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

Portfolio

Brand + Website Design: Southern Charm Events & Planning

Brand + Website Design: Southern Charm Events & Planning

Last fall, after juggling multiple design projects and struggling to spend adequate time on each one, I decided to switch up my branding process and focus on one client at a time. I began booking all of my 2015 design clients in two-week timeframes, and Amanda was the first on my list. We began working on her brand and website two weeks ago, and the following 10 days were a fun whirlwind of concepts, drafts, and revisions. I'll share more about my thoughts on this new process in a later post, but today I'm excited to show off this gorgeous new brand for Southern Charm Events & Planning!

New Brand + Website Design: Wit's End

New Brand + Website Design: Wit's End

It isn't every day that I'm asked to create a brand and website for an author and speaker, so when Melissa Kruger asked me to design her blog months ago, I jumped at the opportunity! While Melissa had been writing for The Gospel Coalition and Christianity.com for years, she was seeking to have a 'home base' for her blog posts, books, and speaking engagements. She named this new venture Wit's End. 

"Slowly I'm learning that being at my wit's end isn't really the end of a thing, but the beginning. The end of thinking I can rescue myself is the beginning of crying out to the Lord for deliverance. The most secure place might just be at the end of my rope, clinging to Jesus, watching Him calm what I cannot control."

New Brand + Website Design: The Bloom Workshop

New Brand + Website Design: The Bloom Workshop

If you're a fan of pretty pinks and soft blues, gorgeous florals, classic typefaces, and illustrative details, you're going to love this new brand for The Bloom Workshop! Bloom is a one-day workshop for creative entrepreneurs that focuses on blogging, design, photography, and styling. Michaela and Ashley do a gorgeous job with every detail of the day, from the teaching to the styled shoot and swag bags. After 3 successful events in 2014, they are offering 3 kinds of Bloom workshops and 9 events throughout the U.S. this upcoming year.

With all of these exciting additions, some changes needed to be made to the Bloom brand.

Brand + Site Design: Andrea Pesce Photography

Two years ago our wedding photographer sent her intern my way for brand design. I wasn't officially offering branding services at the time, but I happily accepted the project and set up a meeting with my newest client, Andrea Pesce, at a small coffee shop in my hometown. I had no clue that my first branding client would turn into my closest friend in this industry.

Over the past two years, we've collaborated together multiple times and watched each other's businesses grow and evolve. We've both discovered what we want to do and what we don't want to do in our creative fields, and Andrea's business has taken a great new direction over the past 6 months (she wrote this great blog post about it last week, and it is definitely worth reading!). Her first logo and brand wasn't a great reflection of this new turn in her business, so we've collaborated again to create a gorgeous new brand. And I must say, this one fits the new Andrea Pesce Photography to a T!

Andrea Pesce brand and website design // Elle & Company

If you look through Andrea's photos, you pick up on her light, simple style right away. She wanted to emphasize the story telling aspect of photography, catching those unposed moments between a couple on their wedding day. When we discussed her new logo and website, the words "light," "texture," "motion," "clean," "dreamy," "romantic," "classic," and "timeless" came up often. We took those words and visually represented them through her inspiration board. 

Andrea Pesce brand and website design // Elle & Company

Then we moved on to the logo. Andrea worked with talented calligrapher, Chelsea Petaju, on this gorgeous logo, and wow did she make my job easy! Isn't it lovely?

Andrea Pesce brand and website design // Elle & Company

Next, I came up with a couple alternate logos that could be used on collateral items. The branches tie in the motion that we had discussed in our initial meetings. 

Andrea Pesce brand and website design // Elle & Company

And then came my favorite part, the website. We kept it simple, clean, and easy to navigate so that her beautiful photos would be highlighted. 

Andrea Pesce brand and website design // Elle & Company
Andrea Pesce brand and website design // Elle & Company
Andrea Pesce brand and website design // Elle & Company

Andrea, it's always a joy working with you! Thank you for trusting me with the new direction of your brand and website. It's been so fun watching your business change and grow, and I can't wait to see where this new chapter takes you. Best wishes and happy launch day, sweet friend!

Follow along with Andrea

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