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

If I Were Starting My Business from Scratch, This Would Be My Game Plan

If I Were Starting My Business from Scratch, This Would Be My Game Plan

So you want to start a business.
 
You have a ton of motivation and excitement at first, but all of a sudden reality sets in. 
 
There are so many tasks involved, the majority of which you’ve never tackled before. You’re way out of your comfort zone, overwhelmed by all the things that need to get done. 
 
Where do you even begin?
 
When you’re first starting out, it can be difficult to see the forest through the trees.
 
When I first started Elle & Company, I found myself piecing together all that I thought needed to get done (forgetting a bunch of steps along the way). 
 
I longed for a step-by-step list of what to conquer and when.
 
Now, three and a half years into running my online business, I’ve had time to reflect on what worked and what I could’ve done differently to save time (and stress).
 
So I’m paying it forward. I’ve created a step-by-step list of what to focus on when you’re trying to get your business off the ground.
 
If I were to go back and start Elle & Company from scratch, here’s what my game plan would look like.

An Inside Look at What We're Currently Working On

An Inside Look at What We're Currently Working On

This isn’t a normal Elle & Company blog post.
 
In a normal Elle & Company blog post, I share strategies and write about topics after I’ve already had time to experiment and figure out what works.
 
But after reading your replies to my annual survey a month or two ago, I saw that you want to see things as they’re happening. You requested more behind-the-scenes. 
 
Your wish is my command.
 
I have to admit, though - this is a little out of my comfort zone. Because if something doesn’t work out the way I hope it will, my failure will be public knowledge. All of you will know about it. 
 
But that’s a more honest look at running a business, isn’t it? Trial and error, falling down once, and getting up twice.
 
So here’s the inside scoop about what my team and I are focusing on this quarter, along with why and how we plan to accomplish it. 

My Process for Consistently Blogging

My Process for Consistently Blogging

"I fall behind on my blog posts all the time, I'd love to learn how to streamline blogging and keep on top of it!"

"How to write more content. I hate writing and I'm not good at it, so I avoid it even though I KNOW content is what will help me succeed."

"More on the practicalities of blogging. Choosing images for posts."

I recently conducted my annual reader survey. These were some of the responses I received to the question “What would you like to learn more about from Elle & Company?” 

I was surprised to learn that many of you want to learn about my blogging process and how I am able to consistently blog. Many of you recognize the importance of blogging, but identified it as a struggle (which I totally empathize with). 

Blogging isn’t quite so difficult if you have a clear-cut process. So today I’m sharing a behind-the-scenes look at my blogging process. 

6 Practical Ways to Gain More Confidence In Your Work

6 Practical Ways to Gain More Confidence In Your Work

“I have written 11 books but each time I think 'Uh-oh, they're going to find out now’… I've run a game on everybody, and they're going to find me out."

You might be surprised to learn, like I was, that Maya Angelou - a woman who was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, won five Grammys, and received a ton of other awards during her lifetime - struggled with “imposter syndrome.” 

Her fear of not being good enough caused her to question her abilities and fear that others would learn that she wasn’t as great or as capable as they originally thought. 

I wonder if you feel the same way with your business.

You feel the pressure to keep up appearances. You doubt your abilities. You compare yourself to others who seem to do things better. 

And you fear that even though things seem to be going well at the moment, people will eventually find out that you aren’t quite so great as you appear to be on Instagram. 

The struggle with imposter syndrome can be crippling. I know from personal experience.

But over the past few years, I’ve discovered 6 truths that have helped me gain more confidence in my work. I hope you find them helpful, too.

8 of My Favorite Squarespace Templates for Creative Businesses

8 of My Favorite Squarespace Templates for Creative Businesses

Beautiful templates are one of the many benefits of using Squarespace for your website.

I like to joke around with clients and peers that it’s hard to create an ugly site with Squarespace for that very reason. 

But with so many great templates to choose from, it can be overwhelming to determine which one will work best for your website. Or you may even find it difficult to choose just one.

Over the past 3 ½ years, I’ve spent countless hours researching and testing out different Squarespace templates for my design clients, and I’ve discovered some favorites along the way.

I’ve rounded up 8 of my go-to Squarespace templates to help you in your search and hopefully make this stage of the website-building process a little less stressful.