Understanding the psychology of colors in business is essential to the success of any design project. Brands can benefit from solid color schemes by attracting attention and creating brand recognition. As a designer, you must understand how to use colors to represent your brand and product best.

What is Color Psychology?

Color psychology is the theory that colors can affect human behavior and emotions. It holds the idea that colors can elicit physical and emotional reactions, influencing how people act. For example, red can stimulate people’s appetites and blue can make people feel at ease.

As the theory suggests its impact on behavior, color can also be used in business to elicit different emotions and associations. Some brands choose colors in their logos and marketing materials to appeal to their target market. Other companies use contrasting colors to differentiate themselves from their competitors.

Tips on How to Use Psychology of Colors in Business

Colors determine your customer’s first impression of your brand. The right colors can make your brand look trustworthy, honest and relatable. Choosing colors that fit your brand can help you turn prospects into loyal customers. Here are some ways you can use the psychology of colors in business and influence people with color association:

Research Your Target Audience

Individually, people attach meaning to colors based on their gender and history. On a broader scale, nationalities perceive colors based on their culture and belief systems. This difference is vital to creating a successful marketing campaign and branding.

Western cultures associate white with elegance, peace and purity. On the other hand, Eastern cultures typically use white as a symbol of mourning. While there may be some overlap between the two cultures, it’s always a good idea to research what ideas are associated with the colors you plan to use.

In the 1950s, Pepsi saw a significant drop in sales when it tried to refresh its branding in South East Asia. The beverage company installed light blue vending machines in the region, unaware that the color symbolized death and mourning. It’s a cautionary tale of how doing a little research can save a company from failed marketing strategies.

Think About Colors and Their Meanings

People from different backgrounds see things differently so it may be nearly impossible to create a universal cheat sheet for all the colors and what they are associated with. However, learning the basics of color psychology — colors and the typical ideas they’re associated with — will give you a head-start in creating an effective color scheme for your business.

Here are some come of the most common emotions and ideas associated with colors:

• Yellow: happiness, optimism, warmth, fear, warning, caution
• Blue: calm, peacefulness, trust, coldness, unfriendliness, emotionlessness
• Red: love, passion, excitement, power, anger, danger, warning
• Green: health, nature, growth, envy, blandness, boredom
• Purple: wisdom, wealth, luxury, excess, decadence, moodiness
• Orange: confidence, energy, friendliness, warmth, immaturity, ignorance
• Black: power, sophistication, elegance, evil, mourning, mystery
• White: cleanliness, purity, innocence, sterile, empty, plainness

Attaching emotions to colors can be an excellent way to stimulate your audience’s mind and influence them to relate to your brand or purchase your product. Remember to make people feel understood by using colors they can identify with.

Start Strong With Emotions

Knowing the emotions and ideas associated with colors is one thing. Using them in your business is another. Start your branding process by designing materials that elicit strong emotions to stimulate your audiences.

Set the mood with colors that are relevant to your business and brand. Pique your customers’ curiosity and tell a story using colors. You can persuade people to patronize your business by making them feel emotions they can understand and relate to.

Copywriting uses text to convey messages, illustrate ideas and tell stories to convince people. You can use design and colors to do the same visually. Use colors to set the mood correctly and get your desired response.

Be Consistent With Your Color Schemes

Experimenting with hues, tints and shades can help you grab your audience’s attention. It’s an excellent way to create a color scheme that fits your business and resonates with your intended audience.

After you’ve found the palette that works best for you, stick with it. People like familiarity and will associate better with brands they know. Research has shown that 78% of consumers can recognize a company by looking at its colors.

Keeping your design colors consistent will help you improve your brand recognition. Knowing when to experiment and when to stick to your brand colors can determine your design’s success.

Test Your Colors on Your Audience

Testing will help you see which colors work best for your brand. Try testing different color schemes and see how your audience reacts and engages with your choices. Doing this will help you see precisely the effect of your color schemes.

Surveys can also be beneficial if you want to understand your target audience better. You’ll get a good grasp of what they think about your brand, product or service by directly asking them for feedback.

Experiment with colors and match them to their uses. Study the data and use different colors for your buttons, banners and other promotional material. Consider your user’s journey and preferences as a test for future design decisions. 

Choose a Color That Sets You Apart

Businesses sometimes choose colors based on their industry. Food companies typically use yellow, green and red since those are naturally occurring pigments in food. Since their business depends on people’s appetites, they choose colors likelier to make people hungry and associate their brand with delicious and filling products.

You can go the other way around and use unique colors to make your business stand out. Choose a unique color scheme that stands for your brand’s values. Special colors can increase a brand’s recognition by 80% and leave a lasting impression on consumers. The right color will make your brand more visible in a market saturated with the same colors.

Stick to Colors That Best Suit Your Brand

Picking a color appropriate for your product will help you leverage colors. While being unique has advantages, remember that specific colors have their intended uses and limitations. Your color choices will reflect your brand and impact how people perceive your business.

Imagine asking your customers to trust a product with a color that goes against its standard function, like a black safety vest or a pink hammer. They’re unique color choices, but your users may find it challenging to see the connection.

Colors and Brand Recognition: A Do or Dye Game

Your business colors say a lot about your brand values and design tastes. Your brand’s recognition ultimately falls on your design choices. Understand which colors and emotions your audience resonates with and you’ll find the color scheme that best suits your business.

The post How to Use the Psychology of Colors in Business appeared first on Designerly.

You might have encountered the multisite feature if you have a WordPress website. While this configuration can offer great benefits, it is not suitable for everyone. Here is a beginner’s guide for utilizing a WordPress multisite.

What Is a WordPress Multisite?

A WordPress(WP) multisite is a configuration that allows for the creation and management of multiple websites from a single dashboard. This advanced feature was first introduced with WordPress 3.0.

There are many reasons why users decide to implement a WP multisite configuration. It allows the owner to change and update all the websites from one area. This is a much better fit for a company than creating separate WordPress websites for all of the services they have.

When comparing a multisite configuration against separate website installations, it saves significant server space. In addition, this feature is also more cost-effective and reduces time.

For example, it is cheaper for an organization to utilize WP multisite than to design multiple WordPress websites. It is also a lot faster compared to the time it takes to professionally design and develop a single site.

A popular site using the multisite feature is the WordPress website itself. Users create their own subsites on the platform, such as blogging sites.

The Role of a Super Admin

In addition to the five roles a standard WordPress website offers — Author, editor, contributor, administrator and subscriber — it also adds another role called a super admin or a network administrator.

When a WordPress installation switches to a multisite configuration, the administrator becomes the new super admin. The super admin is the one who controls all the connected subsites on the network.

A multisite configuration does bring in some changes. One noticeable difference is that regular admins can no longer install themes or plug-ins on the website. Only the network administrator can do this. However, normal admins can choose to enable or deactivate them if they wish to do so.

In terms of displaying content, there is no significant change. The super admin can manage content across all the websites, but the regular administrator can choose whether they want it to appear on their site.

In addition, while a multisite configuration does share all plugins and themes, it is not the case for media items. Each site will use its own media upload directories to store items. For example, the images uploaded to one of the connected sites will not be accessible on the others.

The Main Features, Benefits and Drawbacks of a WordPress Multisite

Before deciding if a WordPress multisite is the right option, it is worth knowing all its benefits, drawbacks and key features. Here is a short summary:

Main Features:

• Can manage multiple websites or blogs from a single WordPress installation.
• Create subsites under one WordPress Installation using the same database and hosting account.
• Create separate sub-domains for each subsite or have a network of sub-domains.
• All subsites use the same plug-ins and themes.

Benefits:

• The super admin can manage the websites from a single dashboard and does require logging into each site individually to make changes.
• Can manage all connected website updates.
• Can install and manage all the plugins for all the subsites — they all use the same ones, but you can choose to deactivate some of them.
• In addition to the super admin, regular administrators can still effectively manage their respective websites.

Drawbacks:

• Effectively managing a WP multisite configuration can prove challenging for many users.
• If one website’s security is compromised, the entire network of sites suffers.
• If your hosting provider does not have the option to add a domain to the same server, you can’t use a multisite setup.
• If something happens to the network, all the sites will experience downtime.
• Not all plugins integrate with a WP multisite configuration.

Who Should Use a WordPress Multisite?

Since the feature was released, many businesses have started utilizing it. However, while a WordPress multisite configuration offers many associated advantages, not everyone will benefit from it. Here is a summary to show who and who shouldn’t use this feature.

Five Cases When To Make Use of a WordPress Multisite

Five Cases When Not to Use a WordPress Multisite

1. Your hosting budget does not allow for it. Most hosting sites charge on the number of visitors. If you have multiple sites, you will require the capabilities for more visitors, meaning you will need to upgrade your hosting plan.
2. You want to use individual plugins and themes for each site. While you can still do this to a certain degree on a WordPress multisite integration, it could become unnecessarily difficult to manage.
3. You don’t want to make the necessary security changes or can’t afford it. For example, some hosting providers only offer a free SSL certificate for the main website.
4. This means you will need to pay additional charges for the subsites. Even if only one of the subsites does not have an SSL certificate, it can compromise the entire network’s security.
5. You are not an experienced WordPress developer and can’t afford a professional to do it. Enabling a WP multisite configuration could present itself as a challenging task for non-WordPress developers. If you don’t have the capital to hire someone, perhaps it’s better to examine alternative options.
6. All the websites differ from each other and have different designs features or functionality.

4 Steps To Install a WordPress Multisite

The official WordPress website has a great guide on how to set up a WP multisite, but here is a quick rundown you can follow.

1. Have Everything Ready For the Switch

Go over all the settings required to make the switch. Ensure you are the administrator, the hosting you have will suffice, all plugins are up to date and you can access the core files for each site. Remember to back up your site if anything should go wrong.

2. Add The Required Code

The next step is to add the required code. Using file transfer protocol (FTP) software, go to the core files and select wp-config.php. option.

From here, look for the line of code that says, “That’s all, stop editing! Happy publishing. */. ”
After you have found the line, post the following code above it.

/* Multisite */
define( ‘WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE’, true );

Restart the browser to continue.

3. Perform the Network Setup

Next, move to your dashboard and select network setup under the tools tab. From here, you can choose whether to use a sub-domain or sub-directory. You can change it again later if you want.

4. Activate the Network

Afterward, follow all the instructions carefully and save between each of them. You can click the login button once you have successfully edited every line. Under the network admin, you can now see all your websites — under the “My Sites” option.

A Game Changer

With all the advantages a WordPress multi-configuration can bring, it is no wonder the feature has become so popular. The main selling point is it allows you to manage all your websites from one dashboard instead of logging in to each site individually. While many WordPress users will never require this feature, it is a game changer for the select few that do.

The post The Beginner’s Guide to a WordPress Multisite appeared first on Designerly.

How do different paper sizes work? Maybe you’ve seen paper marked as “A4” or “B5”. These labels are part of standardized paper sizing systems that simplify printing, manufacturing and design. Learning how different paper sizes work can help you make sure your graphic design projects fit the right paper size and look great after printing. 

What Are the Different Paper Sizes?

When you see different paper sizes, you might notice they are often labeled with a combination of letters and numbers, such as A6 or B4. These codes are part of internationally standardized paper sizing systems, specifically the ISO 216 standards. 

These standard sizes allow many manufacturers to make paper products that are compatible with one another and familiar to customers. For instance, one company could make a B5 compatible binder while a different company makes B5 size paper and both could rest assured that customers could use the two products together. 

What are the different paper sizes, though? How do they work? 

A Series Sizes

The first group of internationally standardized paper sizes is the A size range. The A sizes run A0 to A10. They’re determined by the height and width of a single sheet of paper. Each size has the same proportions but different measurements. Since this is an international standard, sizes are calculated in metric millimeters. 

A sizes start with the A0, which is 841 x 1189 millimeters. The A1 size is a piece of A0 paper folded in half to make two sheets that each measure 594 x 841 millimeters. 

The A2 size is a piece of A1 paper folded in half, and so on down to A10 size. A good rule of thumb is that as the number after the A label gets larger, the paper size gets smaller. So, a sheet of A5 paper is smaller than a sheet of A4 paper. 

A4, A5 and A6 are the most commonly used A series paper sizes. 

B Series Sizes

The B series of paper sizes is like half sizes in footwear. It was designed to add a wider array of paper sizes by creating sheets that are between standard A sizes. So, as a general rule, B sizes fall between the two nearest A sizes numerically. 

For example, one sheet of B5 paper will be slightly larger than a sheet of A5 paper but slightly smaller than a sheet of A4 paper. B sizes run a bit larger than A sizes of the same number. So, a sheet of B5 paper will be larger than a sheet of A5 paper. 

B sizes are most popular in European and Asian regions, so North American consumers are often not familiar with them. 

B sizing gets somewhat complicated with Japanese stationery in particular. Japan uses their own version of the B size series that doesn’t exactly match the ISO standard B size measurements. Japanese B size papers are slightly larger, often denoted with the label “semi”, such as semi-B5. 

As a result of the slight international differences in the B size range, B size stationery can vary from one product to another. However, it is generally all close in size. If you need B size paper to fit precisely, such as for a binder or envelope, always double check the exact measurements of a specific product. 

C Series Sizes

The C series size range is not actually for paper, but rather for envelopes. So, if you are looking for different paper sizes and encounter a C size label, be aware that the product is actually an envelope. 

Conveniently, C size envelopes are made for corresponding A size sheets of paper. For instance, if you want to mail a piece of A5 paper, it will always fit in a C5 size envelope. 

North American Sizes

The paper size most people are familiar with is US letter size. This is one of four standard paper sizes used mainly in North America. The closest international standard size is A4, although the two sizes are not the same. 

US letter size paper is slightly shorter and wider than A4 paper. Sometimes this doesn’t matter. However, if you’re printing something, it can make a difference since some content could get cut off if printed on the wrong paper size. 

In addition to US letter, the North American paper sizes also include junior legal, legal and ledger. Junior legal size paper is slightly smaller than letter size while legal size is slightly larger. Ledger paper, also known as “tabloid”, is larger than legal size. 

Uses for Different Paper Sizes

What do you use different paper sizes for? Each standard size has popular uses. For example, A4, A5, B5 and A6 are all commonly used in school and office stationery. A4 or US letter size is standard for folders and larger notebooks while A6 and B5 are both popular for smaller notebooks. 

Among the North American paper sizes, letter size is the standard for most folders and notebooks as well as print materials like small posters or flyers. Ledger or tabloid size paper, measuring 11 x 17 inches, is popular for medium sized posters, such as business flyers or local event ads. 

A3, A4 and A5 sizes are popular for small and medium sized paper goods, such as books, cards, calendars and magazines. The smallest A series sizes, A6 through A10, are used for things like pocket sized notebooks, photos, labels or stickers. 

How to Choose the Right Paper Size

The complex standards behind different paper sizes may sound complicated. However, choosing the right paper size really comes down to your end user. Do they need to carry the paper product with them, like a pocket notebook? Or is the paper product going to stay in one place, like a poster? 

Taking some time to think about these questions can help you select the right paper size. Remember, both A and B series sizes get larger as their number gets smaller. 

The post Different Paper Sizes: Letter, A4, B5 and More Explained appeared first on Designerly.

Although an endless variety of animation software exists, only some are ideal for first-time animators. They should be user-friendly, intuitive, and practical to cater to entry-level individuals. Here are 10 of the best animation software for beginners.

1. Synfig Studio (Free)

Synfig Studio is a 2D vector-based animation software for independent artists and small creative teams. It’s open-source, so it receives frequent, consistent updates and is entirely free. It’s among the best animation software for beginners because it has clean, clear UI and provides opportunities for customization.

This software has several robust features that make it stand out above the rest. For instance, its soft shading system intuitively applies shade changes to layers or frames. It also utilizes a bone system, making animation much easier for beginners. 

The minimum hardware requirements for Synfig Studio include 2 GB of RAM and a dual-core CPU at 2 GHz. Since it’s lightweight software, it’s perfect for beginners who don’t have top-of-the-line machines. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. 

2. Pencil2D Animation (Free)

Pencil 2D is an open-source 2D animation software for beginners. It is one of the best options because it offers both raster and vector workflows, giving more freedom to people who are starting out. Best of all, it has community support and is free — even for commercial users. 

It offers a variety of tools like color wheels, templates, and dynamic zoom. According to user reviews, Pencil 2D has an incredibly simplistic UI that is very clear — even those who don’t prefer it over similar software compliment its ease of use and versatility. 

The installation and operational requirements for Pencil2D include 4 GB of RAM and a 64-bit operating system. The specifics for Windows, macOS, Linux, and FreeBSD vary but are all reasonable for a beginner’s hardware. 

3. Blender (Free)

Blender is among the most popular 3D animation software choices. It’s open-source, so it’s completely free and offers plenty of community support. It can take time to get the hang of, but its features make the actual animation process very straightforward.

Some of its best features include powerful modeling tools, digital sculpting, and an asset browser for organization. First-time animators may not be familiar with them initially, but they’ll quickly get used to them. While one reviewer says the UI is rather unintuitive, they admit it provides the best learning resources compared to other similar software.

The minimum hardware requirements for Blender include an HD display, 64-bit quad-core CPU, 8 GB of RAM, and a graphics card with 2 GB RAM. However, a 2k QHD display, 64-bit eight-core CPU, 32 GB of RAM, and a graphics card with 8 GB of RAM are recommended. It runs on macOS, Linux, and Windows devices.

4. OpenToonz (Free)

OpenToonz is the free, open-source version of Toonz — the software Studio Ghibli used for some films — that specializes in 2D animation. Users can create digitally or upload hand-drawn works. Since this software caters to traditional artists, it vectorizes them automatically.

It’s even available for free commercial use for those who want to break into the industry but have few resources, making it a fantastic animation software for beginners. Plus, it has amazing features like onion skin, motion tweening, automatic in-between frame creation, animated special effects, bones, and sequence painting. 

To install OpenToonz, a computer must have a minimum of 4 GB of RAM and 500 MB of storage space. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. If users need tech support, they can reach out to the community on the software’s official forums.

5. DigiCel FlipBook ($49.99)

DigiCel FlipBook is an excellent 2D raster animation software for beginners because it’s one of the most straightforward versions available. It’s a digital take on traditional animation — like Disney’s classics — to simplify the creative process. Although the UI looks outdated, the icons are colorful and easy to understand. 

The features of DigiCel FlipBook include lip-syncing assistance, timing adjustment, painting process, and blemish removal. Even though it is incredibly easy to use, the developers provide multiple basic and in-depth tutorials to help users get the hang of the software. In fact, they have an entire YouTube channel dedicated to it.

Unlike other subscription-based software, DigiCel FlipBook only requires a one-time payment of $19.99 for the basic version, $49.99 for the standard, or $99.99 for the pro. While the highest tier offers 500 more frames, special effects layers, and automatic shading, it’s not an essential upgrade.

6. Adobe Animate ($20.99/month)

Adobe Animate is a vector-based 2D animation software for creative independents. It provides an interactive walkthrough for the first animation process, an incredibly helpful feature for people who haven’t used Adobe products before. Also, it has a wide variety of official and user-created tutorials for people who want some extra help.

The intuitive features of Adobe Animate make it rank high among other animation software for beginners. It has a straightforward export process, brush customization, a bone system, an envelope deformer, and a rig edit mode for making modifications without deformation.

The minimum download requirements include 8 GB of RAM and a 1024×900 display. However, Adobe recommends having 16 GB of RAM and a 1280×1024 display. A reviewer suggests users need even better hardware to use it properly. It runs on Windows and macOS as long as you have more than 4 GB of HDD space available for installation.

7. Krita (Free)

Krita is primarily an illustration tool but has a built-in raster animation program for 2D creation. Changing the workspace to “Animation” mode makes the tools appear. Even though it only includes the basics, it provides a practical way for beginners to learn how to animate digitally.

With Krita’s various features, users can view an overlay of previous frames, do minor tweening, and storyboard concepts. Although it has few tools, it has an animation user manual to guide people who need help.

Since Krita saves each frame during the animation development process, it takes up much of the computer’s working memory. Because of this, it limits users to shorter sequences, lower resolution, or fewer layers if they have less than 4 GB of RAM.

8. Cinema 4D ($94/month)

Cinema 4D is somewhat of a commitment for people who are just entering animation, but it’s a good investment. It’s one of the most accessible 3D animation tools, with intuitive features and clean UI. While it may be challenging to master, it’s easy to learn.

This software is among the best animation software for beginners because it caters to many creative approaches. For instance, it has a procedural animation feature to animate with Python programming or the node-based editor. It even has a large collection of tutorials and webinars covering everything from animation basics to specific features.

Cinema 4D runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux. On Windows computers, it requires 8 GB of RAM at a minimum but recommends 16 GB. For macOS, it only needs 4 GB to run but runs better with 8 GB. Additionally, it requires an internet connection to validate ownership.

9. Moho Debut ($69.99)

Moho is among the most powerful 2D animation software on the market — Moho Debut is like its vector-based younger sibling. It’s ideal for beginners since it comes with a built-in guidance system covering the tools and features. It also provides a stock library for props, characters, video, and audio for ease of use.

Even though it describes itself as the most advanced option for 2D animation, it’s fairly easy to learn. It takes a while to master, but the excess number of features makes it ideal for first-time animators who want to try a little of everything. For instance, it has automatic lip-syncing, follow-path tools, and motion tracking.

To install and run Moho Debut, users will need a 64-bit operating system, 2.0 GHz Intel Core processor, 4 GB of RAM, 1.6 GB of HDD space, and an internet connection. The developers recommend having an HD resolution or greater.

10. Animaker ($300/year)

Animaker is a unique 2D animation software that caters to beginners. Instead of giving users the tools to create animations from scratch, it provides thousands of graphics, templates, backgrounds, and icons. Users create a custom character or object and choose from pre-set facial expressions, movements, and scenes to develop their story. 

While Animaker is somewhat limiting since it provides very few custom tools, its unique features like automatic resizing, object moving, and lip-syncing make it ideal for beginners who don’t have much artistic expertise but want to get used to the act of animation.

The pricing tiers range from $150 annually for five-minute-long HD video creation to $468 annually for 30-minute-long 2k capabilities. Since it’s a yearly subscription model, its definitely a significant investment. Still, its extreme ease of use and simplistic UI makes it worthwhile.

Choosing Animation Software for Beginners

It can be challenging to narrow down choices when faced with some of the best animation software available. Before deciding, first-time animators should consider their budget, needs, and career goals.

The post The Best Animation Software for Beginners appeared first on Designerly.

Few marketing tools are as critical for businesses as Google Analytics — a free analytics web service for anyone with a Google account. Business owners and marketers receive key visitor insights and statistics from the Google Dashboard to understand their website performance. Data includes website traffic, trends, conversions, user behaviors and demographics.

Google Analytics and its comprehensive dashboard benefit your business in several ways. For instance, examining consumer behaviors allows you to modify your marketing approach to improve traffic, search results and retention.

Experienced marketers should find the Google Dashboard easy to navigate. However, newcomers may need an overview of how it works. Let’s uncover everything you need to know about your Google Dashboard and how to obtain the most comprehensive information for your business. 

Google Dashboard Overview

Marketers will agree the information on Google Dashboard is invaluable. However, a first glance at the screen may intimidate a beginner. What do all those terms mean, and how do you read the insights? Here’s a breakdown of your Google Dashboard so you can tell how well your business is performing online.

Homepage

The Google Dashboard homepage delivers an overview of your analytics. You can adjust the report to show you data from specific days.

On the left-hand side of the screen, you will notice additional tabs, including “Realtime,” “Audience,” “Acquisition,” and others. Expect to use these tabs often. 

Realtime Data

The Realtime Data tab tells you how many people are active on your website at any given moment. This section can also inform you about the devices users are visiting from, the pages they are on and how they arrived at your website.

Audience

The Audience tab provides information about your website visitors, including the following details:

• Users: Total website visitors — including returning visitors — within a specific timeframe
• New users: How many first-time visitors to your website
• Sessions: How many times people visit your website overall
• Sessions per user: How many times individual visitors visit your website
• Pageviews: How many pages users visited during a specific period
• Pages/Session: The number of pages visited during each visitor’s session
• Session duration: Average time users spend on your website
• Bounce rate: How many users leave your website after viewing one page

The average user spends about 54 seconds on a website. Your goal is to find ways to keep users engaged with your website for one or more minutes. 

Acquisition

The first thing you might notice under the Acquisition tab is a pie chart and graph — these indicate how visitors found your website, such as through organic search results, social media or affiliates. A breakdown of the Acquisition report is as follows:

• Organic search: Traffic derived from search engine results, such as Google
• Referral: Users who have found your website through a third-party link
• Direct: People who visited your website by typing in the URL
• Social: Those who have found your website through social media
• Affiliate: Often indicative of e-commerce sites, affiliate traffic comes from clicking on an affiliate identification code

Behavior

If you’re wondering what users do when they visit your website, the Behavior tab will tell you everything you need to know, including:

• Which pages users visited
• The number of users visiting various pages
• Average time spent on a page
• How many leave immediately after clicking your website

The Behavior tab also tells you the Exit Rate. Unlike the Bounce Rate, the Exit Rate is a percentage of how many people leave your website from a specific page. Users should leave your website from a thank you or contact page rather than another page. Otherwise, your website may not have had the answer to their query.

Conversion

The obvious goal of an online retailer is to make a sale, while someone in financial services will want users to reach out through a contact form for a consultation. 

The Conversion tab delivers insight into how well you’ve achieved these goals. However, you must first set your goals in the Conversion tab to see results.

Measuring the Performance of Google Ads

Business owners often link Google Ads to their Google Analytics platform to analyze their website performance further. Google Ads strictly delivers information regarding ad campaigns. The key performance indicators in Google Ads are as follows:

Impressions

You can think of an impression as you would when first introduced to someone new. In Google Ads, an impression indicates a user saw a link to your website in Google Search, News or Discover.

Impressions may not seem like a big deal, but they are a crucial tidbit of information. These metrics are not all created equal, though. A meaningful impression signifies your website offered something of value to the user. Otherwise, you may accrue a higher bounce rate.

Click-Through Rate

The CTR is also straightforward — the number of people who saw your ad to the number of those who clicked on it. CTRs reveal your website’s SEO and ad performance and relevancy. 

For instance, if your ad has seven clicks for 100 impressions, the CTR would be 7%. Use this information to update ad content for higher user engagement.

Clicks

Google Ads counts every ad click, even if the person doesn’t reach a temporarily unavailable site.

Your CTR will help you determine whether clicks landed on your website. Like CTRs, improving keywords and content can boost the click metric.

Position and Ad Rank

Position indicates where your website lands in Google search results only. You should strive to reach the top spot in local search, if not on the first page.

Conversely, Ad Rank measures where your ad lands on a page so users see it. In some cases, they may not appear at all. Focus on your top KPIs to determine where your ads fall. 

Cost

The cost is the average daily budget you have set up to run your ad campaign. You determine how much you want to spend for ads and can edit the amount as you see fit. 

Cost-Per-Click

CPC references a bidding campaign in which you pay according to each ad click. For instance, marketers will set up a maximum CPC — the highest amount they’ll pay for daily ad clicks.

Google will run your ads and charge you every time someone clicks on it. If someone clicks on your ad after you’ve met your maximum bid, Google will not charge you anything.

Tips for Optimizing Your Google Analytics

There is a lot for you to learn when you first set up your Google Analytics account. Some business owners may not have the knowledge to utilize its features comprehensively. Fortunately, you can tweak your Google Dashboard to improve tracking and boost your website’s performance. 

The first thing business owners should do is enroll in Google’s free digital marketing course. “Fundamentals of Digital Marketing” has over 40 hours of content in 26 self-paced modules. At the end of the course, you will receive a Google certificate and walk away with basic knowledge of how to maximize your analytics and ads.

Other things you can do to improve your website analytics in your Google Dashboard include:

• Segment your visitors by location, device, conversions, IP address and more
• Apply filters, such as dates or unnecessary traffic reports
• Set up your website objectives to ensure you reach your analytics goals
• Utilize Google’s annotation features for reminders and notes on specific data
• Subscribe to weekly or monthly reports of your top insights
• Link your Google Analytics and Google Ads accounts so your information appears in one place

In July 2023, Google rolled out Google Analytics 4 — a new design to enhance measuring the customer journey, including improved privacy settings and predictive capabilities. Users can still see their Universal Analytics platform but should integrate Google Analytics 4.

Use the Google Dashboard to Maximize Website Performance

Understanding your online target audience is critical. The Google Dashboard has everything you need to understand your reach and boost your website performance. 

The post A Beginner’s Guide for Navigating the Google Dashboard appeared first on Designerly.

Infographics have become a staple in the online world. You’ll often spot them on social media, breaking down complex data into visually appealing and digestible formats. While nothing beats a tailor-made infographic by a skilled designer, there are times when budget constraints and tight schedules call for a quicker solution. That’s where an infographic maker steps in.

While these tools may have limitations, they provide a fast way to craft eye-catching graphics for your audience. If you’re curious about the leading infographic makers this year, use this list below.

1. Visme

Visme is an excellent infographic maker, popular for its large collection of templates for various content needs — from timelines to statistical information. Its user-friendly interface ensures even beginners can get started and produce professional-quality designs. 

Yet, what truly sets Visme apart is the tools at your disposal. Easily sync color pallets, choose complementary fonts and integrate videos with only a few clicks. Visme allows amateur designs to become expert creations, streamlining the process for everyone.

Pros

• Extensive template library catering to diverse needs.
• User-friendly for beginners and pros.
• Seamless integration of multimedia elements like videos.
• 100MB for storage.

Cons

• Some advanced features may be locked behind a premium paywall.
• Limited stock of images and GIFs.

2. Canva

Canva is a leading name in graphic design tools — notably popular among non-professionals for its user-centric approach. While it offers many design templates, infographics are among the top categories.

The platform has a knack for social media, offering templates tailored for various platforms. Therefore, it makes sharing your creations seamless. This focus on social media integration and features like scheduling and workflow make it a top choice, especially for enterprise users. 

Beyond its design tools, Canva gives users educational content featuring tutorials, articles and courses at zero cost.

Pros

• Wide variety of templates, especially for infographics.
• Made for easy social media sharing and scheduling.
• No account creation is required to start creating content.
• Download content in various formats, including PNG, PDF and JPG.
• Up to 5GB of storage for free, 100GB for Pro and unlimited for Enterprise.

Cons

• Premium templates are restricted to paying users.
• Can be slightly overwhelming for first-time users due to its extensive features.

3. Venngage

Venngage positions itself as a free infographic tool. Though, it’s important to know that “free” isn’t all-encompassing here. Many of the templates are available for payment.

Venngage is more than an infographic maker — users can craft flyers, presentations and other visual content. A unique feature of Venngage is its initial questionnaire so that it can understand the purpose of your design. It then prompts users to pick from sample designs to gauge preferred styles.

Based on these choices, it suggests templates that can sometimes feel generic. For those new to the platform, Venngage offers a handy walkthrough to navigate its features.

Pros

• Infographic templates are categorical, from statistical data to timelines.
• Many design elements to choose from, like videos, photos and icons.

Cons

• Free versions have watermarks on the design.
• No available downloads for free users.
• Size options are slightly limited.

4. Piktochart

Piktochart is a versatile infographic maker, enabling users to translate information into captivating designs. You can also use Piktochart for more than infographics — it offers the flexibility to craft presentations, reports and flyers. Piktochart is easy to use, so it’s accessible for beginners and experienced users. 

Its collection of templates provides a good starting point, allowing users to pick and customize according to their needs. While Piktochart’s toolkit is fairly robust, the platform’s simplicity and ease of use often win users over.

Pros

• Intuitive design interface for all skill levels.
• Various design options for infographics.
• A wide template collection for quick starts.

Cons

• You can only get two free downloads.
• Some of the best templates and tools come at a premium.
• Downloads only come in PNG and PDF.

5. Appypie Design

Appypie Design is part of the broader AppyPie suite, simplifying the creation process across various domains. The design tool caters to users seeking quickly produced graphics for business, personal or social media purposes. Its beginner-friendly interface makes it easy for those without a design background. The platform’s main strength lies in its AI-generated designs. An average user can make visually-appealing graphics with the use of a prompt.

Pros

• User-centered, AI-powered design platform.
• Many options for your design needs, from infographics to posters and social media graphics.
• Unlimited graphics at only $6 per month.
• Lots of images to choose from.

Cons

• Watermarks on designs for free users.
• Customer support is unavailable for free users.
• Only four projects per month unless you pay for the Pro plan. 

6. VistaCreate

VistaCreate is a free design tool geared towards crafting beautiful visuals, infographics included. This infographic maker is especially useful for those who need more design experience. You can make infographics from thousands of design templates with ease. With a rich library of templates, users can also access customization features to fit specific needs.

Many users favor VistaCreate, particularly for its balance of simplicity and functionality. With ready-to-make templates, you can create infographics that speak to your audience easily. 

Pros

• Easy to use for beginners and seasoned designers.
• Color and photo customization options.
• Background remover and layering.
• Social media scheduling and posting.
• Branding kit

Cons

• Pay for premium designs and features.
• Limited templates and animations for free users.

7. Snappa

Snappa is a straightforward graphic design tool that makes content creation quick and easy. It’s an ideal choice for those who need to whip up infographics in a pinch. With a streamlined interface, users can jump straight into designing without a steep learning curve. 

Snappa has a decent collection of templates, making it easy to get started. It also offers customization options to create attractive designs geared toward your audience. What makes Snappa different from other infographic makers is its efficient integration with social media. You can create a graphic and seamlessly share your content through Twitter or Facebook.

Pros

• Beginner-friendly
• Built-in knowledge base and video tutorials.
• Paid users get unlimited access to photos and videos.
• Includes brand logos for your infographic.
• Download in JPG and PNG file formats.

Cons

• Three downloads per month for free users.
• No photos or illustrations.
• Limited customization options.

Use an Infographic Maker Right for You

An Infographic maker is a valuable tool for beginner graphic designers or when time is of the essence. These tools share common features, but the ideal pick should align with your needs and budget. Consider giving these tools a test run to find the best fit. Giving each infographic maker a spin will let you determine which you like the most.

The post 7 Must-Try Infographic Makers for Graphic Designers appeared first on Designerly.

If your webpage displays an HTTP 302 error code, you should fix it as soon as possible so visitors can continue to access your website. Here’s why you might be getting the error code and what you can do to fix it.

What Does an HTTP 302 Error Code Mean? 

An HTTPS 302 error code is a sign your page isn’t redirecting properly, preventing visitors from getting to the location you’re trying to send them to. You can get it when you attempt to visit a resource that you’ve moved or when your redirect attempt doesn’t work. 

Typically, HTTPS 302 is a handy way to temporarily redirect visitors when you perform site maintenance, display different pages to target demographics or want to carry over your link juice. However, if you see an error code, it isn’t performing as it should. 

Does an HTTP 302 Error Code Affect SEO?

Luckily, an HTTP 302 error code doesn’t directly impact SEO since search engines view it as a routine, temporary change. Google won’t deindex the original page, so it retains its ranking and domain authority. However, this may pose a problem if you want to genuinely redirect visitors. 

Although your website’s SEO remains relatively unaffected, you can’t improve it at all as long as the error is present. A 302 redirect is only supposed to be temporary, so it’s best to fix any issues immediately.

Since HTTP 302 causes Google to continue indexing the original page, the new URL doesn’t receive the link juice. If you intend for the redirect to contribute to your website’s SEO, you must readjust it. 

Why Are You Getting an Error Code? 

Misconfigurations, plugin conflicts, redirection issues, and server incompatibilities can be why you get an error code. 

Here are some common causes of an HTTPS 302 error code: 

• Plugins: WordPress has nearly 60,000 plugins on its official site. While people often use one to help redirect visitors, it won’t work properly if it conflicts with other tools or has incorrect settings.

• Settings misconfiguration: Misconfigurations in your website or URL settings can confuse the server, causing a 302 error.

• Redirect loops: Accidentally setting a page to redirect away and then back to itself creates an infinite loop that servers can’t handle, causing an error code to appear.  

• Web host provider: While error codes beginning with “4” stem from end-user complications, the 302 code occurs because something went wrong with the web server host. Sometimes, the hosting provider has technical issues that are the cause.

• Server logs: Since browsers keep records of every action on the servers, they sometimes accidentally retain incompatible changes, causing an error.

While there are many reasons why a 302 error code could appear, these are the most common. Luckily, all of the solutions are relatively straightforward.

How to Fix an HTTP 302 Error Code

Use one of these seven methods to fix your 302 error. Some solutions may differ since WordPress websites have multiple hosting options, web server types, and plugins.

1. Deactivate Plugins and Themes

Misconfigurations or incompatibility in plugins and themes can sometimes cause HTTP 302 errors. If you deactivate them all and your website suddenly works as it should, turn each off one at a time until you find which one causes the issue. 

2. Clear Server Logs

You must clear your logs to fix incompatibilities with server logs. To do so, log into your admin account with cPanel or hPanel and remove them. If you want to manually clear browser logs on WordPress, use the WP_DEBUG PHP constant. 

It should be set to “define( ‘WP_DEBUG’, false );” by default for security reasons, so you must change it to “define( ‘WP_DEBUG’, true );” to begin. From there, you can access the error log and make adjustments.

3. Check the Validity of Redirects

If your page displays “ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS,” it’s in a redirect loop. You create one when you direct a visitor away from a page and then bring them back. It’s a straightforward fix, as you only need to verify the domain name and URL spelling is correct. 

You can also get an HTTP 302 error if you accidentally redirect visitors to the wrong location. The fix is the same, as you simply must ensure everything is correct. On WordPress, go to the dashboard, navigate to Settings, and click “General.” Make sure the “Address (URL)” and “Site Address (URL)” fields match and are correct. 

4. Check Software Compatibility 

HTTP 1.0 Request for Comment (RFC) is an important internet standard that controls when pages display a 302 code. Websites are supposed to ask visitors to accept the redirect, but they sometimes proceed without confirmation. This automatic redirection creates server issues, causing the error code. 

The newer version — HTTP 1.1 RFC — utilizes 303 and 307 codes as a workaround and can handle “POST” and “GET” responses. Ensure your software is compatible with HTTP 1.1 to fix your 302 error code. Be mindful that this method may affect your SEO since most SERPs don’t index pages with a 307 redirect like they do a 302 version.

5. Check Website Server Configuration

Since a website-server misconfiguration can cause an HTTPS 302 error to appear, you must ensure you’ve configured everything properly. Use a control panel or FTP client to access the root directory and open the “.htaccess” file. 

Apache web server users must look for the “RewriteRule” and “RewriteCond” directives. If the “RewriteRule” line displays “[R=302]” at the end, it’s telling the browser to perform a temporary redirect. 

Nginx web server users need to find the “nginx.conf” file and rewrite the redirection directives. You can adjust these directives here to fix the issue. To be safe, save a backup before making changes.

6. Restore the Website from a Backup

Since an HTTPS 302 error code can come from a malicious redirection attempt or misconfigurations, a backup restoration is a straightforward cure-all. You should be in the clear as long as you restore from an iteration that doesn’t have the issue. 

7. Contact Your Hosting Provider

If the HTTP 302 error code persists despite all of your attempts to fix it, the issue may require an expert’s technical insight. Contacting your web host provider is the best approach when all else fails — especially considering they may be causing the issue. 

Can You Prevent HTTP 302 Errors?

You can double-check your work whenever you reconfigure or redesign your website to prevent future HTTP 302 errors from appearing. Once you fix it, make a backup so you have something to compare any future issues against. You must back up your website with a plugin, a control panel, or an FTP client since WordPress doesn’t automatically perform backups for you.

Although no method guarantees you will never get an error code again since a web-server miscommunication can be entirely out of your control, you can significantly reduce the chances of it reoccurring with the correct methods.

Prevent Future Error Codes

Although fixing your HTTPS 302 error code can be tricky, preventing it from happening again is very straightforward. Since you know what caused it in the first place, you can keep an eye out and prevent it from happening again.

The post What’s an HTTP 302 Error Code? And How to Fix It appeared first on Designerly.

What are the best fonts for flyers you can find on Google Fonts? If you’ve used any Google Drive apps, like Docs or Slides, you’ve probably noticed you can use thousands of free fonts directly through Google. 

This is a great resource for creating flyers, but how do you choose the best fonts from so many options? This guide will get you started. 

How to Choose Good Fonts for Flyers

How do you choose a good font for your flyers? While font style varies depending on what you’re advertising, a few rules of thumb are always helpful. 

For example, you usually want to choose two fonts: one for your headline or splash text and one for everything else. This helps the highlight of your flyer stand out, such as the name of your event. 

The display font for your headline should be eye-catching but clear. Some stylized fonts may be less readable but can uniquely convey the type of event, product or service you’re advertising. For example, the Creepster font below is perfect for advertising a scary movie night on campus. 

The display font also has the important job of conveying the tone of your flyer. Different fonts subconsciously indicate different emotions for readers, such as casual or formal. Consider how a font makes you feel when you’re trying to choose the best font for your flyer. 

The body text and subtitle of your flyer should be in a more neutral font that doesn’t distract from your big headline text. Avoid using stylized fonts for this text and prioritize readability. 

Top 10 Display Fonts for Flyers on Google Fonts

The display font will be for your flyer’s headline, so it’s the most important one you’ll pick out. Google Fonts has some great options for headline text. We’ve selected ten of the very best, including some unique stylized options. 

1. Bungee/Bungee Shade

Bungee and its cousin Bungee Shade are both bold, eye-catching fonts that are great for headline text. They’re modern and blocky with a slightly edgy, fun aesthetic. This font looks great in colors, too, due to the thick, rounded letter shapes. 

2. Lobster Two

Lobster Two is a lovely font for flyers that want a certain type of cozy, elegant aesthetic. This font is well-suited for advertising things like restaurants or book clubs. Cursive is a distinctive choice for flyers, so use it sparingly and make it large enough to maintain readability. 

3. Concert One

Concert One is a clean, rounded font that stands out well without compromising readability. It’s clear, welcoming and modern. This is a good font for all types of flyers, with a bold but neutral tone. Concert One is positive, yet professional, making it a good font for advertising a business or professional event.

4. Playfair Display

Playfair Display is a great font for flyers that need a bit of a sophisticated touch or old-time charm. This serif font is perfect for formal events, such as formal dinners or meetings. It is also good for evoking feelings of 19th and 20th century nostalgia, such as for screenings of classic black-and-white films. 

5. Creepster

Creepster is the perfect font for advertising all types of spooky events and goods! This unique display font is perfect for flyers for scary movie nights or Halloween parties. It is inspired by classic horror film poster fonts and looks great in different colors. 

6. Permanent Marker

Permanent Marker is a good font for flyers with a more casual, laid-back or sporty aesthetic. It’s great for everything from rock bands to football practice or car washes. With its hand-written shapes, Permanent Marker tends to look best in black, but can also shine in white or red. 

7. Hammersmith One

Hammersmith One is another great all-purpose font. This is one of the best fonts for flyers due to its clean, readable shapes and bolded lettering. It’s distinctive and eye-catching but still easy to read. It looks good in any color, as well. 

8. Caprasimo

Caprasimo is one of the most fun fonts for flyers. It evokes classic fonts commonly used in the 70s and 80s, giving it a warm, nostalgic feel. Caprasimo looks best with a normal letter case, rather than all-caps. It’s great for retro-themed events or anything fun, casual and upbeat. 

9. Rubik Mono One

Rubik Mono One is one of the best fonts for flyers due to its eye-catching all-caps design. It’s a more serious font, but works for many types of events, goods and services. It’s perfect for your flyer’s main title or splash text and works well in almost any color. 

10. Suez One

Suez One is a blend of Hammersmith One and Caprasimo in its design. It is a good all-around display font for flyers, with bolded serif shapes that retain readability. Much like Caprasimo, it evokes feelings of fun and relaxation, making it best for casual events.

Subtitle and Text Fonts

Along with a display font, your flyer also needs a secondary font for your subtitle and any additional text. This font should be different from your display font to help the main title of your poster stand out more. 

Google has some great free fonts for flyers for this category, as well. Poppins, Raleway, Josefin Slab/Sans, Epilogue and Petrona are all great choices. 

When choosing a subtitle or text font for your flyer, choose something emotionally neutral. With these fonts it’s always best to prioritize readability since the text of your flyer needs to convey important details like price or meeting time. 

With some designs it can also help to match the genre of your font, such as serif, sans serif, slab serif and monospace. For instance, if your display font is sans serif, it may be a good idea to choose another sans serif font for your flyer text. 

This is a general recommendation, though, not a hard-and-fast rule. Unique display fonts in particular can often be matched with any neutral text font.

Additionally, it is also a good idea to print your subtitle or text font in a neutral color, usually black. White can also work if you have a dark background on your flyer. If you are going to use a colored font, try to use it for your display font to further emphasize the title of your flyer. 

Top Fonts for Flyers on Google Fonts

Google Fonts is a great place to freely and easily find fonts for flyers, posters, pamphlets and more. There are thousands of fonts to choose from, so our team selected ten of the very best, plus five neutral fonts for flyer subtitles and text. These fonts are great for advertising a wide range of events, products and services with eye-catching creativity. 

The post 10 Best Fonts for Flyers on Google Fonts appeared first on Designerly.

Social media is still relatively new within the business landscape. Yet, as digital marketers realize its growing impact and importance, social media marketing jobs are everywhere.

Of course, careers in social media have evolved — a breadth of new titles makes the job search somewhat confusing. As such, determining how to find the right social media position requires a bit of legwork. In this article, you’ll find everything you need to know to launch a successful social media marketing career.

The Job Market for Social Media Marketing

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 10% job growth in marketing by 2031 — much of which comprises digital marketing specialists, including social media managers. This is good news for tech-savvy folks, as all companies rely on a solid social media presence to thrive. 

Nearly 4.48 billion people use social media globally — up from 2.07 billion in 2015. Additionally, one user typically engages with around six social media platforms daily. 

Managing multiple platforms simultaneously takes up time most workers don’t have — a core reason companies need a designated person to handle engagement. Social media is one of the most effective ways to interact with your target audience and gain loyal followers of your brand — particularly younger consumers.

Top Skills of a Social Media Marketer

A social media marketer wears several hats — marketer, copywriter, content creator, strategist and customer service representative. As a result, they must possess wide-ranging skills to run effective campaigns and build brand awareness.

Those in social media marketing jobs must have the following skill sets:

• Effective communication
• Writing and creativity
• Graphic design
• Project management skills
• Strategic thinking
• Customer service and “people skills”
• Research capabilities — such as determining the target audience
• Flexibility
• Data analysis and reporting, with an understanding of analytics insights
• Budget management — for paid social media marketing

As social media rapidly evolves, digital marketers must have expertise in growing trends. For instance, paid social has grown increasingly popular as organic reach declines. About 51.4% of marketers will increase paid social spending to improve targeting and marketing efficiency. 

Social media specialists must also adapt to changes within their industry. Aside from emerging platforms, honing in on old and new skills and learning about technological advances is essential. This is especially true as artificial intelligence may cause upheaval in the digital world. 

Where to Search for Social Media Marketing Jobs

Social media marketing jobs are listed just about everywhere online. While you can find many of these roles on Indeed, Monster, ZipRecruiter and CareerBuilder, several freelance and remote work job boards also advertise them. 

FlexJobs

FlexJobs is one of the most extensive job and resource databases for telecommuting roles, including part-time, full-time and temporary. To access the website, you must buy a subscription ranging from $9.95 to $59.95, depending on whether you subscribe for one week, a month, three months or a year. However, new enrollees get a discount.

Virtual Vocations

Virtual Vocations works similarly to FlexJobs, guaranteeing screened telecommute listings you can filter in search. Although you can view the social media marketing jobs on the website, you must pay for unlimited access to view company names and other details. 

Jobspresso

Upload your resume to Jobspresso so employers can find you. In the meantime, you can browse various marketing opportunities for social media roles — Jobspresso vets companies and job listings to eliminate scams.

Home With the Kids

Nearly 400,000 more women than men left the workforce during COVID-19 — many have yet to return, facing bias or lacking child care. Home With the Kids is a remote work database for stay-at-home moms with occasional social media marketing listings.

Freelancer.com

Head over to Freelancer.com — the largest freelancing job marketplace on the internet. Freelancer.com connects more than 67 million employers and freelancers from 247 countries. It’s an excellent place to start your solo career in social media.

Job Search: Common Keywords and Titles

A strategic job search for social media marketing jobs isn’t as straightforward as typing “social media opportunities” in the search bar. Companies use different titles when listing available positions — sometimes with varying job descriptions. Standard job titles for social media include the following:

• Social media manager: Oversees all aspects of the social media department, ensuring the message and aesthetics align with the brand
• Social media specialist: Strategizes new social media campaigns and develops content for posts, including images and writing — then schedules posts and reports insights
• Social media coordinator: Develops an active social media presence to boost brand awareness and reputation, engaging followers and monitoring operations
• Social media community manager: Engages followers across all platforms, moderates comments and fosters brand loyalty and personalization
• Social media intern: Gains foundational experience in social media management, focusing on basic tasks, such as writing captions, scheduling or researching trends

Aside from internships, companies may not fully comprehend the differences between social media roles. As such, your job duties may evolve or cross over into related tasks over time.

Related Jobs for Social Media

Social media marketing professionals may also be interested in corresponding jobs to broaden their search. Similar positions often include:

• Blogger: Writes and optimizes engaging SEO articles to improve search engine rankings and share on social media
• Content curator: Stays abreast of social media trends and curates appropriate content — images, articles and videos — to share across the brand’s social media platforms
• Brand manager: Generates messaging to build brand awareness and integrity across all traditional marketing methods and social media platforms
• Digital strategist: Develops multi-channel campaigns using paid media and SEO strategies to build brand awareness and boost sales
• Content strategist: Recognizes digital marketing trends and prepares content to share across all platforms, including social media, blogs and the company website
• Data analyst: Analyzes insights from social media campaigns, reports findings and strategizes areas of improvement
• Digital project manager: Ensures the completion of digital campaigns on time and on budget for client satisfaction
• Creative director: Manages entire creative department of social media professionals, copywriters, graphic designers and others

You may discover you can apply your social media skills to one of these related opportunities for increased pay or job growth.

Social Media Marketing Salaries

Social media marketers earn an average total of $63,757 annually, with a base salary of $58,802. Of course, wages vary depending on experience, industry, education and location.

Conversely, freelancers must determine their own rate for client projects — often a difficult task. Freelancers make an average of $52,613 at an hourly rate of $25.29. However, top earners could earn over $80,000. Other pay factors include charging a monthly retainer or a percentage of revenue for lead generation.

Find Your Next Social Media Marketing Job

Job seekers have thousands of opportunities for social media marketing jobs. They simply need an effective search strategy to discover the right one. Try using different keyword search queries across various job boards — you don’t want to miss out on finding your dream career.

The post A Guide to Social Media Marketing Jobs appeared first on Designerly.

Facebook has become a crucial tool for many small businesses in this age of social connection. Yet, many run into the problem of getting more Facebook followers. With the algorithms favoring users more than businesses, organically growing your following can pose difficulties. 

However, businesses need followers to increase their visibility and enhance customer engagement. Doing so provides companies with ways to direct consumers to products and services and eventually make more sales. So, how can they increase their Facebook followers if the algorithm works against them?

They need the right strategies in play, so here are practical tips to help you get more Facebook Followers each day.

1. Optimize Your Facebook Page

Growing your following on Facebook starts with optimizing your business’s page. Your business Facebook page is the hub for your brand, where potential followers can learn more about it and what it offers. Start making the most of your business’s profile by:

• Completing your information: Make a good first impression by filling out all the information customers need about your business. These include your “About Me” section, business hours and a profile image. You could also upload a high-quality cover photo that displays information about who you serve.

• Use keywords strategically: For potential followers to find your business page, you must incorporate relevant keywords. These keywords should be in your page’s title, about section and posts. Relevant keywords should be your business name, location and the products or services.

• Add your website link: Including a link to your business’s website enhances your credibility on Facebook and increases site traffic. Be sure to place it in prominent places, such as your About section and the website field in your page’s contact information.

2. Post Consistent, Quality Content

Consistent posting of quality content is the key to getting more Facebook followers. Doing so keeps existing followers engaged, making them more likely to share your content and get your brand noticed. 

Start posting consistently by creating a schedule. For instance, if you have a month’s worth of content, use tools like Hootsuite to schedule and automate posting. Try to aim for at least one post per day to ensure you stay active. Yet, it’s imperative that the quantity of content does not sacrifice the quality. 

What you post is just as important as how often you post. So when it comes time to publish a post, ensure it is relevant and provides value. Whether you post something informative or a fun behind-the-scenes snapshot, each piece of content should resonate and reflect your brand’s voice.

Visuals also have the power to boost engagement. From videos and images to infographics, you make it easy for your followers to consume and share. Videos have the highest engagement rate on Facebook. In fact, their engagement rate equates to 6.09%, compared to images with only 4.42%.

Videos become high-quality when they teach your audience something new or if they’re outright entertaining. When creating content, be sure to show them that you understand their needs and provide value.

3. Engage With Your Audience Daily

Engaging with your audience is another great way to get more Facebook followers. The more you interact with users, the more visible your business becomes. However, engagement requires a strategy to help you win the hearts of followers and attract more.

One of the ways to increase engagement is by responding to comments and queries on your Facebook page. Every time you receive a comment, message or review, it’s important that you reply immediately. That way, you show you value their input and encourage them to keep engaging with you.

You can also encourage audience interaction by asking questions, posting polls and quizzes or going live. Broadcasting your business and putting it out there is key to boosting engagement and garnering your audience’s attention.

Yet, the important thing is to make sure you’re listening and providing genuine responses. If you show that you’re truly interested in engaging your audience, they will likely remain loyal and advocate for your brand.

4. Leverage Facebook Advertising

Sometimes getting more Facebook followers takes more than a quality post or active engagement. Many companies resort to advertising so they reach a larger, more targeted audience. Facebook has around 2.98 billion active users to date, and advertising is a true tactic to gain future followers. 

The first step to running a successful ad is knowing the exact audience you want to reach. Start by filling in Facebook’s detailed targeting options, such as location, age, gender, interests and more. Inputting this information will make it more likely for your ads to show up in front of people who may show interest in your business. 

Once you have your audience’s demographic details in place, you can start setting up a new ad campaign by following these steps:

• Choose your objective: Since your goal is to gain followers, “Page Likes” or “Engagement” may be most suitable.
• Set your budget: Choose a daily or lifetime budget, and Facebook will keep the advertising cost within this amount. You can always increase your budget at a later time if your ad is performing well.
• Design your ad: Create an engaging ad with eye-catching visuals and compelling copy. Use your brand colors and messaging, and ensure the copy is concise to retain their attention. You can choose from various formats like a single image, video or carousel. 

After your ad goes live, you’ll need to track its performance to ensure everything is working. You can find this information in your Facebook Ads Manager and review the analytics. Based on the results, be sure to tweak your campaign for better performance. 

5. Collaborate With Influencers and Other Brands

Partnerships with influencers and other brands can substantially boost your Facebook follower count. It’s a powerful strategy that leverages networks beyond your reach. However, influencers can be costly if their rates aren’t within your budget. Instead, many brands choose to collaborate with niche fan pages — ones that like to share new products or articles within a niche. 

These fan pages have large followings, and partnering with the most relevant ones will give you a significant reach to potential followers. Plus, they’re typically more cost-effective than actual influencers. 

Therefore, it’s important that you find the right partner by researching their audience. Find out if their audience overlaps with yours by using tools like Facebook’s “Pages to Watch.” This feature allows you to identify potential partners, contributing to higher success.

Once you’ve identified potential collaborators, approach them with a personalized proposal. Be clear about what you’re proposing, the benefits they gain and the terms of the partnership. Collaborations always work best when they’re mutually beneficial. 

Empower Your Small Business With a Strong Facebook Following

Small businesses have plenty of opportunities to leverage so they can get more Facebook followers. The tactics mentioned here are great starter tactics, but it also helps to get creative with how you attract more followers. 

Every business is unique, and what works for one company may not work as well for another. So strive to experiment and find what strategies align with your brand. Test and refine these strategies by measuring your results and see where your efforts will take you. 

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