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

Branding

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How to Brand Your Pinterest Boards

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How to Brand Your Pinterest Boards

Curating images is a crucial part of branding that’s always noticed but not often considered (and by curating, I’m referring to exercising intention in the way images are laid out and organized within a group, like a Pinterest board, Instagram account, or even a blog archive). All of your images are a reflection of your brand as a whole, and putting thoughtful consideration into how these images are grouped and displayed can go a long way in making your blog or business appear professional and legitimate, especially across your social media accounts.

We’re all very visual, and we appreciate well-curated groups of images. But the trouble isn’t recognizing streamlined accounts and brands; it’s figuring out how to take our accounts to the next level and curate our images to reflect well on our blog or business. 

And that’s where today’s post comes in.

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How I Design a Full Brand and Website in Just 2 Weeks

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How I Design a Full Brand and Website in Just 2 Weeks

There’s nothing worse than feeling behind in your work, especially when you’re juggling multiple client projects. Trying to keep up with 5 client timelines and deadlines at once can be stressful for a type-A designer, and being in a creative field where inspiration and ideas don’t always flow freely makes it even more difficult. 

Last fall, after listening to me vent about stress, Jake threw out an idea. “What if you only took on one client at a time and cranked out their project in 2 weeks?” I responded by giving him an incredulous look and a laugh; he clearly had no idea how the design industry works. No one works with one client at a time, and if they do, they definitely don’t finish an entire brand, 4 collateral items, and a website in 10 workdays. That’s crazy! 

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How to Create a Brand Style Guide

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How to Create a Brand Style Guide

Between my sophomore and junior year of college, I interned at a marketing company in their design department. On the first day of my internship, I was shown to my temporary working space where the company’s brand style guide was waiting for me on my desk. It was a quick way for me to learn the design standards for the company’s brand, and it made it much easier for the designers and interns to stay on the same page and create a cohesive visual identity across all platforms and mediums. 

When I started at my first full-time graphic design position right out of college, I opened my inbox on my first day to find an online PDF of the company’s brand style guide. And again, it was a quick design reference that I returned to time and time again.

4 Simple Ways to Establish Your Personal Brand

4 Simple Ways to Establish Your Personal Brand

Designing cohesive brands and websites for creative entrepreneurs is one of my main focuses within Elle & Company. But as much as I stress the importance of a distinct, streamlined visual brand, I also understand the enormous benefits that can be reaped through building your own personal brand. You've probably heard the term "personal branding" before, and it's one of those terms that's used frequently but isn't often defined.

Personal branding is the process of establishing your expertise within your field.

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How to Get the Most Out of Your Stock Images

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How to Get the Most Out of Your Stock Images

Stock images are becoming increasingly popular, especially among business owners and bloggers who are just getting started in their industry. And while I'm not a large fan of general stock images that anyone and everyone can purchase (they hurt brand recognizability and distinction), I understand the need to have professional product and website images. If you don't trust your own photography abilities, I usually recommend working with a photographer for custom stock images that match your brand and can't be found anywhere else. But even then, those pretty aerial desk shots need to be edited and added to every now and then. So how can you make the most out of your stock images? I'm excited to show you in today's post.