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

A Helpful Step-By-Step Guide for Creating Client Homework

A Helpful Step-By-Step Guide for Creating Client Homework

The more I work one-on-one with design clients, the more I understand the importance of communication, especially within a creative business. In order to clearly visually communicate the mission and purpose of a brand, I must first clearly understand the business behind it. And that happens through thorough communication on both ends of the client experience.

So I implement what I call “client homework” - a series of questionnaires and assignments that help me cover my bases and gain as much feedback from my clients as possible before the design process begins.

I highlighted the benefits of client homework and how I use it in this Elle & Company article a few months ago, and I’ve since had several requests for a look inside my questionnaires.

And while I’m usually very open about sharing the details of my 2-week design process and my custom project pages, I think this subject can be bridged in a way that’s more beneficial than giving you all my “answers,” so to speak. 

Instead of sharing my own questionnaires, I want to guide you through creating your own client homework. And that’s where today’s post comes in. 

How a Simple Mind-Shift Can Drastically Change Your Business

How a Simple Mind-Shift Can Drastically Change Your Business

If you were to take a snapshot of my business this time last year and hold it up to Elle & Company today, you wouldn’t think the two were related. In August 2014, my business was hardly profitable, my blog content was a compilation of anything and everything that interested me, and I was looking to other creatives in my field to determine my definition of success.

Thankfully, my business-minded husband, Jake, came on board and brought in strategy last summer, and his insight and wisdom transformed my business for the better. He helped me set bigger goals than I had ever considered for myself and came up with actionable steps to help me get there. And once we implemented those steps and strategies, my business began to grow exponentially with each new month.

I’ve heard from many of you who feel stuck on how to take your blog or business to the next level, so I’m here today with a look at the practical, actionable goal-setting strategies we used to grow Elle & Company. 

This isn’t a lofty, flowery post to inspire; there are plenty of posts like that out there already. This is a post to encourage you to think bigger and become more strategic with your blog and business.

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 Elle & Company E-Course Dates and Details!

New Elle & Company E-Course Dates and Details!

When I first started Elle & Company a year and a half ago, my design background gave me an edge in the areas of blogging and business. Because of my experience and training in design school, I was able to easily (and affordably) create my own logo, blog graphics, and website. I felt comfortable designing a cohesive visual identity for my new business.

But I quickly realized that this isn’t the norm. Many creative entrepreneurs, especially those who are just starting out, feel intimidated by design. They run into design needs often, but they don’t know how to create a strong, unified first impression for their audience. They’re often a tight budget, as well, and may not be able to hire an experienced designer.

So last winter I began to brainstorm ways that I could meet the design needs of bloggers and business owners. And that’s where the idea for these upcoming Elle & Company e-courses formed. 

I’m excited to dive into the details of our upcoming e-courses and share some new dates with you today. I’ve built these courses with you in mind, to give you an advantage in the area of design and allow you to feel more comfortable and competent creating graphics for your blog and/or business.  

The 6-Step Guide for Launching Your First E-Course

The 6-Step Guide for Launching Your First E-Course

E-courses are gaining popularity in the creative industry, and for good reason: they’re a scalable source of passive income. They may require more work at the outset, but they have the potential to bring in more money than service-based income sources in the long run.

If you missed my post on passive income a couple weeks ago, be sure to check it out here!

If you’ve been seeking to create another stream of income for your business or you’re hoping to take your business full-time, today’s post is for you. 

I’m taking you behind the scenes of how I successfully launched my first e-course to bring in passive income. My hope is that these 6 simple steps allow you to work smarter, not harder, and take your business to the next level.