For my interior design friends, I know you’ve got a lot on your plate.
Making spaces look gorgeous? Check. Showing the amazing photos of your work? Check.
Ensuring other people see your work and book you…? Check loading…?
Listen: digital marketing for interior designers should be fun, creative, and lucrative.
Also, you shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to market your business. You’re a creative, I know you want to be doing creative things, not hustling in the marketing realm.
So, I’m not going to compile a list of a gajillion things and throw you to the wolves with your marketing strategy.
As a digital marketer and copywriter myself, here are my concrete recommendations for growing your interior design business online.
First off, you shouldn’t have to do everything and be everywhere to market your interior design business online
Unless you have an unlimited marketing budget and all the time to spare, you have to get choosy about how you market your interior design business.
As with any creative business or service provider, this marketing hack remains true: choosing marketing strategies that you like will be more lucrative than doing what you feel like you have to do.
Like dancing on TikTok? Go right ahead.
Does the thought of joining a virtual networking event make you want to crawl under your (probably gorgeous) covers and hide away? Don’t do that then!
However, as with any business, there is always some trial and error involved.
Plus, digital marketing for interior designers changes over the years. What worked 5 years ago may not be as effective right now. You can expect the ever-evolving digital marketing landscape to change again as marketing evolves.
My advice? Pick 3 of the following ideas, give it the good ol’ college try, and adjust from there.
After all, you probably won’t know what you like until you try it.
(For myself, I really regret waiting so long to hop on Threads because I just could not handle another social media platform, and it’s proven to be my favorite social media platform to date!)
Digital marketing for interior designers
Every digital marketing strategy involves some trial and error, but if you overwhelm yourself, you won’t know what to adjust. Here are some different marketing tactics you can try to grow your interior design business.
1. Create a website that gets eyes on your business and sells for you
Ok, over here at Dark Roast Copy Co., this is obviously going to be my number 1 recommendation for, not just interior designers, but any creative service provider.
Why? Because a website can have a huge ROI for your business.
Building a stunning website that guides potential clients to becoming paying customers is going to make your life sooo much easier. (Converting readers into clients easily? Chu-ching!)
Plus, like many interior designers, local SEO is going to be huge for visibility for your business. If your business can rank for “interior designers” in your area, that’s free leads.
You can learn more about creating a website here, or look at my website copywriting services here, which will do most of the heavy lifting for you.
2. Use blogs to share your work and build up SEO
Blogging is a GREAT way to share your work, and I don’t just mean photos. There are so many reasons to blog, you don’t even know, girlfriend!
If you learn to blog in a way that boosts the SEO visibility of your site, and takes readers along the journey of your brand, you’ll be getting more eyes to your business and fans of your brand.
Plus, many interior designers do well on Pinterest. Linking your Pins to blog posts that share the story of a project or your unique perspective as a designer is going to be much better content than simply linking to pictures or your portfolio page.
Not sure what to blog about? I did your blog strategy for you, with a year’s worth of blog ideas for interior designers. You’re welcome. 😎
Not sure how to write a blog? Here’s a blog post template you can follow.
3. Create a newsletter and collect emails from potential leads
One of the biggest benefits to having a newsletter or email list is staying top of mind for your potential clients.
Because, just because they stalk you one time does not mean they’re ready to buy that day. You might need to build more trust with them for a while – that’s where email comes in.
When you’re emailing your list regularly, or creating a fun, on-brand newsletter, you can keep people engaged with your brand. Giving exclusive content or updates on your work is a great way to build trust with people who are more likely to become paying clients.
Here are some blog posts all about email marketing:
- Here’s how you can create a freebie, so people will have incentive to subscribe
- Here are 15 freebie examples from real business owners
- Here’s how to get people to actually read your newsletter when you send it
- Here are 15 creative ideas you can steal for your newsletter
4. Create a Google My Business account
A must-have for local businesses – Google My Business is how you show up better for local searches.
It doesn’t take long to set up or maintain, and can get you some serious local views on your business.
5. Pitch yourself to publications and magazines
Pitching yourself or your business to online publications or magazines can be a great win-win for both you and the publication.
When you’re looking for publications, try looking for local publications featuring small businesses in your area, design or arts magazines, or even use something like Featured to give quotes to reporters looking for experts in your niche.
(By the way, having a bomb website is going to help you get a lot more “yeses” to your pitches!)
6. Use Instagram (both posts and reels)
I know pretty much all of us have a love-hate relationship with social media these days, but as an interior designer… it would be kind of weird if you had 0 presence on Instagram. Just saying.
Luckily, for a visual business like interior design, this is an ideal platform for you.
Posting content about your work and reels showcasing your designs is, again, free traffic for your business.
Try to think of some fun ways to showcase your work too. Instead of just saying “here’s this project I worked on” you can engage your audience by doing a theme for the month or making posts like “my 5 favorite times I used the color green in my design projects.”
7. Join Threads to post thought leadership content
I’ve got to go to bat for Threads here, because it is my favorite social media platform.
And, if you’re wondering, “ok, but I’m an interior designer, what the heck am I supposed to say on threads,” I’ve got some ideas for you.
1) First off, you can post thought leadership content about your perspective on design. (Even though I hate the term “thought leadership” the concept still applies – sharing your opinion.)
2) You can engage with other people who are posting about design. Show that you know your stuff by replying to threads other people have posted.
3) You can still post images on Threads. You might be filling a niche that hasn’t been reached, since not a lot of interior designers have moved to Threads yet.
4) Post design tips and insights, with caution – if you have a DIY or DWY offer, this would be ideal, but be sure you don’t give away too much of your expertise for free, otherwise you’ll attract an audience of DIYers, and not people with the budget to hire an interior designer.
8. Find relevant Facebook groups
Facebook groups could be a good fit if you find local businesses and design-centered groups that will refer you to potential clients.
If you work with a very specific niche (interior design for working moms or neurodivergent folks) specific Facebook groups could be a good way to get more eyes on your business.
9. Do collaboration posts (both on blogs and social media)
Collaborating with local or complimentary businesses is a great way to grow the visibility of your business.
Both blog posts and social media posts are a great way to collaborate. You can either do a swap (you make a post for them, they make a post for you) or you can go in on one piece of content.
Look for complimentary businesses to post with, such as local architects, paint brands, or other home-improvement businesses.
10. Paid ads for Google or Instagram
I think people sometimes act like paid ads are cheating when it comes to digital marketing, but they totally aren’t. Paid ads are a way to shorten the timeframe it takes to get in front of more people who are a good fit for your services.
When you have a good paid ad campaign, your business can be seen by more people who are a good fit for your design services.
11. Pitch podcasts to guest speak on
(Yet another reason to have a good website – people will want you on their podcast!)
Getting on podcasts is a great way to get in front of a built-in audience. Especially if the host has done a good job at engaging their audience and setting their guests up for success.
Look for podcasts that will have the kind of audience you want to attract: people who have the budget, see the benefit, and are engaged enough to reach out to the designer they hear on a podcast.
When you’re speaking on the podcast, be sure you share why you’re the real deal, give your perspective, but, again, be conscious not to attract the DIYers (unless that’s what you want.)
(BTW, I’ve found some great guest speaking gigs on podcasts through Threads! Yet another reason to get on Threads – you can find some great podcasting gigs.)
12. Start leveraging Pinterest
As we said, you should be creating blogs to nurture your audience, share your work, and boost your SEO visibility.
But Pinterest is another no-brainer for interior designers because it’s such a visible platform, and your Pins can have a long shelf life (we’re talking years, not months.)
Getting into a habit of positing a couple Pins a week can have a big impact on your business in the long run.
13. Don’t forget Houzz
Oh yes, don’t forget Houzz!
Houzz is basically the Angie’s List of home improvement businesses.
Optimizing your Houzz profile for your business is a no-brainer way to attract ideal clients to your business – don’t skip this one!
(And if you’re wondering how I know all about Houzz and these other ideas for digital marketing for interior designers? It’s because I actually have a color consulting certification and I used to work in the home improvement industry ✌️)
So, consider me the go-to digital marketer and copywriter for interior designers, baby. I’ve got the inside scoop and I know what it’s like out there.
I won’t lie to you: creating a knock-out website is going to make marketing your interior design business a lot easier
You’ve probably noticed a theme here – having an amazing website is going to make digital marketing for your interior design business so. much. easier.
And honestly? Most interior designers do not have great websites.
They might have beautiful websites, but a pretty website doesn’t mean a high-converting website.
If you want a website that sells for you (and attracts all those other opportunities you’d love for your business, like podcast interviews, magazine features, and partnerships) I can help you create a website that elevates your marketing.
Check out my website copywriting services here to see how we can work together.
Would you rather I do a quick overview of your website so you can get some actionable feedback? When you book a Website Roast with me, I’ll audit your copy so you can make changes and start booking more clients.
Questions on marketing your interior design business? Send me a DM on Instagram or shoot me an email at delaney@darkroastcopy.co.
