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

Weekly Truth

Weekly Truth

I was out running errands yesterday when I got a great surprise. I looked on my iPhone and saw that I had a new follower on Instagram (which always makes me happy) but I got really excited when I saw who it was: a well-known designer and calligrapher that I've been following for years. What?! I did a little happy dance and called Jake right away to tell him the good news.

And then a sinking realization hit me... I never get that excited when I think about being known by Jesus. 

I haven't been able to shake that realization for the last two days. The Creator of the heavens and the earth knows me by name. Not only does He know me, but He rejoices over me. That realization should make me the most giddy; I should want to tell everyone this great news!

I don't know about you, but it's so easy for me to find my worth in being known by others. I try to measure it by followers on Instagram or friends on Facebook, but my true worth is in being known by the King. I'm praying that as I commit this verse to memory this week, these words will wash over those gross parts of me that try to find my identity in the approval of others. I'll be praying the same for you, too. 

Click here to download this week's verse for your iPhone background.

Happy Tuesday, sweet friends!

Note: Since tilting your iPhone re-adjusts the background, iOS7 automatically zooms in on background images. The text may seem small on the downloaded image, but once you set it as your background it will size correctly. ​

Weekly Truth

Oh friends, how I need this tattooed on my forehead. When my dreams and desires are for my own gain, I need a radical change of heart. My only boast is Christ and my only cause should be His glory. I pray that He would remind us of the numerous, marvelous things He has done in Christ and reorient our cause as we etch this verse into our memory this week.

Click here to download this week's verse for your iPhone background.

Happy Tuesday, sweet friends!

Note: Since tilting your iPhone re-adjusts the background, iOS7 automatically zooms in on background images. The text may seem small on the downloaded image, but once you set it as your background it will size correctly. 

Weekly Truth

One thing I love about the Word is that it's living. I can read a verse a thousand times and probably pull something from it that I never noticed before. I also think it's neat how the Holy Spirit impresses different things on each of our hearts while we're reading the same verse. So this week, I would love to hear about what God is teaching you through this 1 John 2:17 as you memorize it. 

Click here to download this week's verse for your iPhone background.

I know that this phrase is on repeat around here, but I truly want Elle & Co. to be an encouragement to you. I'm learning that encouragement comes through community, and I think that's why #Sweetspots and Coffee Dates are so much fun - they're an opportunity for all of us to share tips and life lessons with each other. So please feel free to join in and leave a comment, because goodness knows I do enough of the talking! 

I would love to hear from you ladies. Happy Tuesday :)

Note: Since tilting your iPhone re-adjusts the background, iOS7 automatically zooms in on background images. The text may seem small on the downloaded image, but once you set it as your background it will size correctly. 

Weekly Truth

I say this often, but my greatest hope with Elle & Company is to encourage. As helpful as tips, tricks, and Daybook planners may be, nothing helps simplify and encourage like Truth.

Each week I design a new iPhone background with a weekly verse I'm trying to memorize. I share it here on the blog so that you can download it, use it as your background, and hopefully gain some encouragement from it, too. 

Click here to download this week's verse for your iPhone background.

Happy Tuesday!

Note: Since tilting your iPhone re-adjusts the background, iOS7 automatically zooms in on background images. The text may seem small on the downloaded image, but once you set it as your background it will size correctly. 

Weekly Truth

Scripture is one of my greatest sources of encouragement, but I'll admit... I'm not the best at memorizing verses. So I've come up with a couple creative ways to sneak a verse into my day in the hope that seeing it often will etch it into my memory.

The first is a "verse section" in the weekly view of the Daybook Planner, and the second is an iPhone background with a new verse each week. Every Tuesday I share a new wallpaper on the blog for you to download, set as your background, and hopefully be encouraged, too.

WeeklyTruth_Elle&Co_Mar4.png

Click here to download this week's verse.

Some of you know that in addition to designing and blogging for Elle & Company, I'm taking classes part-time with my husband at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte. Jake is pursuing pastoral ministry and we both believe that it would benefit our ministry together if I took classes for Christian counseling. And friends, I love it! I'm trying to soak up every second.

We are currently going through the book of Psalms in my Hebrew poetry class, and I've been fascinated to learn the background of the psalms, the various kinds of psalms there are, and how the psalms were intended to be used. One of those ways is through worship and song; another is through prayer.

So that is my hope in posting Psalm 51:9-10 this week, that we would memorize these verses in order to pray them day by day, hour by hour, and moment by moment.

And as always, I hope that this small gift from Elle & Company will serve as an encouragement to you this week. Happy Tuesday, friends!

Note: Since tilting your iPhone re-adjusts the background, iOS7 automatically zooms in on background images. The text may seem small on the downloaded image, but once you set it as your background it will size correctly.