogs generate leads, help you build authority in your niche, etc.

But you need to adjust your blogging strategy to align with what you want to accomplish through your blog.

FINAL VERDICT >>>> Yes, you need a blog for your interior design business but being strategic is key.

Thinking of starting a blog? Jump Start it with These Tips

blogging strategy

Before you come up with a blogging strategy for your interior design business, consider the following tips.

1. Strong Blogging Strategy

According to RyRob, content marketing is 62% cheaper than traditional marketing (magazine ads, editorial features, etc.) and is said to produce 3X more leads than paid search. Naturally, this paved way for too many blogs talking about the same topics.

Writing about what you think is interesting vs what’s interesting to your audience are two different things. Most businesses flock towards creating a blog without evaluating what their audience wants to read and soon realize it was a waste of time. Hence the blogging is dead notion is still prevalent.

What you might not realize is that you need meaningful content that differentiates your interior design business from your competition. As opposed to publishing content that’s regurgitating what others have already done.

For content marketing or blogging to work in your favor, you need to go beyond the “How to improve your home’s curb appeal”, “How to add a splash of color to your neutral family room” and “How to layer rugs” blogs because the truth is, there are way too many low-effort content like this floating around the internet.

Think about the problems your prospective audience is facing where you live. As an interior designer, you’re a local business first. By going above and beyond to find out what’s lacking, you can create a blogging strategy to help solve these problems.

If you’re struggling to come up with one and need expert help, consider hiring a professional copywriter specializing in your niche. Regular and consistent blogging has the power to pull in your dream clients through your content.

2. Make SEO a Priority

Having a catchy blog headline and informative blog content won’t suffice if you want to show up on Google.

Think about this: How many times have you gone beyond the first page of the search results when you Google something? Barely ever, right? You’re not alone. In fact, 95% of searchers never go beyond the first page of Google search results according to RyRob.

So how do you ensure your blog shows up on the first page of Google? By implementing SEO.

Not prioritizing SEO in their marketing strategy is one of the many mistakes interior design businesses make on their websites.

Creating content that solves your ideal client’s problems is the bare minimum. You need to go beyond the basics and provide information that digs into the specifics. This is the only way you can outperform previously ranking blog posts in your niche.

For example, writing a post about “How to redesign your kitchen” may solve your client’s problems but, a “How to redesign kitchen cabinets without painting” takes it a notch up.

Optimize your blogging for local SEO. Your interior design business will grow and benefit a lot from this. How? When someone in your area Googles “best interior designer near me”, your business is mostly likely to show up in the search results.

This guide by Sprout Social is a great place to start if you want to implement local SEO.

3. Think Beyond Lead Generation for your Blog. Showcase your Credibility.

showcase credibility with a blog

If you think about it, a blog’s pu

rpose is beyond “quick lead generation mechanism”. There’s a lot that goes on before you get leads through your blog. Generating leads is a slow process. Here’s what you can do in the meantime:

Consider using your blog as a medium to showcase credibility and expertise in your area. Educate and enlighten your potential customers. This will act as a 24/7 spokesperson for your business.
When starting out, create evergreen content. This will come back to benefit your business in referrals, notoriety and brand awareness.

 

4. Blogging is More Than a Marketing Campaign.

Your blog is not just a marketing campaign, it’s an ever-present part of your marketing strategy. The idea is: it’s always on.

Don’t treat creating content for your blog as just another task on your to-do list. Publishing content that revolves around your product or service only, or worse, publishing content only when you have a new product or service offering coming out, will not benefit you in the long run because you’re shifting gears towards a more writer-focused blog. Which we all know, is dead.

Let customers become familiar with your interior design business through conversational marketing. If you haven’t already, try this marketing trend going forward! Answer questions you are frequently asked by prospects, take them behind the scenes with your process. Keep the tone conversational. This way you’re more approachable.

5. The Top Design Firms do Blogging. So should you.

It’s true. Most sought-after interior designers have a blog section on their website. And they have one for a reason.

Take Kati Curtis, Lauren Liess and Justina Blakeney for example. All three of these interior designers are so different in terms of their style and aesthetic yet so similar with their approach to blogging. It’s for their audience.

Scroll through Kati’s blog, you’ll find content related to interior design only. Lauren Liess on the other hand, goes beyond design to talk about life in general which kind of falls into the personal blogging category but it works for her because she’s an established name and that’s what her audience wants! Sharing redesigns of her own home is how Justina Blakeney connects with her audience.

In conclusion, a blog that speaks to your prospects is key. Solid content strategy, engaging and SEO-focused content is how you get there. Let a professional copywriter take this load off your shoulders so you can do what you’re best at, creating beautiful spaces to live in. Reach out to me here and I’ll make sure your audience is hooked.

Copywriter for interior designers

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