Starting An Interior Design Blog in 2021
Starting an interior design blog in 2021 can be an easy process, but making it a success means that you need put in substantial work to make it profitable for your eDesign business.
There's a couple routes you can go down when it comes to starting an interior design blog: one is the wrong way and one is the right way.
If I had to go back and do it all over again, here's what I'd suggest.
Don't Go With A Free or A "Cheap" Platform
The truth of the matter is that if you're starting an interior design blog to support your business, there's not a good reason to go with a free platform.
It makes it a very hard sell to potential clients that you are serious about business when you're not willing to invest in your own website.
It can be very difficult to move your content to your own paid platform later on when you're ready to grow.
When it comes to "cheap" deals to get your blog started, often times the offer means that you're paying for multiple years and end up spending more than just a few bucks.
To start your blog off on the right foot, you'll need a domain and a paid website platform. Before we get into the website platforms that I recommend, let's touch on your domain (URL) address for your website. Don't spend eons worrying about it. Easiest way to go is to use your name for your website. If you want to get clever with it, check out my post: How To Name Your Interior Design Business
Platforms I Recommend:
Wordpress.org - *Don't go with Wordpress.com - you will not have access to all the bells and whistles or freedom to do anything you'd ever want to do. Going with Wordpress.org means that you will need to purchase hosting for your website (also purchase a domain there, as well) and install the Wordpress platform with a company like Bluehost (Affiliate Link).
With the Wordpress option you have many choices when it comes to building out the design and layout of the website. You can use themes from the Wordpress repository or you can purchase a theme from a site like BluChic. (Affiliate Link)
Squarespace - Going with Squarespace is different path that Wordpress. You can purchase a domain from them, but when you sign up with them, your website is hosted on their platform and included in the price. There's no theme to install (unless you choose to purchase one from another website that you can implement manually on your site).
Hire A Website Designer/ Graphic Designer
Of course, you don't have to do this right away, but if you can find a way to budget for it you will be so happy you did.
You and I both know that you can design a room in the blink of an eye, but when it comes to designing a website - well, that's a whole other ballgame.
Whether it's the ticky tack technical crap that happens to put a wrench in the works or creating a cohesive webflow plan for your website - relying on a person who does website design for a living is a very good investment.
The last thing you want to do is spend months building a website that could end up crashing, or being to slow because there's a lot of things that go on behind the scenes that you won't understand how to fix.
And to add onto the website designer, if they know someone or if they are a graphic designer, having someone come up with a cohesive brand for your business will help you to stand out in the marketplace.
Figure Out What Your Focus Is
Figuring out your niche with a brand new eDesign business isn't easy, but it is important to figure out because this comes back to the content you will create for your blog.
If you're not sure of your niche, you could create content that brings you in the wrong type of clients leaving you wondering why no one is hiring you.
Imagine creating a ton of blog posts about home office design when you really want to be a vacation rental designer. There's a total disconnect and if you're properly optimized your posts for SEO (search engine optimization), you will attracting the wrong prospects to your website. That's a complete waste of time, isn't it?
Create + Follow A Content Calendar
Create a content calendar for your blog. It will help you stay consistent and help you hold yourself accountable when it comes to publishing content on a regular basis.
You should have topics that you want to talk about and within those topics, you'll have lists of ideas for your content that you'll set up to publish.
The really, really important part to creating this content is to make sure you've done the research before you dive into creating content. You can't skip the SEO research - it's going to be the #1 way to get targeted prospects to your website. It's not hard, you can learn how to do it and without understanding it, you'll struggle to make your blog rank.
You can check out my course, The Content Goldmine, to get your started.
Why Are You Unique?
To cut through the noise means you need to share a different perspective, which you already have as an individual but sometimes finding your voice can be a scary thing.
Don't paint a picture of who you aren't, be you even if someone says it too much. It's the way to stand out.
Picture Your Perfect Client + Create Content For Them
If I was to start a design blog all over, I would have focused on a niche that I truly loved like doing dark, creepy interiors. Instead I followed the trends and essentially became a data entry designer.
One Pottery Barn Special with a dash of Restoration Hardware coming up.
Don't do that. If you love a segment of design or a type of client, focus on them and picture what they would look like. Then write to them, that ONE person. It keeps you focused on your content and connects you emotionally with your prospects.
Create Content Consistently
The content you create needs to be followed. Whether you blog once a week or twice a week, make sure it is something that you can stick to for the long haul.
Devote Time To Your Website Not Social Media
I don't mean for you to ignore social media in its entirety, but know that every post on someone else's platform is usually there for a blink of an eye. People are scrolling and rarely leave those platforms to visit other websites because social media platforms do not want their audience to leave them for you!
Spend more time on your own website. It's a platform you own and one that you need to make resourceful and interesting enough for people to come back to it time and again. Your website will pay your bills. Social media? Reports show that it doesn't consistently pay your bills unless you're consistently a social media problem child.
Lastly...Starting An Interior Design Blog Isn't Easy
But I'll also say that starting an interior design blog isn't impossible. And growing one that grows your eDesign business' income is WHY you want to start a blog in the first place.
It's something that you need to stick with for years. There's no shortcut to success, but there's a proven path there and it takes time. Most people don't see EPIC success in the first couple years.
That's not to say you won't get clients or earn income during the first years, but you need to know that it takes time to get noticed online even when you do everything right.
And if you ignore this advice, success may never happen or if you win the viral lottery, it'll most likely be a short-term victory.
Do the work, reap the rewards.
Hola!👋I'm Alycia. I help eDesigners land dream clients + get profitable with smart online marketing methods. Want in on the only membership group that will help you get organized, get visible AF, and get majorly PROFITABLE? Hell yes, you do. Follow me.
Hola! I'm Alycia Wicker and I help online interior designers grow their business.
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