Search engine optimization is one of those topics most design professionals know they should understand but often don’t have the time, patience or appetite to fully unpack. In the latest episode of the KBB From the Tap podcast, host Chelsie Butler sits down with Maggie Swift, CEO and co-founder of Unframed Digital, to talk candidly about why SEO continues to confuse so many kitchen and bath professionals and why ignoring it is no longer an option.
From the start, Swift challenges some of the most common assumptions surrounding SEO. It’s not just a checklist. It’s not just a handful of keywords. And it’s not a “set it and forget it” tactic. Even teams that actively work on optimizing their websites often feel like they’re flying blind, especially as Google and AI-driven searches continue to evolve.
Why “SEO Doesn’t Work” Is Rarely the Whole Story
Many designers and contractors have tried SEO before and walked away convinced it doesn’t work. Swift doesn’t dismiss that frustration; instead, she hints at the deeper issues that tend to sit beneath those experiences, from mismatched expectations to incomplete strategies. It’s a nuanced discussion that reframes SEO less as a magic switch and more as a long game that rewards intention and consistency. Rather than offering quick fixes, the episode explores why some approaches stall out and how the way SEO is scoped, supported and prioritized can quietly shape results long before rankings ever move.
When Beautiful Design Isn’t Enough to Be Found Online
While stunning portfolio photos remain essential, Swift suggests they may not be pulling as much weight as designers think – both with search engines and with potential clients. She shares stories from the field that illustrate just how significant the upside can be when SEO is done right – without turning the episode into a how-to guide or a sales pitch. The focus stays squarely on mindset: how designers think about marketing, where they choose to invest their time and money and what it really means to compete in a crowded digital landscape.
AI is changing how people search, how results are delivered and how businesses get discovered but not necessarily in the ways many fear. Swift offers reassurance while also making it clear that standing still isn’t a strategy.
For designers who’ve been meaning to “get to SEO someday,” this episode makes a compelling case for why that day might need to come sooner rather than later. To hear the full conversation, listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora and other outlets.
