The Kate Show – Episode 289

SEO Fixes that Any Interior Designer Can Use

Host: Kate (Socialite Agency)
Date: September 8, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the often misunderstood realm of SEO for interior designers, stagers, organizers, and related professionals. Kate breaks down actionable SEO fixes that can be implemented immediately, clarifies common misconceptions, and outlines the most effective practices and pitfalls. The goal is to empower design professionals to demystify SEO, take control of their website’s visibility, and ultimately generate more qualified leads online.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why SEO is Challenging for Designers

• SEO is often perceived as expensive, mysterious, and unreliable due to historically poor results and lack of transparency.
• Many professionals experience anxiety over rankings and misunderstanding the first-page-of-Google goal.
• Quote:

  “There’s no such thing as just randomly appearing on the first page of Google without having a particular keyword associated with it.” (02:40)

2. Core SEO Fixes for Any Design Website

A. Focusing on “Money Pages”

• Key pages: Home, About, and each Service page—these need special attention for SEO.
• Each page should have at least 300 words, but ideally closer to 500–600 to thoroughly explain offerings without overwhelming the visitor.
• Break up text with design elements like headings, images, and dropdowns to keep it user-friendly.
• Quote:

  “User friendliness is a big part of SEO as well.” (03:30)

B. Keyword Optimization Basics

• Every important page should focus on one keyword or phrase.
• Don’t cram multiple keywords into one page—this can harm rankings.
• H1 heading, SEO title, and SEO description should all use the same keyword/phrase, and it should also be in the first 100 words of body text.
• Use alternative keywords only where it feels natural.

C. Structural Elements for SEO

• Only one H1 heading per page (3–7 words long).
• Multiple H2/H3 headings for skimmability and better readability.
• Internal linking between relevant blog posts and services pages boosts authority.

D. Image Optimization

• Compress images to less than 500kb.
• File names: Use service and location (not business name), e.g., "kitchen-design-chicago.jpg"
• For Squarespace users: Use Metadata Importing to pull info from image file names.
  (How-to steps at 16:32)

E. FAQ Sections

• Add a FAQ section to every service page—helps users and Google, especially with new AI summaries in search.
• FAQs anticipate client questions before they’re asked.

F. Call to Action

• Every page should conclude with a clear CTA (except portfolio/contact pages).

G. Blogging With Purpose

• Blog topics should support your services and backlink to service pages.
• Avoid “fluff content”—focus on posts with real client outcomes and relevant stories.

3. Common SEO Mistakes and Misconceptions

A. Thin Content & Minimal Sites

• Avoid minimal websites or splash/cover pages that require extra clicks.
• Thin content = not enough text, no helpful info, lacking CTAs, or failing to address client pain points.

B. Paid Backlinks

• Never buy backlinks in bulk—Google penalizes this.
• Prioritize organic, relevant links (awards, guest articles, memberships, etc.).
• Quote:

  “If your competitor has a thousand backlinks, but they're from irrelevant places... and you have a hundred... but they're pretty relevant, you’ll likely rank higher because that's just how it works.” (28:20)

C. Domain Authority

• DA is an estimate—not a direct ranking factor. Focus on overall credibility, not the number.
• Relevant backlinks are more valuable than sheer quantity.

D. Ongoing SEO Services

• You don’t need to pay indefinitely for ongoing SEO or keyword monitoring.
• Use your own tools (SEMRush, Accuranker, SEOSpace, etc.) to track rankings if needed.

E. Updates and Maintaining SEO

• Any website updates (new pages or images) need to follow SEO best practices to maintain rankings.
• Unoptimized additions can pull down overall site performance.

4. Evaluating Your SEO & Cost Expectations

A. Cost of Proper SEO

• One-time investment: typically $2,000–$6,000, paid over several months, with a clear deliverable and end date.
• Beware agencies charging ongoing fees without defined goals.

B. When to Start Over with Your Website

• If the cost to fix SEO > cost of a new, SEO-built website, then redoing your site makes sense.

C. How to Know if Your SEO is Working

• Use SEO audit tools—but interpret results with industry context. For example, Google's PageSpeed Insights scores are harsher on template-based sites.
• Track rankings, website traffic, and most importantly, lead sources via Google Analytics and Search Console.

D. The Real Goal: Leads, Not Clients

• SEO draws in leads; your website and sales process convert them to clients.
• Always ask leads how they found you—don’t make assumptions.

Quote:

“The best SEO in the world doesn’t matter if you’re not getting new leads from it.” (43:55)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• "SEO is both an art and a science—and that’s the tough thing." (07:20)
• "Google will pull (FAQ) information to answer users’ questions in search results, especially since they’re now using AI summaries..." (19:10)
• "Don’t pay… to monitor your keywords. You can do it yourself with a paid SEO tool that will cost you far less." (33:50)
• "It does not take forever to optimize a website, nor does a website require constant adjustments." (34:40)
• "SEO is not meant to directly bring you clients. It’s meant to bring people to your site." (46:15)

Timestamps for Key Sections

• SEO for Design Industry – Overview & Importance (00:00–04:30)
• Money Pages & Keyword Focus (04:30–10:00)
• Onpage Best Practices (Headings, Content, Images) (10:00–19:00)
• Using FAQs and Internal Links (19:00–23:30)
• Content Pitfalls: Minimalism, Thin Content (23:30–26:30)
• Backlinks, Domain Authority, and Monitoring (26:30–35:00)
• SEO Costs & New Website Decisions (35:00–40:00)
• How to Measure SEO Success (40:00–47:00)
• Action Steps and Conclusion (47:00–End)

Takeaways

Kate’s episode encourages interior designers and similar professionals to demystify SEO, embrace foundational on-page fixes, and take a measured, no-nonsense approach to visibility online. The focus should be on quality, clarity, and genuine service presentation—supported by mindful keyword use and ongoing tracking for leads. Whether DIY-ing or outsourcing, listeners are now equipped to demand better results and understand exactly what’s needed for strong SEO.