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

Squarespace

2 Simple Options for Connecting Squarespace and ConvertKit

2 Simple Options for Connecting Squarespace and ConvertKit

I made the decision to switch email marketing platforms from MailChimp to ConvertKit a little over 2 months ago, and I haven’t looked back.

I’m a fan of ConvertKit because it allows me to organize my list per subscriber with tags and segments, which has allowed me to understand my audience better. I also love how easy it is to set up automated emails and content upgrades using their platform. (I’ll have to do an in-depth post on all of my reasons for switching soon!)

But there’s one MailChimp feature that I do miss: Their easy integration with Squarespace.

Before I made the switch, I was able to set up a form on my Squarespace site, link it to one MailChimp lists, and I was good to go. 

Unfortunately, this isn’t an option with ConvertKit… yet. 

However, before any Squarespace users get bummed out about this, I have good news!

There are a couple simple solutions for syncing Squarespace and ConvertKit. 

And if I can implement them without any trouble, I’m certain you can, too.

Using the Style Editor to Customize Your Squarespace Site

Using the Style Editor to Customize Your Squarespace Site

If you’re looking for a user-friendly, professional website builder for your website, look no further than Squarespace.

This all-in-one platform is intuitive, all-inclusive, and includes several beautiful, compatible templates. You can see all of my favorite Squarespace features in this post.

But while Squarespace sites are easy to set up and use on the backend, it takes a little creativity to customize the templates and make them your own.

Thankfully, there’s a feature built into each Squarespace site that allows you to make simple design changes: the Style Editor.

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A Step-By-Step Guide for Choosing the Right Squarespace Template

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A Step-By-Step Guide for Choosing the Right Squarespace Template

When it comes to building a website, there’s no denying the simplicity and user-friendliness of Squarespace.

For those of us who want a well-designed site without the hassle and learning-curve of using code and plugins, Squarespace is the perfect option.

But because it’s so easy and each template is gorgeous, it can be hard to determine which template would be the best fit for your website. Out of all the questions I receive about Squarespace on a regular basis, the majority of them revolve around choosing a template.

And that’s where this post comes in. I’m walking you through choosing the perfect Squarespace template for your creative business, step-by step.

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The Ins and Outs of My Squarespace Client Design Process

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The Ins and Outs of My Squarespace Client Design Process

It’s no secret that I love Squarespace. Not only is it easy to customize, easy to use, and easy on the eyes, but it makes the client process so simple for designers who use it to create client sites.

Because Squarespace is still relatively new and there aren’t as many designers using it as there are on Wordpress, I receive several emails each week regarding about the ins and outs of how I design client sites using the platform. 

I get asked everything from how I handle billing to how I choose a template, so today I’m sharing an inside look at my Squarespace client design process from start to finish. 

For those of you who are already designing sites in Squarespace, I hope you’re able to take something away that makes things simpler and more efficient on your end. And for those of you who are considering trying your hand at offering Squarespace site design in the future, I hope this post convinces you to take the leap and try it out.

5 Easy Ways to Customize Your Squarespace Website

5 Easy Ways to Customize Your Squarespace Website

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of Squarespace. It’s a fantastic option for business owners and bloggers who need a simple, beautiful platform for building a website. It’s mobile-friendly and user-friendly. There isn’t a huge learning curve for figuring out the back-end. And if you’d like to hear me go on more about all its benefits, you can read this post.

But because Squarespace templates are beautiful, simple, and easy to setup, many users have a hard time customizing their site and making it look one-of-a-kind. 

That’s where today’s post comes in. I’ve compiled some of the most helpful tools I’ve discovered for switching up the look of a Squarespace site. Some of these might be new to you and some might already be built into your template, but I hope you’re able to walk away with a few new ideas for making your Squarespace site your own.