The Kate Show — Episode 294
SEO Keywords Made Easy
Host: Kate (Socialite Agency)
Date: November 17, 2025
Episode Overview
In this episode of The Kate Show, Kate demystifies SEO and AIO (Artificial Intelligence Optimization) for interior designers, home stagers, professional organizers, and window treatment specialists. With Google and AI search tools evolving rapidly in 2025, Kate focuses on the two crucial steps for attracting ideal clients online: repositioning services for current client fears and optimizing website keywords for organic traffic. This episode is packed with practical strategies, real-world examples, and concise technical advice—even for those who don’t love SEO.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Understanding the New Home Industry Landscape
- Context: 2025 has been turbulent for the home industry, with tariffs, inflation, mortgage rate shifts, and major Google core updates (00:56).
- Key Point: AI search tools (ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity) are now shaping how homeowners find and select service professionals.
2. Emotional Drivers: Why Clients Do (and Don’t) Hire You
- Fear as a Motivator:
"Most of your clients are driven by fear. It's just the truth. In fact, most of humanity is driven by fear."
— Kate, [00:01] - Misaligned Messaging: Failing to meet clients where they are (emotionally or practically) leads to lost proposals and ghosted leads (03:10).
- Convincing vs. Attracting Clients:
"There is no amount of advertising that would make you buy something that you perceived as a risky investment."
— Kate, [05:40] - Focus on making your website “organically magnetic” to humans and AI—not dependent on costly and ineffective ads (06:02).
3. Step One: Reframe Your Services
- Misinterpretation by Clients: Describing services with industry jargon ("project management," "full service") loses clients, as they often believe they can do it themselves (09:15).
- Actionable Reframes:
- For Interior Designers/Project Managers:
- Instead of "Project Management," use "Budget Protection Oversight" or "Stress Coordinator" (10:13).
-
"Who doesn't want that? And that's what a project manager does." — Kate, [11:03]
- For Professional Organizers:
- Reframe “home organizing” as “finance & efficiency prep for downsizers,” “sensory overload minimization for young families,” or “clarity coaching for busy professionals” (11:55).
- For Interior Designers/Project Managers:
- Update Website Messaging: Revise your “How We Work” section to align with new, more urgent service positions (13:19).
4. Step Two: Choosing and Using the Right Keywords
- Local SEO Prioritization: Start with service areas (Chicago example: Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, Hinsdale—choose the top 3–4, not every neighborhood) (14:20).
- Top Services Selection: Choose the actual things clients search for, not industry jargon (15:45).
- Pairing Approach:
- One service + one location per money page (home, about, each service page) (17:02).
- Example:
- Homepage: "Chicago window treatments"
- About: "Drapery workroom, Deerfield"
- Service page: "Window shades, Glen Ellyn"
- Keyword Research: Vet the keyword pairings for genuine search volume and relevance (18:34).
5. On-Page SEO Best Practices
- Where to Place Keywords:
- URL: Example:
website.com/interior-design-gold-coast(19:11) - SEO Title: 50–60 characters, must include keyword pairing (19:35)
- SEO Description: 150–160 characters, including keyword pairing (20:02)
- H1 Heading: Only one per page, contains keyword, appropriate length (20:45)
- H2/H3 Headings: Can have multiples, should also include keyword pairing (21:19)
- Alt Text: At least one image per money page must have keyword pairing (21:50)
- Body Copy: Use the pairing in the first 100 words and a few more times throughout (22:10)
- URL: Example:
- Word Count Advice: At least 500 words per money page, but top ranking sites typically have 3,000 words across home, about, and services—not counting blog posts (22:40).
6. The Impact of AI Search on Your Website
- AI tools draw from content that matches user intent and emotional tone (24:15).
- Emphasis: Positioning, messaging, and keyword clarity now serve both Google and increasingly sophisticated AI search functions.
7. The 5 'Must-Dos' for SEO & AIO Success
[25:02]
- 1. Reframe services to current client mindset.
- 2. Update service descriptions and “How We Work” section.
- 3. Optimize every money page for a single service-location pairing.
- 4. Write at least 500 words per page.
- 5. Stop relying on ads; let your site and sales funnel work naturally.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Fear and Client Motivations:
"Most of your clients are driven by fear... Actually, most of humanity is driven by fear. It's kind of sad, actually."
— Kate, [00:01] - On Service Jargon:
"Avoid jargon like 'full service' or 'project management,' because nobody searches for that. Nobody really understands what that means anyway."
— Kate, [16:20] - On Control:
"You can't control Google. We can't control what the economy does... Control what you can control and leave the rest to God."
— Kate, [31:20] - Encouragement:
"If you guys can check those boxes, you're already ahead of 90% of the home industry."
— Kate, [35:08] - On Not Losing Yourself:
"There is more to life than these businesses that we are running."
— Kate, [36:50]
Timestamps for Major Segments
| Time | Segment / Topic | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:01 | Fear-driven clients and the evolved landscape in 2025 | | 06:02 | Why ads don't solve the real problem—your website must convert | | 09:15 | Reframing your services (project management example) | | 11:55 | Messaging pivots for organizers & other specialties | | 14:20 | Local SEO: Choosing the right locations | | 15:45 | Narrowing services & avoiding jargon in keyword selection | | 17:02 | Pairing service + location for money pages | | 19:11 | Detailed keyword placement (URL, meta, headings, alt text) | | 22:40 | Recommended word counts and the power of top-ranking content | | 24:15 | How AI search is changing content discoverability | | 25:02 | Recap: The five must-dos for SEO/AIO | | 29:03 | Frequently asked questions: keywords, ghosting, repackaging services, more | | 35:08 | Encouragement and closing thoughts | | 36:50 | Life balance reminder and sign-off |
FAQ Highlights & Quick Tips
- How do I find keywords?
- List your top service areas & services; pair one service with one location for each money page; check with tools like SEO Space, Keywords Everywhere, or do competitor analysis ([29:03]).
- How do I get clients if leads are ghosting me?
- Reframe your offer; target more urgent, emotionally relevant problems.
- Do I need to add new services if I’m not booking clients?
- No—repackage and remarket what you already do, instead of piling on more services ([30:50]).
- Can ChatGPT or AI send me clients?
- Not directly, but well-optimized, clear content helps AI recommend your services.
- How do I know if my website is optimized?
- Each money page should target one service/location, have 500+ words, include keywords in SEO title/description/H1/alt text, and clearly explain who you serve and how you help ([33:24]).
Resources & Tools Mentioned
- SEO Space
- Keywords Everywhere
- Competitor Analysis Tools
- Squarespace users: SEO Space as an optimization checker
Closing
Kate wraps with encouragement—and a teaser for the Socialite Agency’s forthcoming marketing app, launching January 2026, designed to make content creation fast, personalized, and easy for home industry pros. She urges listeners to keep marketing simple, messages clear, and to not lose sight of life beyond business ([36:50]).
For more, visit: www.katethesocialite.com