It likely comes as no surprise to learn that interior design content has never been more accessible to the mass public. There are several television channels (think: HGTV, DIY, or Magnolia Network) that produce industry-related content, not to mention the millions of blogs and social media posts that utilize various forms of content to market their brands and services.
Interior design is a highly competitive industry and today’s consumers are smart. In order to see increased reach and sustained growth, you need to stand out from the crowd. That’s where content marketing comes in.
Content marketing for interior designers is essential for both sharing your brand vision and showcasing your talents. The verbal and visual content you put out there shapes the tone of your brand and therefore, should be as emotive, personal, and aesthetically pleasing as your designs.
Not sure where to begin? In this article we’ll cover the fundamentals of interior design content marketing and how that relates to your brand, including:
- How Content Marketing Works
- Why Content Marketing is Important
- Types of Content Marketing
- Content Marketing Examples
- How To Get Started on Content Marketing
How Content Marketing Works
Content marketing, at its most fundamental level, is the practice of telling a story that inspires an audience. That story can be told through videos, animations, blogs, social media posts, or digital mood boards.
It’s important to first set your target audience and understand where they spend their time.Quote:
The Experts
Think about it like this: prior to the internet, interior designers relied on sketches, swatches, color palettes, and portfolios to communicate their work and vision. Content marketing in the current landscape is merely an extension of this practice but with the potential to reach a much wider audience.
When using content the right way, this method opens up the opportunities for connecting with current and potential clients on a more personal level. However, it’s important to note that you don’t necessarily need to create content in every different medium on every platform available.
It’s important to first set your target audience and understand where they spend their time. Luxury interior designers for instance, might not see lots of return on creating TikTok videos whereas Facebook posts or guest blog posts might better suit your target demographic.
Why Interior Designers Should Use Content Marketing
Content marketing is a key element in both promoting your company and establishing brand awareness. While it requires expert planning and slightly time-consuming execution, the benefit is that to potential customers, this kind of marketing doesn’t come off as aggressive.
Instead, when done correctly, content marketing creates a means of building trust with your audience. It gives you the space and time to showcase your credibility, your strengths, the tone of your brand, and your expertise before ever trying to sell. In this sense, it becomes a much more authentic means of connecting and communicating with your target audience.
In fact, studies have shown that companies which deploy content marketing strategies can generate 8x more traffic than businesses that don’t.
Types of Interior Design Content Marketing
#1 - Search Engine Optimization
When it comes to understanding Search Engine Optimization (SEO), many people mistakenly think it means simply tossing a few Google-friendly keywords onto a page. Even worse, throwing out numerous keywords (also known as keyword stuffing) at the bottom of each webpage.
These types of practices are more likely to penalize your website. Truly effective SEO is much more nuanced. Since algorithms are always changing, SEO is an ever-evolving practice.
While SEO content should be flexible, it’s important that you add search engine friendly copy on your site’s cornerstone pages and blog posts in order to improve your organic search rankings.
Finding the right keywords is where things can get tricky. With keyword research, we can identify which search terms people are using to find interior designers, how often they are using those search terms, and how difficult it will be to rank for those terms.
However, in order to see genuine reach you need to have a defined target audience and niche. For example, rather than using a keyword like “best interior designers” it will be much more effective to use a keyword like “luxury interior designers in [location].”
#2 - Videos
Similar to SEO, video-based content can help you achieve higher organic rankings. The benefit to videos is that they can work well through both traditional search engines like Google, but also through video search engines like YouTube.
Videos are also quickly becoming the go-to medium for content. Many social media platforms, especially Instagram, are prioritizing video content via Reels, IGTV, and Instagram stories. The benefit to this, as an example, is that now the content you create for YouTube can be repurposed for social media and your website.
#3 - Copywriting
Copywriting is an essential element to both building and marketing your brand. Sure anyone can put a few words down on a page, but the art of copywriting combines the ability to generate traffic with the power of creating an emotional connection with your customers.
Good copy serves multiple purposes. It supports your SEO strategy, encourages sales, inspires calls to action, and establishes your social media presence. It also helps cement your brand identity, highlights your strengths, and tells your unique story.
You can utilize this type of content through things like blogs, product and service descriptions, email newsletters, and social media posts and campaigns.
#4 - Testimonials
While it’s important to manage customer reviews on places like Yelp or Google, you should never let third party platforms completely dictate your reputation. It’s important to create content, whether written or in videos, that showcases your customer satisfaction.
Having positive reviews helps establish your company while lending credibility and boosting your local reputation. A great way to do this is by creating a dedicated section of your homepage to quotes from customer reviews. Another effective method is to showcase your work via images or video tours accompanied by the customer’s review.
Thankfully, getting testimonials is arguably one of the easiest content marketing strategies. Pinpoint clients you’ve had good experiences with and send them a personalized email, letter (or give them a call!) and ask that they leave a review on third party websites and provide a brief testimonial for your company's site.
#5 - E-books
Though ebooks and digital guides may take some time to compile, create, and deliver, they can be an incredibly valuable way of proving your worth to potential clients. It’s best to save creating this type of content until you’re slightly more established and already have a dedicated audience, no matter the size.
The purpose of these online guides is not about selling your services but utilizing your experience, ideas, and solutions which in turn, showcases your talents and skills to potential customers. You can make these as specific or broad as you want but remember specificity within your niche will typically have a better chance of performing well.
Consider your target audience and identify what they’re interested in, for example is it a younger audience that’s looking for interior design help in rental spaces or a more family-oriented clientele looking to maximize their home’s functionality?
Interior Design Content Examples
- Before and after stories, images, and videos
- Images or videos of your work with context for each project
- Lighthearted stories about your brand and team
- Email marketing
- Blogs with helpful tips and creative ideas
- Behind the scenes of what inspired certain designs
- Social media posts that drive visitors to your website
- Segmented Pinterest boards
- Videos tours of recent projects
How To Get Started: Interior Design Content Marketing
Phew. We understand this can be a lot of information to take in, especially if content marketing isn’t your primary focus or profession. It can be overwhelming to get started when you’re unfamiliar with the best marketing approach to take.
Depending on the type of interior design company in question, not all these content types may be the right fit for you and all of them will need to be tailored to your specific company and location. That’s why it’s helpful to find a knowledgeable partner to take marketing your interior design brand off your to-do list.
Hiring a professional content marketing agency is a smart way to create a plan of action that suits your goals, desires, and most importantly, your budget. Plus, their expert know-how and software will likely produce ideas you never even thought of.
An ideal content marketing partner will provide all the services you need to market your interior design company, including:
- Content strategy
- Social media strategy and execution
- Generating content ideas
- Copywriting and editing
- Graphic design
- Video production and animation
- Professional graphic design and video editing
- Analytics that report the best ROI from your content
- Website design and management
Ready for someone to tackle your content marketing needs. We’re happy to take it from here. Contact us today for a free consultation and see how we can take your brand to the next level. Plus, sign up for more interior design marketing resources with our email newsletter.