• Branding, Graphic Design

    Why A High Quality Logo Design Costs More Than $200

    Why A High Quality Logo Design Costs More

    When most people think about a designer, they think that we create pretty graphics. That or they don’t understand what our job is. If you thought that the role of a graphic designer is to create pretty graphics, then you’re wrong. A designer actually plays different roles and that’s why a high quality logo design costs more than $100.

    The real reason why a high quality logo design costs more

    No matter what type of designer you are, you are wearing a lot of hats.  3 of those main hats are: problem solver, strategist, and creator.

    Problem solver

    You need a logo for your company, but you’re not going to take just any logo right? Well, I hope not. I would hope that your logo was created to represent your business and resonate with your target audience. That’s where a graphic designer comes in.

     

    I'm a better detective.

     

    The first thing I do when I book a client is to send them homework. What’s the point of the homework? This is one of the ways I conduct research. Yes, before our first meeting, I research everything I can about your industry and target audience.

    Then, by the time we have our first meeting, I already have your creative brief and mood board ready for your approval. The creative brief makes sure that we’re on the same page about your brand. The mood board is the guideline for inspiration for when I start designing the logo or any design project.

    Click here to read more about the homework process.

    Strategist

    Now it’s time to create a strategy. Once I research your business and your audience, it’s time to think about the end goal. Depending on the project, the end goal is different. For a logo, the goal is to create something that resonates with both the brand and the target audience.

    So what does the audience want? Well, it’s my job to research that. Every answer would be different depending on the business. When I do find the answer, it’s time to start brainstorming.

     

    Strategist

     

    During the brainstorming session, I list out as many ideas as I can that represent the business. Basically, it’s like creating a mind map of all the possible directions that the brand could go in. Once I’m done with that, it’s time to create. (more…)

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  • YouTube

    5 reasons a youtuber needs a graphic and web designer

    5 reasons a youtuber needs a graphic and web designer

    If you want to be legit on YouTube, it’s not about filming and uploading anymore. With all the competition, users are looking for high-quality content to consume. Everyone knows that audio and video quality are important. In fact, it’s easier than ever to record high-quality content with just your phone. So what’s the next step? Design. To look professional, you need a brand and a website. Here are 5 reasons a Youtuber needs a graphic and web designer.

    5 reasons a Youtuber needs a graphic and web designer

    It’s time to look professional. I’m not talking about wearing a suit and tie. I’m talking about looking like a legit business, or an authority in whatever content you’re creating.  It has to look like you have a production team producing your video, even though it’s just one person. Besides saving you time and energy to focus on creating your videos, here are the ways that a designer can help elevate your YouTube channel.

    01. Logo and branding

    One of the first things you must have to look professional is a logo. Your logo will be everywhere and help with brand recognition. You’ll use your logo on your YouTube channel in the channel art, your YouTube video, on your website, media kit (if you plan to apply to affiliates), business card (if you plan to network), and so on.

    Besides your logo, you also need a graphic designer to research and develop your brand. Why is branding important? You can think of it as creating a signature style for your channel and other assets. It keeps everything consistent. You’ll use the same fonts, colors, imagery, and so on. Sounds boring, right? Well, this helps with brand recognition. If you keep using the same style, people will start to know you for it. Not only that, but it saves you time in content creation. You’ll never have to guess which font and colors to use because it’s already decided.

    02. Title graphics and channel art

    A graphic designer can design your channel, title, and thumbnail graphics for your videos. If you already have an established brand, this will help with brand recognition. For your YouTube channel, the cover art is the main graphic on the page. It should showcase the important details of your channel.

    Another thing you might not think about is the branding watermark on the bottom right side of the video. This graphic is usually the logo, but it could be a submark or an icon that’s relevant to your brand.

    Tutor in Tinseltown YouTube Channel art

     

    Thumbnails are the first thing people see when they’re browsing videos. Great thumbnails will obviously get more click-throughs. Not only that, but some people will also use title graphics in their videos to showcase what the video is about. Check out this video from Jenn Im for an example of cool title graphics. You’ll see that her thumbnail video and title graphics are completely different. (more…)

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  • Web

    5 tips for creating your own WordPress website

    5 tips for creating your own WordPress website

    If you don’t have the money to hire a designer, don’t give up on having a website. If you have a genius business idea, just quickly set up your own website, make the money, and hire a designer when you have the budget. Now you’re thinking ‘I don’t have any knowledge of creating a website’, but WordPress makes it really easy. Here are 5 tips for creating your own WordPress website.

    5 tips for creating your own WordPress website

    01. Looks matter

    No matter what, your site has to look professional. If your site looks horrible, you will lose potential customers. WordPress themes usually have a clean and minimalist design. All you have to do is pick a theme that matches what you want. This may sound easy, but it’s actually hard.

    Before you even think about creating your website, research your competition or jot down all the things you like about the websites you usually go to. Do you want a blog? Jot it down. Do you hate blog sidebars? Make a note of that. Do you want your navigation in the center or to the right or left? Make note of that.

    The first thing you need to do is go to wordpress.org (not wordpress.com) and download WordPress. Once you set it up, you can pick your theme. Now, go back to the list of things you want and don’t want on your website. Does this theme have a blog sidebar? Is the navigation where you want it to be? Once you see a theme that has everything you want, install it.

    Warning!

    Make sure you also pick a theme that isn’t complicated to use. If you know that there’s a learning curve when it comes to using technology, don’t pick a theme with a lot going on. Do you need that video header? Do you need all those sliders? Only pick a theme you know you can handle.

    Remember, you’re just trying to get up and running. You can hire a professional later for all the other things you need. I have seen a lot of people give up on creating a website because they get frustrated.

     

    Brand Your Own Biz

    02. Where am I supposed to go?

    (more…)

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