5 Things You Need to Do Before You Start Your Blog

So, you're an interior designer and you're ready to level up. You want to increase your bottom line, get a larger client base and be taken seriously in the design world. 

You may be thinking, "Aha! I need a blog!"

And while that is correct (blogs are AMAZING for increasing your SEO over time and helping you rank higher and higher on Google - check out our blog HERE for all the details), it's crucial that you get a few things in line first.

That's right - as a blogger, I'm telling you to PAUSE. Don't write a single post. Don't hire me yet. Don't even make a list of topics you'd love to write about.

Because before any of that can take place, you absolutely need to have a foundation to build upon.

Here's the deal - you can technically start a blog right now. And that blog will technically add SEO to your website. But if it's just a blog with no branding foundation to stand on, does it really matter? How are you actually going to set yourself apart from the competition?

Blogging with a solid brand identity not only makes writing easier, but it also strengthens your business, allowing you to be clear about who you are, what your values are, the type of clientele you want to work with, and the process by which you design. 

Here are the five things you need to have in place before you start that blog...

1. Your Brand Identity - Brand identity is everything. It's the basis for your visual brand design (think logos, fonts, color palettes, and style guides). Perhaps more importantly, though, it's how you portray yourself and your work to potential clients. It matters. Big time. If you are at all uncertain about your brand identity and what it is you stand for, then this step is crucial to complete first. Think of it this way: Your brand identity is essentially your elevator speech. You should be able to succinctly describe to anyone who you are as a designer, what your brand stands for (both ethically and aesthetically), and the types of clients you work with. Every brand is different, but not everyone knows how to verbalize that differentiation. 
2. A Solid Website Design - Getting a website up and running is fairly simple. Honestly, anyone with an email and basic know-how to Google can figure out how to set one up. But let's be real - you know the difference between a good website and a terrible website. Some interior designers are so established that they can get away with a website that hasn't been updated since 1998. But most people don't have that kind of name recognition right from the start. That's why you absolutely have to keep up with current website trends in order to be competitive. You want your website to showcase your brand in a way that is true to you, but you also need it to be visually appealing, easy to read and navigate, and filed with all of the basic SEO elements that help your site rank on Google. If this is not your strong suit (and for most of us, it isn't, and that's okay!), I promise it is worth every penny to hire a web designer. You want a website you can be proud of.
3. Strategic Website Copy - Alongside your website design is a must have: strategic website copy. And before you think you can just push this one to the side or save money doing it yourself, think again. Website copy can make or break your ranking capabilities and it can dictate the types of clients that send you inquiries. This, like your web design, is based in your brand identity, and without it, there's virtually no point in starting a blog. Because while you can certainly blog about whatever you like, if you want to be strategic about it and increase your SEO in a way that actually has an effect on your site's traffic and potential clientele, you absolutely need your website copy and blogging to go hand in hand. They both need to communicate your strengths as an interior designer so that the right clients land in your lap. (P.S. If you need website copy, I have an amazing writer for you! Contact me and I can put you in touch!)
4. Professional Portfolio Photos - This one should be a no-brainer, but you would be surprised at how many interior designers mess this one up. I beg of you: please, please, please, please please do NOT use iPhone shots on your website. You are an interior designer. This means you need to showcase your work in the best light possible. It might seem expensive (especially if you're a fairly new business), but it is non-negotiable. You HAVE to invest in professional portfolio photos. Not only do you need them to better showcase your work on your beautiful new website, but also, if you want to start a blog, you will absolutely need them for future content. Unless you intend to take the time to get copyright permission from other designers and photographers for every single post, it's best to use only your own work to highlight your expertise and talent.
5. A Social Media Presence - Now, when I say "social media presence," I don't mean you have to be an influencer with loads of ad sponsorships and millions of followers. You simply need to have a solid profile in place (even if you haven't posted for a year or only have a few posts on your feed). Having social media (usually Instagram for the interior design world) allows you to increase the potential for exposure to new clients, and beyond that, it gives you a second platform to push out your blogs to the world. Not everyone will find you from Google, but I guarantee that if you use both your website's blog and your social media in tandem, it will do wonders for your followers, traffic, and bottom line.

So, what are you waiting for? Go out there and knock out that list! The sooner you can get that blog up and running, the higher you will rank. Let's get those client leads flowing!