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.
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?
“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.
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.
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.
Have you ever wondered how to get related posts to show up below each of your blog articles on Squarespace? Maybe you’re looking for a fast way to add featured posts to your sidebar or you’d like to create an easy archive page for your site.
The answer to all of the above lies in my favorite Squarespace tool: the summary block. Today I’m taking you behind the screen to show you how to use the tool and get creative with it to meet many of your website building needs.
One of our favorite insights from last week’s reader survey was reading about the areas that we could improve on in our blog and business. Many of you had some great constructive criticism and an even greater number of you requested posts on specific topics, like the challenges I’ve faced as a designer, blogger, and creative entrepreneur.
So today I’m jumping in and getting a little more personal by sharing some of the greatest design obstacles I’ve experienced both in design school and in business. You may not be a designer yourself, but I hope that you’ll be able to relate to these challenges in some shape or form.
Passion gets you started, but strategy keeps your business running. Successful entrepreneurs know that in order to pursue what they love, they have to be smart about how they operate their business. And a business cannot operate without money.
Money can be an uncomfortable topic, but it’s a necessary part of entrepreneurship. While I love my job and consider myself blessed to design for clients all day long, Elle & Company is a business, not a hobby. In order to keep things running and bring in a steady income, I’ve had to be strategic and intentional about how I generate a profit from this business.
In typical Elle & Company fashion, I’m laying it all out for you in today’s post. Here are some insights on how I’ve created a consistent income from my freelance business.
While I typically aim to share helpful posts on the blog each weekday, today I’m flipping things around and inviting you to take part in our annual Elle & Company reader survey!
This is your opportunity to jump in and tell us more about yourself, let us know why you read this blog, and weigh in on what you hope to see from us in the upcoming months.
Jake and I have some big goals and large changes in store for Elle & Company in the near future, all of which work toward becoming an even greater design, blogging, and business resource for you. That’s why your feedback is even more valuable; we want to know how you found us, where we can improve, and why you keep returning.
Around the first of the year I received a design inquiry from the blogger behind Real Food Whole Life, Robyn Downs. After our initial consultation, it was clear that Robyn and I would work well together. Not only is she extremely organized and intentional, but Robyn has a great amount of drive behind what she shares on her blog; her passion for nutrition and leading a healthy lifestyle is contagious (so much so that I've been following along with her helpful meal plans). Our 2-weeks together resulted in a new brand and website that reflects her passion for healthy living and attention to detail, and I'm excited to share the process and final design in today's post!
