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

5 Ways Content Marketing Will Enhance Your Blog

5 Ways Content Marketing Will Enhance Your Blog

If you've been following along with Elle & Company for the past 5 months, you've probably noticed a shift in my blog.

It happened when my husband, Jake, came alongside me in my business this past summer. Since then, he's spent hours on weeknights helping me brainstorm new content, he checks business blogs and articles like most people check Instagram and he's become my biggest supporter. While my name and photo is on the "about" page on this site, you can guarantee that Jake is behind the scenes helping me and reading every post before I hit "publish." 

Jake is awesome when it comes to marketing and strategizing for my business. So today he's taking the keypad and sharing about one of his favorite topics: content marketing. I might be a little biased, but he knocked this one out of the park! I hope his perspective pushes you to bump up your content and helps you grow your business, just like it has mine. 

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3 Reasons Why Eye-Catching Blog Images Matter (And My Secrets for Creating Them!)

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3 Reasons Why Eye-Catching Blog Images Matter (And My Secrets for Creating Them!)

Creating one-of-a-kind blog images. It's a topic that I'm most frequently asked about and it's an area that many bloggers struggle with. So today I'm approaching the subject with a few reasons why well-designed blog images are important. And I'm not stopping there - I'm also sharing a few of my own secrets for creating attractive blog images, too. 

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4 Tips for Finding Your Blogging Niche

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4 Tips for Finding Your Blogging Niche

Last summer I wrote one of my most popular blog series, How to Start a Blog. I shared tips for those who are new to the blogging scene about common topics that every new blogger deals with: creating a loyal audience, finding your niche, choosing a name, growing readership, and creating quality content. It was a fun series to write and it continues to be a favorite among Elle & Company readers. But since writing those posts 3 months ago, my readership has more than tripled (and I would like to think that it's due to implementing all of that advice that I shared!). The way I blog has evolved and I've learned new tips and strategies for creating content, marketing my blog, and growing Elle & Company readership. 

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4 Productive Insights on Competition and Comparison

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4 Productive Insights on Competition and Comparison

My husband reads Entrepreneur.com like most people check Instagram. He often comes across helpful reads and sends them my way, and the majority of them have given me great tips and insight on running my business. One article in particular has changed the way I approach a common obstacle in the day-to-day operations of business and blogging: handling competition.