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

blogging

Are You Overlooking This Important Aspect of Branding?

Are You Overlooking This Important Aspect of Branding?

What imagery comes to mind when you think of branding for your business or blog? Images of logos, typefaces, or colors might be coming to mind, but have you ever considered branding your photos? The photos that you use in blog posts, promotional items, cover images, even Instagram posts are a large part of how your blog or business is perceived. Today's post is all about the why and how of streamlining your blog/business's photos to attract your audience and create a professional, recognizable brand.

8 Reasons You Should Jump on the Squarespace Bandwagon

8 Reasons You Should Jump on the Squarespace Bandwagon

Just like photographers have a preference in cameras and golfers have a preference in clubs, business owners and bloggers have a preference in website platforms. And for me, that preference is Squarespace. I'm such a fan of this platform that I not only use it myself, but I highly recommend it to each and every design client I work with. So what's so great about Squarespace and why should you get on board with this platform? Here are 8 reasons. 

7 Ways to Make Money Blogging (Apart From Sponsorships)

7 Ways to Make Money Blogging (Apart From Sponsorships)

Diversity is one of the things I love most about the blogging industry. No two blogs are quite the same; each one has a different mission, audience, aesthetic, and voice. Different things work for different blogs, and monetization one of them. It's common to think of sponsorships when you hear about making money from blogging, but blog sponsors are one of many ways to monetize your blog. So today I'm riding on the coattails of yesterday's post by sharing 7 ways that you can make money from blogging apart from sponsorships. My hope is that you're able to find something in this list that works for you and helps you differentiate your blog from the rest. 

8 Things Your Blog's Analytics Are Trying to Tell You

8 Things Your Blog's Analytics Are Trying to Tell You

If you want to gauge the 'health' and success of your blog, take a look at your analytics. Your analytics help you dig deeper and figure out exactly what's happening on your blog - how many people are visiting, how long they're staying on the page, which pages they click on, etc. There is a lot of information that can be gained from studying your analytics. Jake has been very interested in not only checking the analytics, but trying to read into them to determine what they mean for this site. 

So today, Jake is offering some suggestions about where to start looking when your analytics are indicating less-than-ideal results. While these analytics issues may not be a direct result from the problems he's suggested, we hope that this will give you a starting point as you look to improve your blog and earn more traffic.

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How to Build a Loyal Blog Audience

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How to Build a Loyal Blog Audience

My husband, Jake, has always been stumped as to how Jimmy Buffet has such a loyal following. Even Jimmy will admit that he doesn't have the greatest voice in the world, and yet his fans have their own special name - 'Parrotheads' (and 'parakeets' for those younger Buffet fans). How in the world does this happen and what does this have to do with blogging? Jimmy Buffet and the best bloggers both realize that gaining a loyal audience is all about creating an experience. 

So how can you create an experience for your readers? What are some tips that you can implement that will create excitement and keep your audience coming back time and time again? Here are 4 tips that will help you gain your own faithful blog 'parrotheads.'