The Three Core Advertising Strategies Every Interior Designer Should Understand
- Alla Yaskovets
- Apr 11
- 7 min read
If you're an interior designer ready to grow your business through online advertising, you’ve probably asked yourself:
“Where should I start — Google Ads? SEO? Instagram / Facebook Ads?”
In this post, I’ll walk you through the three core strategies that work best for interior designers:
Contextual Targeting (Google ads)
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Targeted Social Media Ads (Instagram/Facebook)
Note: I’m not covering blogger collaborations, YouTube, PR or listings on platforms like Houzz — those fall into a different budget category and are less common for most studios. Here, we’re focusing on the core strategies that are realistic and effective for small-to-mid interior design businesses.
Let’s break each one down, so you can make smart decisions — and avoid wasting your budget and time.
1. Contextual Advertising (Google Ads)
What it is:
Contextual advertising shows your ad to people who are already searching for services like “interior designer London” or “luxury kitchen renovation.”This is the most direct way to reach warm — or even hot — leads, meaning people who are already in the mindset to hire a designer.
Why it’s ideal for the high-end segment:
For premium interiors, this is often the most effective strategy. Clients looking for bespoke or luxury design services tend to start with research, and search engines are their first stop. Your ad appears right where they’re looking — above organic results, portals, and competitors.
You're visible to those who already want your service.
You can filter out non-relevant audiences with proper targeting.
It’s highly measurable.
Note: Don’t expect instant magic. The first 1–2 months are often about collecting data. Real results and stable leads typically begin to show from month 3 onwards. A realistic commitment is 6–8 months.
Who this works best for:
Designers targeting premium or high-budget clients.
Studios with a functional, well-designed website.
Those who have a webmaster/developer to adjust landing pages and structure as needed.
What you need to get started:
A strong unique selling proposition (USP) — especially one that speaks to premium values.
A website that is ready for traffic (with fast loading, mobile optimization, clear calls to action).
A skilled PPC specialist or agency who understands your niche and can manage bidding strategies smartly.
How the process goes:
Define your ideal client: city, income level, type of design, etc.
Build a keyword pool (1000+ search phrases), including specific terms like “luxury kitchen designer” or “modern villa interiors.”
Write compelling, expert-level ad copy — note: great copy gets copied, so be ready to evolve it.
Launch campaigns → monitor performance daily → continuously optimize.
Track everything: calls, form submissions, behavior on the site.
Timeline & Expectations:
Setup phase: technically possible in 10 days, but for high-end markets, you should expect up to 3 months of prep (research, creative development, competitor analysis, landing pages).
Initial leads: may appear in the first month, but volume and quality improve significantly in months 3–4.
Optimisation: most campaigns reach stable ROI after 2–3 months of testing and adjusting.
Budget Breakdown:
Setup & campaign creation: starting from £5k
Ad spend for premium segment: starting from £3k monthly, often more depending on the city
Big cities = higher competition: you’re not just competing with other designers — but also with:
Construction firms
Platforms like Houzz (promoting their designers)
Large kitchen and interior showrooms with aggressive launch budgets
The cost per click is depend on location, in small cities it is lower, which means more clicks and more leads for the same budget.
Summary:
If you offer premium or bespoke design services, contextual advertising is the #1 strategy to consider. It puts your business in front of the right eyes — at the right moment — when potential clients are ready to make a decision.
But remember: great traffic is only half the battle. Make sure your website, offer, and team are ready to convert interest into contracts.
2. SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)
What it is:
SEO helps your website appear at the top of Google search results organically — without paying for each click. Clients find you naturally while searching for services like “modern interior designer” or “home renovation.”
Why I love this strategy:
Honestly, SEO is my personal favourite — especially for premium, high-end interiors. It’s a long game, yes. But once it’s working, it keeps working. You invest in the beginning, and then for the next 2–3 years, you might not have to do anything at all — and still get warm, high-intent leads.
It builds your online reputation.
It brings clients who are already searching.
It gives you long-term visibility with no per-click cost.
It works 24/7, while you sleep or design.
Note: Don’t expect overnight magic with SEO. It’s a long-term strategy that takes time to build. The first months (3–6) are often about setting things up and building trust with Google. Real, steady results usually start to show from month 6. For the best outcome, think of SEO as a 12 month commitment.
But the payoff? Huge. Once it’s working, it keeps working.
Who it’s for:
Designers who think long-term, not “quick fix.”
Those who already have (or are building) a solid website.
Especially good if you love writing and blogging.
What you need:
A professional website (ideally not on WIX — sorry).
Strong content: blog posts, detailed case studies, portfolio pages.
A skilled SEO expert who understands both the technical side and your creative niche.
How the process works:
Start with a full SEO audit + look at what competitors are doing.
Create a strategy.
Build a semantic core (at least thousands of keywords people search for).
Optimise your current pages: fix titles, structure, speed, tags.
Create texts for all pages using key words.
Create useful content regularly — tips, stories, “before/after” posts.
Build backlinks to raise your site's credibility.
Timeline:
First results: 3–6 months.
Stable, ongoing traffic: 6–12 months and beyond.
Peak ROI: From month 12, many websites can “coast” on what’s been done — without constant effort.
Budget:
Initial setup & audit: from £500 to £1,200 — includes technical audits, keyword research, and competitor analysis.
Ongoing monthly support: starts from £1,000+, depending on the size of your site, your goals, and how competitive your niche is.
Copywriting: this can vary a lot. If you write the blog posts and case studies yourself, you save money — but it takes time. If you hire a professional SEO copywriter (especially someone with experience in interiors or architecture), expect to pay from £100 to £300 per article or page.
Summary:
You’ll need upfront investment, but once SEO is set up, it can bring in leads for years with minimal extra cost — making it one of the most powerful tools for growing a high-end interior design brand.
3. Targeted Social Media Ads (Instagram / Facebook)
What it is:
These are ads shown to people based on their interests, behaviour, and location. Imagine a carousel titled “10 Interior Design Mistakes to Avoid” showing up right in the feed of someone who’s just bought a flat and has been saving renovation ideas on Pinterest.
I honestly love this strategy. You can get leads fast, even without a website. If you’ve got a good lead magnet (something free in exchange for an email or phone— like a checklist or article), you can start collecting potential clients within days.
Why it works:
Instagram is the best platform for interior designers to show their work
You can work with difference audiences
People love to get something for free in exchange for contacts (free consultation, budget calculator, checklists, ideas).
Note: This strategy works best for studios with a proactive sales team — someone who’s ready to call, message, follow up, and stay in touch. Without that, you risk losing good leads simply because no one got back to them fast enough.
Who it’s for:
Designers who are active on Instagram and enjoy interacting online
Perfect for designers with tight budgets who need to get clients quickly — you can launch a campaign and start getting leads almost immediately.
What you need:
A business Instagram account with at least some content: posts, highlights, reels.
Ideally website with landing and "thank you" page connected to google analytics.
A good understanding of your audience — what they want, what they struggle with, and what they dream of.
A lead magnet (free checklist, free consultations).
How the process works:
Define your audience — not just age and gender, but real detail:
Who are they? (First-time homeowners, young professionals, mums returning to work, etc.)
What’s their job?
Where did they get the property (new-build? inherited? fist mortgage?)
What do they value in interiors? (Minimalist, traditional, sustainable, luxe?)
Choose a strong lead magnet — something that makes them go: “Oh, I need this.”(e.g. “10 layout ideas for small flats” or “Top 5 renovation mistakes”)
Create powerful visuals and ad copy with a clear CTA (call to action)
Launch the campaign → Monitor it → Test different creatives, headlines, audiences.
Work with your leads — reply fast, DM them, send follow-up content. People forget quickly!
Timeline:
Setup: around 10 days
First leads: within 1 week
Budget:
Setup: starts from £500 (depends on whether you’re using a lead form, custom landing page, or website)
Creatives (visual and textual components of ads): depends on how many visuals/videos you need
Ad spend: from £200/month
Cost per lead: lower than Google Ads — but leads are colder and need more time + follow-up to convert
Risks and Things to Know:
These are cold leads. You're interrupting someone’s scroll, not catching them when they’re searching for a designer.
People will click, fill in your form, and then forget. If you don’t have a sales process or someone to follow up quickly — don’t do this. You’ll waste your money.
You need to be ready to chase, call, and stay in touch.
You won’t know the real conversion rate until about 2–3 months in.
If you're in the premium market and want luxury clients — this can be painful. Cold traffic and luxury design don’t always mix well. But it is possible.
For the mid-market, this tool is amazing. You can warm up an audience, test offers, and quickly build a pipeline — even without a fancy website.
So... Which Strategy Should You Choose?
My Advice
If you're focusing on high-end projects, I truly believe in Google ads and SEO are your foundation.
Start with google ads if you need leads fast and have a strong website.
Invest in SEO early — it’s your future capital. It takes time, but it pays you back for years, even if you pause spending.
Add targeting once you want to test offers, build visibility, or create an emotional connection with your audience on platforms like Instagram.
And remember: none of this matters if you can’t convert your leads.
Need help choosing your mix?
If you’re not sure where to begin or want clarity for your exact niche — feel free to book a consultation alla@allayaskovets.com
Alla Yaskovets
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