How Interior Designers Can Get Recommended by AI and LLMs

By Jennifer Leavens
AI

The New Search Engine is Here, and It’s Not Google.

Summary: Interior designers can get recommended by AI and LLMs by:

Addressing user search intent.
Creating structured content.
Building authority with verified profiles, brand mentions, and 3rd party reviews.
Share high-value, branded content that demonstrates expertise.

What’s Happening: Search is Moving to AI

More often than not, someone looking for an interior designer in your city will go to Google and type in something like “Interior designer near me.” The result is a list of paid and organic websites that meet the search keywords.

However, many potential clients are posing their queries to an AI assistant directly. In fact, it’s more and more often that Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity are the first stop for people looking for services, ideas, and recommendations.

And here’s the big shift! LLMs do not return a list of all the results that match the keywords in the query. They choose a handful of businesses (and sometimes just one!) that they believe are the best match.

You are invisible to an LLM if you aren’t seen as the best match.

What Makes a Best Match for AI and LLMs?

The short answer is deep topical coverage. It’s not about exactly matching keywords anymore. AI and LLMs mention brands that fill topical gaps and prove their authority on the topic.

Why This Matters for Interior Designers

Mentions by LLMs and AI result in:

Higher quality leads. People asking an AI for a recommendation are usually ready to hire.
Less competition per search. You’re not fighting hundreds of listings for attention.
Positioning as the expert. If the AI calls you “the best,” that’s instant authority.

This isn’t just another marketing channel; it’s a shortcut to being the first choice.

How LLMs Decide Which Interior Designers to Recommend

LLMs learn and refine their answers based on the information they can find about your business across the web. If you want to show up, you need to make it easy for them to see you as the go-to expert in your market.

They pull from courses like:

Your optimized website. Your ideal client (and LLMs) need to know what you do and where you are.
Consistent, clear branding. A cohesive message across your website, social media, and business profiles
Structured, high-value content. Articles, guides, and project pages that demonstrate your expertise.
Verified business profiles & high-authority brand mentions. Profiles on Google Business, Houzz, LinkedIn, industry directories, plus credible media mentions, features, and awards.

The Opportunity for Interior Designers to Get Recommended by AI and LLMs

The shift to AI-driven search is still early, which means there is plenty of time to be one of the first in your market to fully optimize for LLMs. If you start now, you can lock in your position as the local expert that AI tools recommend.

We’ve created a four-part guide that walks you through exactly how to make that happen:

SEO-optimized pages that address user search intent. How to create pages that match exactly what your ideal client (and LLMs) are looking for.
Structured content for LLMs. How to format your content so AI can easily understand and recommend you.
Build authority with verified profiles, brand mentions, and 3rd-party reviews. Why credibility signals matter more than ever.
High-value content that demonstrates expertise. How to position yourself as the obvious choice for AI and human searches alike.

Final Takeaway

The way people discover interior designers is changing. AI-powered search is here, and it’s already influencing client decisions. If you want to be the name that ChatGPT, Clause, Perplexity, or Gemini recommends, the time to act is now.

This isn’t about chasing trends; it’s about owning your space in the next era of online discovery.

Need help creating content that gets found by AI and LLMs?

Getting discovered by LLMs isn’t luck; it’s strategy. At Wingnut Social, we specialize in helping interior designers position themselves as the top choice for AI recommendations. From crafting SEO-optimized content to building the authority signals LLMs trust, we create a complete visibility strategy so your name is the one AI tools recommend first. Ready to future-proof your marketing and lead the next wave of client discovery? Let’s make it happen.

FAQ about how interior designers can get discovered by LLMs

Q1: What are Large Language Models (LLMs)?
LLMs, such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, are advanced AI tools that provide direct answers and recommendations instead of long lists of search results. They’re changing how clients discover interior designers online.

Q2: Why do LLMs matter for interior designers?
When someone asks an AI tool, “Who’s the best interior designer in [city]?”, the LLM chooses who to recommend. That means your visibility depends on how well your business is optimized for AI discovery.

Q3: How can interior designers get recommended by LLMs?
LLMs look at SEO-optimized websites, consistent branding, structured content, verified business profiles, reviews, and credible mentions across the web. The stronger these signals, the more likely AI will recommend you.

Q4: What’s the difference between SEO for Google and optimization for LLMs?
Google search shows a list of results, while LLMs choose the best fit. Traditional SEO (keywords, backlinks) still matters, but AI also requires structured content, expertise signals, and verified authority.

Q5: Can Wingnut Social help my interior design business show up in AI search?
Yes! Wingnut Social specializes in helping interior designers build SEO + LLM strategies that improve online visibility, establish expertise, and increase the chances of being recommended by AI tools.