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

New Brand + Website Design for Amanda Jameson Weddings

New Brand + Website Design for Amanda Jameson Weddings

The scary, exciting thing about entrepreneurship is that business is always changing and evolving. When you're first getting things up and running, you might have a general idea of the services you want to offer and the clients you want to work with, but as you gain experience in your industry you begin to refine your offerings, your processes, and your brand.

It's always a treat to work with creative entrepreneurs who've spent a few years in business; they have a better idea of the clients they're trying to appeal to, the items they need to have designed, and the overall visual identity they're trying to achieve through their brand and website.

So when Amanda Jameson approached me for design work, I was thrilled. Her previous brand and website weren't cohesive with the quality and style of her work, so we spent 2 weeks partnering together to create something more fitting for her photography business.

The final product is one that I'm thrilled to reveal today (as well as a behind-the-scenes look at how it all came together)!

New Brand + Website Design for Prairie Letter Shop

New Brand + Website Design for Prairie Letter Shop

The night before a client launch day always feels like Christmas Eve around here. So much intention, time, and effort goes into a brand and website design on both my end and my client's end, and it's a good thing I only work within 2 week timeframes because the anticipation to reveal the final product gets me every time. 

But while you can look through my design portfolio and get a glimpse at the final designs, you might miss out on my favorite part of the entire project: the process. Because while it might seem like design only involves creating pretty things, there's much more intention and effort that goes on behind the scenes.

So today I'm giving you a behind-the-scenes look at the creative problem solving that took place behind my latest design project for Alex Estes with Prairie Letter Shop. The hand lettering, bright color palette, and fun illustrations make this project one of my favorites to date, and I'm excited to walk you through the design process!

New Brand + Website Design for Lori Hedrick Photography

New Brand + Website Design for Lori Hedrick Photography

Before my 2-week design process begins, I have each of my design clients fill out a series of questionnaires about their brand, process, and website. One of my favorite, most telling questions seems so simple, but I refer to their thoughtful responses throughout the entire design process. What are 10 adjectives that best describe your brand?

Lori Hedrick described hers as real, close, caring, happy, familiar, easy, rich, and true. I'm excited to show you how those seemingly simple words have played out into Lori's beautiful new brand and website! 

New Brand + Website Launch for Magnolia Media PR

New Brand + Website Launch for Magnolia Media PR

While branding has many benefits for a business, some of the greatest are differentiation, recognizability, and memorability. So whenever I approach a new project, I challenge myself to push the limits and design a brand unlike any other I've designed in the past and unlike any other I've seen from other designers.

My 2-week design process has made this challenge easier by allowing me to focus solely on one client at a time and pour into all the fun details. Today's new brand and website for Magnolia Media PR is no different, and I'm excited to show you the final designs!