Business, Blogging
Lauren Hooker
40 Ways to Use Adobe Illustrator to Improve ...

Adobe Illustrator is my go-to software for anything and everything design-related. It's the one program I truly couldn't work without.

And while it's easy to assume that the program's primary focus is illustration based on the name, there is so much more to this design software. 

With tools for type, color, photo cropping, image tracing, drawing, and much more, it has innumerable benefits for bloggers and business owners, alike.

To get your creative gears turning, here's a look at 40 ways Adobe Illustrator can take your blog and/or business to the next level.

40 Ways to Use Adobe Illustrator to Improve Your Blog and Business
Blogging, Business, Branding, Design
Lauren Hooker
How to Create Eye-Catching Blog Post Graphics

First impressions are crucial, especially in business.

Potential customers and clients make judgments about your business within the first few seconds of coming into contact with it, whether it’s through your website, your social media accounts, or a simple blog post graphic.

And those initial thoughts - whether they’re spot on or far off from what you want them to be - are within your control. You have the opportunity to make a killer first impression through high-quality, branded visuals.

If your blog is a large part of your business or you’re hoping to drive more traffic back to your site through your blog, you have to have eye-catching blog graphics to not only generate a positive first impression, but to encourage readers to share your posts on sites like Pinterest and be seen by an even wider audience.

So how do you create eye-catching blog post graphics? And better yet, how can you set them apart so they’ll stand out from the rest and be recognized time and time again?

How to Create Eye-Catching Blog Post Graphics
Business, Visual Marketing
Lauren Hooker
40 Easy, Engaging Video Content Ideas for Your ...

“When I discovered YouTube, I didn’t work for 5 days.” - Michael Scott

Video platforms like YouTube (and more recently, Periscope) are easily the world’s greatest time-wasters. We’ve all been guilty of losing track of time on YouTube at least once, because videos are easily consumable, very addicting, and highly entertaining.

As a matter of fact, studies show that a whopping 78% of us watch videos online every week and 55% watch videos online every day.

Which is why Youtube is also the world’s greatest overnight-success-maker. If you’re on the production-side of a video and you’ve come up with a clever idea, you might just have a viral hit on your hands.

Video holds a lot of potential for interaction, engagement, and shares for creative businesses. And for that reason, it’s one of the best visual marketing tools you can use.

But it producing videos can be a little overwhelming, can’t it? Even with helpful video tools out there like Animoto, many of us struggle to come up with simple ideas for video content that would appeal to our audience. 

And that’s where this post comes in. I’ve rounded up 40 easy, engaging video content ideas to help get your creative gears turning. My hope is that you’ll find a few ideas to implement and as a result, bring your business more exposure.

40 Easy, Engaging Video Content Ideas for Your Creative Business
Business, Visual Marketing
Lauren Hooker
Why You Should Be Using Infographics for Your ...

If you’re looking for a good way to kill at least an hour of your time, type in the word “infographic” in the Pinterest search bar.

Thousands of clever graphics will pop up on everything from “how to make a salad taste awesome” to a baby’s first year in a review. There’s even an infographic that answers the pressing question, “Is your dog sleeping a little too much?”

Then, after you’ve admired the genius creativity behind them, take a gander at how many repins and likes each of those infographics receives. Thousands upon thousands.

In fact, infographic volumes have increased by over 800% in 2 years. Publishers who use infographics grow in traffic an average of 12% more than those who don’t. 

What is it about infographics that makes them so appealing? And better yet, how can you come up with some clever infographics for your business so it gains more exposure through likes and shares?

I have all the answers for you in this post.

Why You Should Be Using Infographics for Your Business (And How to Create Them)
Blogging
Lauren Hooker
How to Create Catchy Headlines

Is your headline the first thing you consider when you sit down to write a post?

Probably not, but creating a catchy blog post title is one of the most important aspects of each blog post. It's the gateway to your content; it convinces people to click or scroll right past your latest post'. 

In fact, studies show that 8 out of 10 people will read your headline but only 2 out of 10 will read your entire post. 

Here are a few pointers for drawing in potential readers and a couple "templates" to help you create a catchy headline for your upcoming posts. 

How to Create Catchy Headlines

Mar 2016

5 Tips for Improving Client Communication

5 Tips for Improving Client Communication

Whenever another designer reads or hears about my 2-week design process, one question inevitably pops up.

How do you get your clients to finish their homework or provide feedback in time?

It all boils down to communication. 

Poor communication can ruin client timelines, client relationships, and the overall client experience. But great communication keeps your process running like a well-oiled machine and keeps everyone happy.

And this is true for any service-based business; not just graphic designers.

So today I’m not only going into more detail on how I get my clients to return their homework in time; I’m sharing 5 helpful tips for how you can improve your client communication on all fronts. 

Why Instagram’s New Changes Don’t Scare Me (And Shouldn’t Scare You)

Why Instagram’s New Changes Don’t Scare Me (And Shouldn’t Scare You)

Instagram seems to be the social media platform of choice for creative business owners. 

It’s visual, business accounts easily blend in with personal accounts, and - unlike Facebook - posts show up in chronological order.

Well, they used to show up in chronological order. 

On March 15th, Instagram announced that posts would “soon be ordered to show the moments we believe you will care about the most.” 

In other words, they’re following Facebook’s footsteps and displaying posts in your feed according to engagement. Posts will no longer appear in chronological order. Business owners aren’t guaranteed that their posts will appear in the feeds of their followers. 

So it’s no surprise that this recent announcement has caused widespread panic in the creative community. 

However, I saw this one coming. I predicted it would happen several months ago in this post. 

While these recent changes might change the way we approach our Instagram marketing strategies, they shouldn’t be causing business owners to freak out. 

Here’s why they don’t scare me (and certainly shouldn’t scare you).

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Why Every Creative Entrepreneur Should Learn How to Use Adobe Illustrator

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Why Every Creative Entrepreneur Should Learn How to Use Adobe Illustrator

When I started Elle & Company a little over 2 years ago, design needs started popping up everywhere. From my logo and website to business cards and blog post graphics, I constantly needed to create strong visuals. 

But I was never in a bind because I knew how to use Adobe Illustrator. 

Every time I had a design need I’d simply pull up the program, set up the dimensions, design a one-of-a-kind graphic, and in a matter of minutes I had exactly what I needed.

However, I quickly learned that designing graphics was a much bigger headache for the photographers, event planners, bloggers, and other creative entrepreneurs in the industry.

They didn’t know where to turn for custom graphics that matched the style of their brand. They couldn’t afford to hire a designer each time a design need came up. 

Maybe you’re in the same boat. You may not know how to use Adobe Illustrator but you desperately need to learn how to use Adobe Illustrator.

And here’s why.

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How to Create Custom Icons for Your Brand

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How to Create Custom Icons for Your Brand

Developing a memorable brand is all in the details. Which is why something so seemingly simple, like a custom icon set, can have such a large impact on your brand and website.

So in last Thursday's free Ellechat webinar, I spent an hour walking live attendees through the ins and outs of creating a professional, cohesive set of icons for their business.

10 Essential Design Resources for Creative Entrepreneurs

10 Essential Design Resources for Creative Entrepreneurs

Every entrepreneur - especially those in creative industries - should have a simple understanding of basic design principles.

I know that’s a biased claim coming from a graphic designer but the longer I’m in business, the more I’ve seen firsthand how crucial design is to entrepreneurial success.

Great design helps you look professional and creates a positive first impression with prospective customers and clients. Great design helps you stand apart from others in your industry. And great design builds authority and trust.

The great news is that anyone can learn and apply the basics of great design. All it takes is a little creativity and the help of these 10 fantastic design resources.