When business is booming, it’s easy to put blogging on the back burner. If you blog frequently, it can seem logical to cut back on something that can require a lot of your thought, time, resources, and skill. However, investing all that time and skill has a very real payoff -- 74% of businesses say that engaging blog content increases their quality and quantity of leads. Surely worth the investment, right?

There are umpteen reasons you need to be blogging, but for the purpose of this post we’ll focus our attention solely on some of the top SEO and brand authority benefits.
 

Blogging is a staple part of your SEO strategy

Linking

First and foremost, blogging gives you significantly more opportunity to link internally. The logic is simple -- the more quality content you have on your site, the more relevant pages you can point visitors to.

The second opportunity comes in the form of external links. If you’re pushing out engaging, authoritative, and useful content, other sites will want to link to it, so that they can add value to their audience, too. Evergreen content (timeless content that attracts both first time and repeat readers) is especially great for this, because it can earn you links until the end of time - for free!
 

Enhance your engagement

Blogging not only helps to get visitors landing on your site, but it helps to retain them too. So, why does this matter? Low bounce rates and longer session durations are signs that you’re providing people with quality content, which is exactly what search engines look for when serving people search results. 

Long-term, this will boost your rankings and help you come up higher in a Google search. 
 

Target your keywords

Blogging is the perfect platform to target all your keywords – as long as you’re incorporating them organically, of course. It allows you to answer the questions your audience is asking, to engineer your content strategy towards what’s being searched for, and to produce intent-based blogs that help to convert.

The end result? Higher rankings, greater organic visibility, more traffic and an increase in sales.

Blogging build your brand’s authority

Become an industry leader

By pushing out timely, high-quality, accurate, and interesting content on a regular basis, you’ll prove yourself as a leader in your arena. People will trust you. When they’ve got a question, they’ll come directly to you. They’ll recommend you to others. And they’ll build a rapport with you without a single word being spoken.
 

They’ll keep on coming back

Great quality content wins lasting relationships. Poor quality content turns people away. One less than interesting article can lose you a visitor for life - it sounds extreme, but it’s true. Cast your mind back to a time when you landed on a poorly put together piece of content: what impression did it leave? And, how fast did you click away from that site? 
 

Get your name out there

Having a regular flow of posts helps you get your business out there. Whether it gets traction from external sites, is shared on social media, included in your weekly newsletter or promoted in paid ads, it gives you something to shout about. Without it, you’ll soon run out of things to say.

So, that’s it for our handpicked pros of blogging. What else do you need to know? Leave us a comment below! 

---

GRAPHIC DESIGN FOR GREENSBORO, NC AND BEYOND

Let us take the headaches out of managing your blog. Whether you need help developing keywords, creating fresh content, or moderating comments, Hue & Tone Creative has you covered. Contact us today.

There’s no denying that deciding which fonts work well together can be (to put it bluntly) an absolute nightmare - but the benefits of fiddling around far outweigh the pain of getting there.

Finding the perfect font pairing can make a massive difference to the look and feel of your website. It changes the way the words on screen gel with your design. It alters the way visitors scan over your copy. And it can impact the overall tone you give off. So it really is key that you hit the nail on the head.

We’ve already shared 7 Squarespace font pairings and, back due to popular demand, now we’re here to give you seven more!

Trebuchet MS + Adobe Garamond Pro

Trebuchet’s instantly easy-to-read style coupled with Adobe’s slightly old school slant effortlessly keeps pages engaging.

---

Source Sans Pro + Raleway

Source Sans in simple and sleek -- pair it with Raleway and you’ve got yourself a modern combo!

---

Alfa Slab One + Titillium Web

This font combination isn't for everyone, but Alfa Slab’s bold presence coupled with Titillium’s techno vibe provides a structured, forward-looking style. 

---

Playfair Display SC + Livory

Get straight to the point with Livory's imposing page presence and Playfair's easy-on-the-eye curls.

---

Acier Bat Text Solid + Sanchez

What happens when you combine sharp points and straight edges? This. It’s different, but who said different’s bad?

---

Adrianna + Work Sans

Both wide in style, Adrianna and Work Sans provide a really easy-to-read package.

---

TextBook New + Tondo Signage

Tondo’s stocky style makes it unideal for chunky blocks of text, but paired with TextBook New it’s ideal for shorter snippets that need snippets that need to catch the reader’s eye.

---

BRANDING + WEB SERVICES IN GREENSBORO: HUE & TONE

Looking for a web designer in Greensboro, Winston Salem or the surrounding areas? Hue & Tone is a creative graphic design agency specializing in logo design, web design, social media management, and more. Give us a call if you’re interested in a custom, branded website that truly tells your story.

Having a slick looking website is key. Having quality content is key. Having an SEO strategy is key. Having an enviable UX journey is key. But what use is all of that if you can’t, or aren’t, monitoring your results?

Measuring traffic is a monumental part of running a website - without it, all your efforts are essentially a guessing game. The benefits of meaningfully measuring your traffic are almost endless, but here’s a summary of our top six. It:
 

• Identifies which pages are and aren’t working for you

• Shows you where improvements can be made

• Presents your business’ peaks and troughs

• Allows you to identify trends and patterns

• Provides a benchmark to continually evolve

• Puts tangible data behind future design, journey and content adaptations
  

If you’re new to this data-driven side of things it can be daunting, but it needn’t be. To help you start your web traffic measurement journey, we’ve got four easy-to-use tools to share with you.

1. Google Analytics

Given it’s the leader of the pack, it only seemed natural to start with Google Analytics (GA). GA is a completely free tracking and reporting platform provided by Google, and it’s an absolute beast in the world of web traffic measurement.

So, let’s take a look at some key metrics you need to be getting the most out of:

Sources: Whether it’s email, SEO, PPC, social, referrals or otherwise, with GA, you can keep abreast of exactly which campaigns are driving traffic to your site, and how much of it they’re bringing in. This will help you to understand which campaigns are working, and which ones are falling flat.

Bounce rate: this is the number of people who land on your site and then ‘bounce’ straight back out. With this one, the lower the number the better. The bounce rate is a really good indicator as to how visitors interact with your site.

A high bounce rate could mean that people find the corresponding page difficult to navigate around, that they don’t like what’s on the page, or that the page isn’t what they expected it to be. Conversely, a low bounce rate shows that visitors have engaged with the page, so much so that they’ve gone and had a look elsewhere on your website.

Time on page: this one ties in nicely with what we’ve just been talking about. A high bounce rate and little time spent on page is the worst combo. Why? Because it’s a sign that the visitor is highly disengaged with what they’ve landed on.

On a more optimistic note, long page durations will show you which pages and content types visitors are interested in, which may help steer the direction you take other pages of your site.

Exit pages: quite simply, this’ll show you at what point visitors are abandoning your site. So, why is this so important? Of course, everyone will leave at one point or another, but if there’s a trend emerging that lots of your visitors are leaving on x page before they complete a conversion, it may well be a sign that some form of action needs taking to rectify it.

Such is the size of GA’s traffic tracking capabilities, we could literally go on forever. But hopefully we’ve given you a flavor of how it can steer your overall strategy.

2.  A/B testing

A/B testing lets you change what your traffic sees when it lands on your site - this could be anything from the text on the page to the color of a button.

So, why’s this so great? Because it puts real-life data behind which variations work best, which can subsequently steer your marketing efforts - for the better.

With A/B testing under your belt, you’re no longer sticking your finger in the air and implementing changes based on what you think might work. Instead, you can make informed decisions using a reliable and representative source of data.

One thing worth mentioning is that’s important to be patient and wait until you’ve built up a decent pot of data before coming to any conclusions. As with any type of research, the numbers need to be statistically significant to add value. Not sure what this means? Check out this calculator to help you with the maths. 

3.  Heatmaps

Another method you can use to measure your web traffic is setting up heatmaps: enter Hotjar (they’re big guns in this arena).

Heatmaps are a really handy way to monitor how your traffic interacts with pages on your site, by tallying up numbers for things like clicks, taps and scrolling behavior.

What does this tell you about your traffic? Well, it tells you where on your page visitors are losing interest. It tells you where people are clicking most, which might steer the placement of your page’s assets. It tells you if certain elements on your page are getting lost. And it tells you which part(s) of the page are drawing the most attention.

All of these learnings can form the basis of navigational, design and content decisions.

As with A/B testing, you should wait until you have a meaningful amount of data before interpreting your numbers and coming to conclusions. Heatmaps work by adding a snippet of code onto chosen pages, so if you’re after quick wins, it might be worth starting with sections of your site that you know receive large volumes of traffic.

 

4.  Visitor videos

Last but not least is the use of visitor recording tools. Admittedly, some of the perks overlap with that of a heatmap, but while heatmaps provide valuable numbers, videos let you actually see your visitors in action.

This helps you monitor and measure your traffic by:

• Understanding visitors’ movements

• Seeing how visitors interact on an individual level

• Getting under the skin of why people get stuck in certain sections

• Seeing exactly where visitors abandon you and forming a picture of the ‘why’

• Allowing you to test new designs and journeys and how they impact your user experience.

The end result? Ample learnings to feed into your website strategy. If you’re unsure of where to go for video recording support, tools like UXPin, Inspectlet, Hotjar and Mouseflow do it well.

---

HUE & TONE: YOUR WEB MARKETING EXPERTS 

Know what you need to improve about your website, but not sure how to do it? Need a fresh perspective on your content and design? Give us a call. We're here to help you with all your web and graphic design needs -- big or small.

Your logo is an integral part of your brand. It identifies you. It distinguishes you. And it creates consistency across everything you do.

Anybody can design any old logo. A professional can design a logo that has meaning, purpose and power. So, without further ado, here are our top seven cases for putting some investment behind your business’ logo.

1.  First impressions

You only have one shot to make a first impression, and a shoddy logo could shoot you in the foot. Put yourself in consumers’ shoes. If you’re looking to purchase a product or service and you stumble across a brand that has a logo that looks like it was made on Paint, it doesn’t set a very good tone for what’s behind the scenes.

2.  Relevancy

Telling a story through design takes a certain skill. A skill that not everyone (understandably!) has. From the colors, icons, images, fonts and sizes in your logo, to be truly impactful, every single element needs to have a purpose. And that, readers, is what a professional is paid to do.

3.  Trustworthy

The quality of your logo says a lot about you as a business. A poor logo can be construed as a poor brand, and we know that’s not the outcome you’re after.

Whether it’s a misaligned character, pixilated border or crazy color scheme, below par logos look inferior. High quality logos, on the other hand, give you an ora of professionalism, value and authority - all of which can give you one up over your competitors.

4.  Memorable

A strong logo is instantly identifiable. Whether it’s placed on a billboard, letterhead, social media or paid advert (and everything else in between!), it pulls peoples’ eyes to it, and it’s easily recognizable.

Professionals know that less can be more. That outrageous colors aren’t needed to attract attention. And that designs have to gel with a variety of settings. And they incorporate all of that into your finished product.

5.  Evergreen

As with almost everything in life, logos evolve. What might be spot on for your brand right now might feel slightly off in a few years - but that’s okay. You’ll not find many businesses out there that haven’t adapted their logo over the years, but the key is that they’re adaptable.

Entirely revamping your logo can damage your business’ brand awareness, which is why it’s more about continual tweaks than a complete do over. With a professional by your side, you’ll get a solid logo that’s designed to stand the test of time - bar the potential small touch ups now and then.

6.  Showcases your brand

Your logo is a pivotal part of your brand’s story and values. It’s your chance to let your personality shine through and showcase what you're all about! As an example, here are some of adidas’ logo milestones:

Same brand. Different logo. Completely contrasting messages.

7. Adaptable

Logos are needed left, right and centre. What might work perfectly fine on your website, might not necessarily sit right on your business card. That said, you absolutely don’t want two completely different versions that aren’t in-line with one another.

What you want, and need, is a few variations that fit in any given placement - for example, one that’s for a black background and one that’s for a white background - that are instantly associated with one another.

We could go on and on, but we’ll wrap it up at number seven. If you’re interested in sprucing up an existing logo or are a new brand starting from scratch, why not get in touch to see how we could help?

---

Hue & Tone Creative: Logo and Branding in the Triad

Are you now convinced that you need professional help with your logo design? We think we might just be the perfect people to help you out. From logos to branding, and everything in between, we can help you create a lasting impression. But if you're feeling a little unsure we'll let our design work speak for itself.

Although graphic design and web development are two totally different jobs, there’s an increasing level of confusion between the two. 

As online tools make it easier for people to learn new skills there’s been more and more overlap between the two roles. Graphic designers want to dabble in the coding side of things, and developers are paying more attention to the visual elements.

Although they are experiencing more and more of each other’s worlds, there are still several clearcut differences between the skillsets of graphic designers and developers — and you should know what they are before hiring someone to take on your next web project. 

Graphic designers

Creativity

Graphic designers do what they do because they are creative (well, the good ones are, anyway!). They can see your vision from the get go, come up with concepts, and then mock-up your dream website. 

They’re able to illustrate or design anything you might need and are explicitly tuned in to the aesthetic side of things.

Attuned to detail

Unlike developers, graphic designers have a fine eye for things like fonts, sizes, colors and spacing. Because they don't have to focus on making your site work, they're free to hone in on the small details. They’ll perfect and refine every element of your site to meet brand guidelines and will ensure consistency with the rest of your brand.

Marketing awareness

In addition to a fine eye for design, a good graphic designer has a better understanding of marketing as a whole. They not only stay up-to-date on design trends, but they also have a solid understanding of what's going on in the industry so they can keep your brand collateral on trend. Whether it’s an online UX experience or offline advert, they’re responsible for ensuring their designs not only look good, but are built to convert.

Breadth of input

Last but not least, the role of a graphic designer spans far beyond a business’ website -- they can handle everything from creating a print campaign to simple things like re-sizing images. No matter what you need they'll be able to help you put together the entire package, not just your website. 

Developers
 

Make your website work

Where designer's jobs are creative, developer's jobs are technical. Developers can be split into two categories: front end and back end. In their simplest form, front end developers deal with the part of the website you can see. They typically write in languages like HTML, Javascript or CSS. Back end developers deal with servers, applications, and databases.  They work out the details of how and where your data gets stored. 

Technically driven

Developers are very analytically driven, they have a technical mindset and work behind the scenes to make graphic designers’ work live on a website. Each coding language has it's own set of rules and regulations, making their job more about memorization and problem solving than aesthetics. 

Carry the weight of your website

While developers don’t necessarily need to be creative, it falls on them to make sure the website actually works. Does it load quickly? Can you easily log-in and put things in your shopping cart? Is your billing information stored correctly? 

If pages, apps, or websites falter, it’s on developers to get them back up and running as fast as possible to ensure revenue isn’t lost.

So, who should you hire?

In the end, you need both to form a partnership.

Graphic designers and developers come as a package. Although their skills and role vary, they work in harmony to make sure end results are up to scratch.

Think of it like a production line. The graphic designer works on the visual stage, then passes their work onto the developer to encode, and then both work together to quality check the finished product.

---

Graphic Design for Greensboro, NC and beyond

Let us take the headaches out of creating your new website. Check out our design portfolio to see clients we've helped in the past, and then give us a call -- we can't wait to get the conversation started.

Source 1  |  Source 2  |  Source 3  |  Source 4  |  Source 5  |  Source 6  |  Source 7

If you work in the design or printing industry, you're probably familiar with the CMYK color mode. But for those who have never heard of it, the CMYK color model is a subtractive color model used in color printing. CMYK refers to the four inks used in some color printing: cyan, magenta, yellow, and key (black).

This color blending mode is responsible for most of the printed materials you see and interact with every day... that's why we thought it deserved a little attention! Even though we're surrounded by beautiful colors every day, we rarely stop and think about what goes in to them. 

This funky, pop-art inspired mood board is our visual ode to the CMYK printing process. We know it's nerdy... but, hey, what can we say -- we love design and color! 

---

Hue & Tone Creative: Color + design lovers

Does the idea of picking colors for your website stop you in your tracks? Or maybe you just can't tell the difference between two shades of blue? That's what we're here for. At Hue & Tone Creative, we can help with everything from logo design to web development to print collateral. Want to see what we've done for our other clients? Take a look at our portfolio.

Yes, we know you've heard it before. 

The last web designer you spoke to probably mentioned it 5 times in the last 5 minutes. 

They probably used words like “mobile responsiveness,” “optimizing for mobile,” “responsive design”… maybe they even threw in “MobileGeddon” for good measure. 

But, what is "mobile-friendly," why is there a need for it on your website, and why are web designers so obsessed with it? 

In this post, we'll cover just that. We’ll also give you 7 undeniable reasons why you need to invest in your website being mobile responsive.

But first, the basics.

What is a mobile-friendly website?

Let's illustrate the concept using a couple of images:

And, this illustration from Google:

See the difference?

One looks like a typical phone app and the other one will require a magnifying glass just to read the site title.

You'll notice the "mobile-friendly" one on the right has:

• Large, easy to read text

• Full screen, viewable images

• An intuitive page layout

• Easy to use navigation

When you’re on your phone, this is exactly what you would expect a good website to look like. A website optimized for mobile adjusts and displays properly on all smaller screens – not just phones, but tablets too.

Why is mobile-friendly website important?

In addition to elevating your user experience, we’ve got some hard numbers on why mobile compatibility is important. A few highlights:
 

1. In 2017, 52.64% of all traffic came from mobile devices.

2. By the end of 2018, it’s expected that traffic on mobile devices will make up 79% of global internet use.

3. Last year 50% of total eCommerce revenue came from mobile devices

4. 57% of internet users say they won’t recommend a business with a poorly designed website on mobile.

5. Nearly 8 in 10 customers would stop engaging with content that doesn’t display well on their device.

6. 88% of consumers who search for a type of business on a mobile device call or go to that business within 24 hours.
   

It comes down to the fact that almost everyone uses their mobile device to browse, shop, and interact with businesses. Not having a mobile optimized site directly converts to losing potential customers.

If you are a business owner looking to make your mark in the digital ecosystem, we highly recommend that your website be mobile optimized. You don't want site visitors squinting to see what your website is all about.

Still not convinced? 

6 (more) reasons why you need a mobile responsive website

• Google prioritizes mobile-friendly websites in mobile search results. Back in 2015, Google made a change to the algorithm that allows websites optimized for mobile to rank better than those that aren’t optimized.

• Having a mobile friendly site is considered best practices today and it increases your credibility to comply with industry standards.

• 91% of mobile internet activity is spent on social media. You don’t want to waste your social media marketing dollars by sending people to a subpar or slow loading site.

• Good site design makes customers happy and saves them time. You always want to give your customers a good experience – and this means having an easy to navigate site. You can be guaranteed people won’t come back to your site if they can’t navigate it easily.

• A site that operates smoothly leads to people spending more time on your site.

• Mobile optimized sites are programmed to load more quickly – you no longer run the risk of people clicking away because your site loads slowly!
  

In 2018, making your site mobile friendly is no longer optional. It’s worth investing in revising or redesigning your website to make sure your site conforms to the industry standard of being mobile ready. If you don't, you risk losing potential customers, lowering the impact of your social and PPC ad campaigns, and alienating people who aren’t willing to put up with an inferior user experience.  

---

Hue & Tone: Greensboro-BASED Marketing FIRM

Ready to get your site up to speed? We can hook you up. At Hue & Tone Creative, we believe good marketing can help you create a lasting impression on your customers. From site design to business card design -- we can help you with every piece of your marketing strategy.

Are you lacking imagination for your next Instagram post? Everyone’s creative cogs stop turning every now and then, but fear not, we’ve put our creativity to the test by coming up with 75 post ideas to help you through your creative block:

1. Lighten the mood with a meme

2. Pull out a quote from a happy client

3. Post a picture of your products

4. Film a demo of how to use your product or service

5. Publish pictures of customers using your product or service

6. Shout about any competitions you’re running

7. Put your own spin on a big event - like Super Bowl

8. Re-post stuff your followers tag you in

9. Push out any promotions

10. Create some motivational quotes

11. Celebrate any business milestones

12. Tell people about any job vacancies you’ve got

13. Share team bios

14. Share your team members favorite product

15. Let people see what goes on behind the scenes

16. Tease people new product launches

17. Wish everyone a good weekend

18. Remind your audience of your contact details so they can share any questions/concerns

19. Promote employee recommendations

20. Create an event reminder - if you’re hosting any

21. Shout about any charity work you do

22. Promote local charity events

23. Have fun with your brand

24. Show alternative uses for your products

25. Ask questions to gauge audience interest in a topic

26. Share your industry knowledge

27. Ask for feedback

28. Tell the story behind your brand

29. Point people to new content on your site

30. Shout about any awards you’ve won

31. Raise money for charity

32. Consider interviews with industry experts

33. Set a challenge for people to get involved with

34. Remind people when the clocks change

35. Remind people of your unique selling points

36. Share some New Year’s Resolutions

37. Post live pictures and videos from events

38. Share relevant news stories

39. Visualize an inspirational, well-known quote

40. Film a video that will make people laugh

41. Get an influencer to endorse you

42. Latch onto a trending hashtag

43. Let people know what a day in the life at your business is like

44. Publish statistics around your product or service

45. Share any positive press coverage you receive

46. Get involved with topical trends (think ice bucket challenge)

47. Think of something crazy that could go viral

48. Reach out to a celebrity and see if they’ll engage with you

49. Show before and after transformations

50. Thank your customers for their loyalty

51. Congratulate customers or clients for their own successes

52. Point people to key pages of your website

53. Share a fun fact

54. Create a collage to show a timeline of events

55. Run a quiz

56. Feature products that are on sale

57. Make a business announcement

58. Hook onto random awareness days - like International Day of Happiness

59. Play an April Fool’s Day prank

60. Show people what life would be like without your product or service

61. Sell your product in a 20 second video

62. Be vulnerable: share a challenge your business has

63. Set up a user-generated content competition

64. Post a picture of the person in control of your Instagram so people can put a face to a name

65. Share a #throwbackthursday

66. Invite people to follow your other social media channels

67. Run a Christmas-themed giveaway

68. Schedule a ‘Merry Christmas’ post for on the day

69. Remind people of your business hours

70. Share your company’s culture

71. Start your own unique weekly series, like #whatifwednesday

72. Ask people to leave you a review (and tell them where they can do it)

73. Share styling tips

74. Start a countdown to a key date/event

75. Share someone else’s content that’ll be valuable to your audience - but make sure it’s not someone who can take business away from you!

---

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING IN the triad

Looking to develop your social media presence? Hue & Tone Creative is a web marketing agency specializing in graphic design and social media management. Be sure to check out our portfolio to see clients we’ve helped in the past, or give us a call if you're ready to get started building your online presence.

When the term branding enters a conversation, the word logo usually isn’t far behind. The words have become almost synonymous. Of course, branding is more than the creation of a company’s logo. So, what does branding really mean?

The Definition:

The term changes definitions depending upon whom you consult. For discussion’s sake, we’ll use the Business Dictionary’s version which states “[branding is] the process involved in creating a unique name and image for a product in the consumers' mind, mainly through advertising campaigns with a consistent theme.” Branding is the personality of a commodity. It’s the feelings and expectations that are connected to goods, services and even people based on lived experience and marketing efforts.

The Purpose & Importance:

Businesses use branding for numerous reasons including attracting new customers, securing loyalties, that result in repeat and longtime patrons, and to differentiate themselves from competitors.   

If a business is able to accomplish the above list, it’s safe to assume that it’s at least competitive. With effective branding, it may even be positioned well enough to charge more than market rivals. This increase in value is based largely on consumer perception and is referred to as brand equity. Judging a book, product or service by its metaphoric cover can be extremely advantageous for a company when public opinion is favorable.

How it’s Done:

Going back to our working definition that branding is the process involved in creating a unique name and image for a product, person, or service, keep in mind that there are aspects of this cultivation which are entirely controllable. These include, but aren’t limited to, logos, color schemes, public statements, written communications, social media, packaging, websites, and advertisements. Marketing, public relations, and design firms spend their time becoming masters in these areas, so you may consider using a professional here. So often, companies with quality commodities and excellent reputations find themselves in with injured brands do to ill-advised marketing moves.

The Fairy and Cautionary Tales:

Most people are familiar with the controversial Pepsi campaign starring Kendall Jenner. During a time where clashes between Human Rights protestors and police were constantly in the media and the topic of much debate, Pepsi wanted to weigh in with a message of collaboration. Unfortunately, concerns of police brutality and violent discord were seemingly solved by Jenner handing an officer an ice-cold Pepsi. People were outraged for many reasons. Some felt Pepsi had made too light of serious matters, others railed against Pepsi using a national crisis as a means to sell more soda. Pepsi soon pulled the ad, apologized, and certainly learned from the branding debacle. The lesson here may be to align your brand with matters in the proximity of one’s wheelhouse.

Contrarily, one can take a devastating and embarrassing event like infidelity and use it to boost a brand. Beyoncé, upon discovering her famous husband was allegedly unfaithful, created an album cathartically working through her personal issues. Lemonade went on to become the highest-selling individual album of 2016 globally, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. The admission helped Beyoncé’s brand by reinforcing her image as a smart and incredibly powerful female force.

Questions to ask Yourself:

• What message do you want your product or service to convey in the public’s mind?

• What distinguishes your product or service from anything or anyone else on the market?

• Are you consistently stacking up to public expectation?

• In what ways (beyond performance) can you demonstrate that you are what you say you are?

• Are you choosing marketing opportunities and strategies that align with your current brand identity?
  

These questions focus not only on what businesses say and do, but also on how people respond to those messages. In this way, branding is quite interactive. It’s not a business cultivating images of self that customers credulously accept, but a continuous dialogue between consumers and companies.

---

MARKETING & GRAPHIC DESIGN IN GREENSBORO

Starting a new business? Don’t dive in without a little help from the creative experts. From business card design and logos, to social media marketing, Hue & Tone Creative can help you connect with your customers and creating a lasting impression.

In the final quarter of 2017, Twitter boasted an average of 330 million active users a month -- not bad given all the claims that it’s past its heyday, right?

All those users means endless sets of eyes on what you post, retweet, and site. With so many onlookers around to spectate on your activity, the spotlight is on, meaning a small slip-up could turn into a big embarrassment.

We have your back, so we’ve put together a list of 10 potential Twitter mishaps you should avoid:

1.  Inappropriate hashtags

What might be a seemingly innocent hashtag when you post it can quickly turn into a somewhat embarrassing oversight… one that might be hard to explain to your boss. Let’s take a look at a couple of examples:

• When singer Susan Boyle launched a new album, her PR team created the hashtag #susanalbumparty. The intention? Susan’s album party. The reality? Well, something rather rude.
  

• Another hashtag horror story comes in the form of #therapist. The publisher was hoping to promote their therapist services, but got their wires tangled in something totally different: the rapist.

The lesson? Always triple check for alternative interpretations.

2.  Ill-timed hashtags

Sticking with the hashtag theme, consider what’s going on in the world before posting away. For example, a doughnut company once referenced #notguilty in a tweet, the same day the same hashtag was being used for a high profile murder case.

Not only can it make you look insensitive, but you run the risk of inserting your brand into a political battle – somewhere most brands don’t need or want to be.

3.  Being stingy

If you hog your own feed and don’t ever retweet, reply or like anyone else’s content, what’s to stop your audience from doing the same to you? Social media is about connecting, so share the love every now and then, and it’ll be reciprocated!

4.  Lack of research

Retweeting is so simple, and because of this, lots of people click away without thinking about what they’re promoting.

Always do a quick background check to make sure a seemingly innocent retweet isn’t endorsing a questionable source – it’s better to be safe than sorry.

5.  Think before you link

If you’re going to link out to an external website, scout it out first. Similar to your retweets, you need to know who you’re promoting and where you’re sending people to.

6.  There’s no going back

Once you’ve hit publish, there’s literally no going back. Yes you can delete your post, but there’s no stopping people from taking a screenshot of what’s already been out there -- even if you only left it up for a moment.

Whether you’re bantering with a competitor, in a Wendy’s style feud, playing a prank or going on a rant, really think about what you’re saying before you go past the point of no return.

7.  Bombarding the sales pitch

If you’re tweeting for business purposes, don’t let your ego go overboard. While Twitter is, of course, a great platform to promote your product or service, you need to mix it up with content that people will want to engage with.

After all, who wants to visit a profile that’s repetitively salesy?

8.  Leaving people hanging

If someone’s taken the time to reach out to you, at least have the courtesy to respond!

If you build up a reputation for being unresponsive, people will stop engaging with you on social media. This can be particularly detrimental if you’re running a brand or business page – once you lose a relationship with a customer, it can be hard to get it back.

This is particularly important if you schedule your tweets – don’t forget to make sure prescheduled tweets posted correctly, monitor comments, and check your messages.

9.  Random retweets

If you retweet too many random posts, you run the risk of irritating your followers and making them hit that dreaded ‘unfollow’ button. We’re not saying don’t retweet things, but try to keep them relevant. And if they’re not relevant, keep them rare.

10.  Don’t hammer hashtags

Hashtags are great, but there’s a time and a place for them. If you hashtag every other word, your post will be hard to read. If you cram as many as you can into your character count, you can look desperate.
 

To make the most of them, stick to what’s relevant and trending, and leave the rest out.

---

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING IN GREENSBORO, NC

Stale social media presence? That's what we're here for! Whether you’re looking to increase your followers or simply need a break from handling your account, Hue & Tone Creative has you covered for all things social.

Millions tune in to watch shows like Grey’s Anatomy, events like Super Bowl LII, and cult favorites such as Star Wars. Why? Because the content is so darn good.

Content, as stated by the Oxford English Dictionary, is information made available by a website or other electronic medium. People know good when they see it and recognize good content when they read it. Which is why crafting strong content is so important on the information-overloaded web.

“The force is strong with this one.” –Darth Vader, Star Wars: Episode IV

“What makes for strong content?” you may be asking. It starts with knowing your audience. The subjects you discuss as well as how you choose to tackle them are dictated by those seeking your infinite wisdom and wares. Exploring topics that are helpful to your customers, followers and clients make for good content because it’s relevant. Ask yourself, “what can I do to serve the needs of my unique base”? And create from there.
 

“Always pass on what you have learned.” –Yoda, Star Wars: Episode VI

You can’t teach what you don’t know. Integrate your company’s core competencies (those things you do exceptionally and distinguishes you from competitors) into your content. Kim K posts tons of information regarding make-up and fashion help. Oprah’s website is packed with inspirational tidbits and plenty on healthy eating. Your content could detail how to start a non-profit, demonstrate yoga techniques, or show the masses How to Curate Their Instagram Feeds. Basically, write what you know.
 

"There is NO substitute for WORK." –Vince Lombardi, Green Bay Packers Coach (1959-1967)

Content is often copied from one site and reposted on another. This should only occur when express permission has been provided by the content’s owner. It should also be an option rarely elected. For one, originality is rewarded by Google search rankings and secondly, you can’t contribute much to the virtual conversation if you’re only saying what has already been said. Don’t have the time to create original content? Partner with a professional content provider. Unlike reposting published pieces, working with a content generating service is a savvy alternative that provides you with unique postings for your site.
 

"Pretty good is not enough, I wanna be great." –Christina Yang, Grey’s Anatomy

Your content choices and execution should be in alignment with your brand image. If you’re known for being reliable, posting consistently and on time is a way to demonstrate that trait. Presenting thought-provoking and engaging topics showcases you as the thought-leader that you are. Great at design? Be sure that your content is presented in the showiest of packages that displays your exceptional stylistic talents. If you’re great, your content should be great. Post that which you are.
 

"Knowing is better than wondering." –Meredith Grey, Grey’s Anatomy

What content have you produced that garnered the most engagement and views? There’s an analytic for that.  Refer to your site’s pageview data and determine what your readers prefer. This helps to cultivate similar content that speaks to the needs and wants of your followers. Do your research and give the people what they want.

Keep in mind, your web content may not make a colossal mark or be permanently enshrined in greatness like Star Wars. Instead, it might convert a visitor into a lead or even a client. She may be persuaded to subscribe to your newsletter. He could be moved to try your service. And that is much better and even, dare I say, compelling.

---

WEB DESIGN, CONTENT CREATION, and SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT 

No matter what you're looking for help with, Hue & Tone Creative can help take your website -- and the content on it -- to the next level. If you'd like to see what we can do, be sure to take a look at our design portfolio, scope out more of our blog posts, and take a look at the services we offer.

“You’re hired,” maybe two of the greatest words ever uttered. These babies mean rising employment rates and new beginnings and additional human resources helping to further your professional dreams. The human resource in this case being the much sought-after web designer.

Entrusting your business’s online presence to a trained professional is an excellent choice.  However, before journeying any further, there’s something you must consider: you’re the boss. Like with any other hire, it’s your responsibility to find the right talent to perform the task. Here are 15 questions you should ask a designer before shouting, in boss-like fashion, “you’re hired!”

1. What are your qualifications/professional background?

Your designer will work for you; at least for a time. It’s not unreasonable to seek more information about this person or the company in question. Inquiries regarding past work, training, and experience are all fair game and a good start.

2. How are your services priced?

This may not seem like an important matter upfront, but it’s one that you want to clarify early. The designer probably can’t provide a complete quote at this stage, especially if you haven’t yet articulated all the specifications for your site. This question pertains to how the designer arrives at the total. Does she prefer to work hourly or is the work charged as a flat-fee? Are some items only available a la carte, such as a logo design, or are packages offered? Understanding how the project will be priced will allow you to decide if you’re comfortable with the arrangement and moving forward, and may help you to more knowledgably consider the final quote later.

3. What services do you offer?

The web landscape is changing. While having a professional website is better than not having one, web design is more than just domain names and eye-catching pages. Maybe the designer is qualified to perform analytics once the site has launched or search engine optimization. There may be functions and additions that you’ve not considered. Asking what a designer can do is a great way to discover your options. It can also highlight what services aren’t available.

4. Who owns what?

Once you enlist the assistance of a third party, it’s best to get clear on ownership. If you don’t already own your domain name, who owns it if the designer or company obtains it as part of the web building process? Who maintains possession of any graphics, artwork, content, and the website as a whole once the site is built? What about when your professional relationship ends? It’s best not to assume the answer to these questions and prudent to ask during the vetting stage.

5. What platform will you be using?

Assuming that your designer is constructing a site from scratch, the building medium is key. Are they partial to using a blank slate platform like WordPress or do they favor Squarespace which offers beautiful templates? (If you’re unfamiliar with the latter, see our helpful post, To Squarespace or not to Squarespace?).

The answer to this question will affect everything from costs to curation options.

6. Do you outsource any work?   

The answer here is neither good nor bad. It’s just essential that you know who is working on your project. Being informed helps you better assist in the process and it’s good to know what to expect along the way.

7. What are my hosting options?

Hosting is basically where your web files are kept on the net. You may not want to get this technical, but the answer, depending on how much traffic your site experiences, could mean the difference in site speed, SEO, and accessibility. Also, if the designer self-hosts, questions regarding future accessibility can be discussed here.

8. Do you provide content?

Websites need a consistent flow of updated or new content. If you’re interested in having someone else do this for you, your designer may be your solution. Web design and content production go hand in hand and some designers have begun offering this special service.  Be sure to ask if this is an option.

9. Will I be able to update my site’s content?

Say your company wins a prestigious award, as it should, and you want to add the accolade to your site right away. Will you be able to access the intended page and update your site yourself or will you need to contact your designer each time? Having the ability to easily add and update content is something you definitely want, and knowing if it’s possible is super important.

10. What kind of clients have you worked with in the past?

Your similarity to past clients may mean a more seamless move from building their websites to creating yours. If your designer is used to working with much larger or far smaller companies, this isn’t an indication that they can’t perform the work, but similar practice makes perfect.

11. Do you have a portfolio or examples of previous work?

Taking a gander at a designer’s portfolio can communicate much more than words. Asking to look at completed sites is a quick and easy way to familiarize yourself with the designer’s capabilities.

12. What is your design process?

Ernest Hemingway, Maya Angelou and Eat, Pray, Love author, Elizabeth Gilbert, all expressed very similar writing processes. These masters having like methods is less the point, but there being a process at all is what matters. How does your designer get from point A to point Z? Is there a plan? As stated earlier, knowing what to expect allows you to better assist in your site’s development and eliminates unnecessary uncertainty.

13. What is your timeline?

Will the site be up and running in 3 weeks or 3 months? Get clear on how much time your designer needs to complete their plan. With this info, you can design a marketing campaign around the launch date or if you’re having an existing site revamped, you’ll have a timeframe for maintenance and testing; either way, you’re in the know.

14. What happens if I need additional work once it’s complete?

Your site is not static. It’s a living, breathing organism that will require changes and maintenance from time to time. You may need future support from your designer and working out the logistics now is certainly the way to go.

15. Can you help me, help you?

Designers are usually pretty busy. Juggling several clients and multiple projects with strict deadlines isn’t unusual. While they essentially work for you, they probably aren’t able to be at your beck and call.

You want to understand their best forms of communication and best times to be contacted. This simply allows them to be as responsive to you as possible while allowing space and time to build an amazing product. Openly and honestly communicate any concerns or needs like you would with any other part of your team. Professional courtesy goes a long way in a situation like this and treating your designer with due respect may result in a better product. Asking questions could certainly aid in you confidently uttering those two special words, “you’re hired,” they may also lead to you hearing the beautiful response, “I happily accept.”

---

WEB MARKETING CONSULTANTS  |  GREENSBORO, NC

We're happy to answer all of these questions...and more! Hue & Tone Creative will take the stress out of developing a new website. Check out our design portfolio to see clients we've helped in the past, and then give us a call -- we can't wait to get the conversation started.

In 2015, there were a total of 205 billion emails sent and received. According to Marketing Charts, emails sent to Gmail users found that 68.4% of all incoming messages were classified as Promotions; marketing messages sent for the purpose of driving a purchase or conversion. Promotional emails and other forms of direct marketing are made possible when businesses obtain personal contact information. The more leads a company is able to capture increases their potential for a future sale or conversion. There’s a myriad of ways to generate more leads, but here are a few that can be done quickly through your website and social media without a lot of fuss.

Don’t Ask, Won’t Tell

First things first: ask for what you want. Sometimes, just having a place on your site dedicated to requesting a user’s contact info is enough. If you never make the request, you’re much less likely to capture the lead. A good place for such a request is a Landing Page.

Create a Landing Page

We love this example from VTL Design! 

Basically, a landing page is a place on your site that allows you to capture a visitor's information; most typically through a lead form. More technically, it’s a web page that stands alone from the rest of your site and is created for a specific function. Maybe you’re promoting a webinar and are attempting to attract attendees or maybe you want visitors to subscribe to receive your newsletter. Normally, you can’t reach a landing page from your site’s main navigation menu. Your visitors either land on it or it pops up shortly after they arrive. A landing page allows you to put special requests front and center while capturing user data simultaneously if they choose to proceed.

Simple enough, right? Well, asking doesn’t guarantee a yes, but as stated earlier, you have to at least ask and the landing page is where you pop that question.

It’s not what you ask for, but how you ask for it.

“What’s your math,” is the most creative means by which I’ve heard a phone number solicited. The gentleman wanted something, but instead of asking the same way everyone else has, he got creative and, as a result, he got the digits. On your landing page, you have what’s called the Call to Action button or CTA. A CTA is the equivalent of a pickup line. Traditionally that line has been “Submit”. Research has shown that this word has a lower conversion rate than other phrases. Subscribe, Start Your Free Trial, Launch, Download Now, Create a Site, Get Your Free E-Book, Sign Up for Free are more successful alternatives just to name a few. While it makes sense that your conversion goal will dictate what you ask for, the world is your oyster in terms of how you can ask. So, get creative in your request and the lead may be yours.

Social Sharing is Caring

Does your company have a Twitter account, Facebook Page, Instagram, ect? If so, make sure to include social sharing buttons on your website. Visitors who don’t want to fork over contact information may opt to engage with you through these mediums. They can follow you and you can, in turn, follow your followers. It’s a way to gain instant leads. Not only will your social media promotions show up automatically in their feeds, you will have unfettered access to those interested in your service or product and access to their entire social network. Easy peazy.

A business’s success is dependent upon how successfully they attract and keep customers. Lead generation is an essential part of that task. Capitalize on the traffic coming to your site by extending an offer or making a request that may perpetuate the relationship. Don’t be afraid to make the first move. As leads increase, you’ll be happy you did.

---

WEB MARKETING IN GREENSBORO and WINSTON-SALEM

If your web traffic is stagnant, it's time to give Hue & Tone Creative and a call. We'll work together to help you get your content back on track and your website in front of new eyes. Want to learn what we can do? Give us a call.

As we were planning out our 2018 content calendar, we got thinking about all the great content we posted over the last year: a total of 51 blog posts (to be exact).

From social media and font pairing to color inspiration and web design, we ran the gamut on everything marketing and design related. But out of all of our content, there’s a few posts that stand out among the rest. We’ve rounded up our top 7 -- here's what they are + why: 

Best branding post: 6 Signs it’s Time to Update Your Company Logo

Your logo is your company’s primary visual symbol, and one of your brand’s most important assets. If you haven’t changed it in a while, we’ve put together 6 signs that should kick-start a rebrand.

---

Best post for finding new customers: How to Create Customer Personas

Customer personas are detailed representations of your customers’ demographics, likes, dislikes, traits, and buying behaviors. These traits are not made up, you need to discover them through comprehensive research. Here’s how.

---

Most popular social media blog post: How to Curate Your Instagram Feed

Ever stumble across a gorgeous Instagram feed and suddenly come down with a major case of account envy? We’ve all been there. Creating a lust-worthy Instagram account is more than just slapping on a filter and a handful of hashtags. 

---

Our favorite design post: Mood Boards: Home Sweet Home

A compelling image can capture attention, tell a story, and help you connect with your viewer.  But inexpensive, non-cheesy stock photos can sometimes be hard to come by. To save you the hassle of hunting for decent photos, we’ve narrowed our top 10 (mostly free) stock photo sites.

---

Our pick for must read: 4 Elements for a Killer Landing Page

When it comes to lead generation, landing pages count. We've broken down our four must have elements for a lead generating landing page. 

---

Our most read blog post: 7 Squarespace Font Pairings

We've taken the guesswork out of selecting the perfect fonts by putting together 7 suggestions that will revive your favorite Squarespace template.

---

Our most stress relieving blog post: The 6-Step Content Calendar

Creating a content calendar will save you time, provide consistency, and help you manage your communication channels. Avoid stress and get organized with this 6-step process.

---

Web Marketing + Design in Greensboro: Hue & Tone

Looking to market your business in Greensboro, Winston Salem, or the surrounding areas? Hue & Tone is a creative graphic design agency specializing in logo design, web design, social media management, and more.

A business’s ultimate success has grown increasingly reliant on its web presence; particularly its website. According to an April 2017 survey taken by Statista, 40 percent of internet users in the US stated that they purchased items online, several times per month. Retail e-commerce sales worldwide are expected to nearly double between 2016 and 2020. More people than ever are performing research online before journeying to a brick and mortar store to complete a purchase. With so many transactions occurring online, how can you be certain your website is performing up to par?

Most small business owners can at least determine how much traffic their website solicits. But this can be as beneficial as knowing how many people attended a party without actually talking to anyone. There’s so much more information available. So, if you haven’t already, it’s time to get analytical in 2018.

Conversion

This statistic tells you how successfully your website is completing your intended goal. For example, if you’re Pizza Hut and your website’s primary purpose is for a visitor to complete a purchase, then your conversion statistic will indicate the percentage of visitor’s doing just that. Maybe you’re a real estate company, and your conversion goal is to have web users complete a contact form; this statistic will give you those percentages.

Source Report

Again, most people are familiar with Traffic Acquisition Reports, which measure the amount of traffic your website is getting during any given period of time. But remember, we’re after much more; like, how did they find you in the first place? There’s an analytic for that. A Source Report can tell you if someone arrived at your site by way of a search engine like Yahoo, or a referring site like Pinterest which includes links that route users to a pin’s original site or page. It can even determine how many people typed your url directly into the address bar.

Medium Report

There is also a Medium Report which indicates whether the result was the product of organic search or unpaid search, a paid search result, or via a referring website. All of this information could help influence marketing decisions going forward and guide a strategy for capitalizing on the sources and mediums already generating much of your traffic.

Bounce Rates

This statistic can inform several website elements, because it tracks what happens once a visitor enters your online presence. Do users journey to another page within your site or do they leave it all together? If your bounce percentage is high, you can determine where visitors are landing, which may prompt insight into why they’re leaving. Essentially, this analytic provides valuable insight into what visitors like about your site and what they don’t. Moreover, it empowers you to customize and alter your website accordingly.

Pageviews

This statistic is self-explanatory. It measures how many views a specific page receives. If visitors are returning to the same page again and again, hypothetically, you can formulate content that may garner similar interest. It could also point to other contributing factors like design schemes that users prefer. Using this information to formulate a strategic response can ultimately assist in improving your overall conversion rate.

The world wide web will continue to change and grow to meet human demand and businesses must evolve to keep pace. With the new year, usher in a new marketing strategy with the help of web analytics. It will be the best resolution you’ve ever made.

---

web marketing consultants  |  Greensboro, NC

Need help getting your website set up? Want a second set of eyes looking over your analytics? Hue & Tone Creative will take the stress out of marketing your business online. Check out our design portfolio to see clients we've helped in the past, and then give us a call to get your web presence ready for the new year.

There’s a Twitter Page entitled Don’t Work For Free where freelancers can “out” companies and individuals requesting free labor. With over 16,000 likes and just under 2,000 followers, it’s evident that there’s a faction of society who considers working for free sacrilegious. As for me, I was torn on this issue. Then I began writing this article. As a freelancer, I understand the difficulty in locating work then asking for and receiving sufficient pay for the time, enery and training that went into creating my product. Even after earning billions and billions of dollars, Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffett and Bill Gates still demand that mean green, so why should any of us ever work for no pay? Well, there is one reason working for free is justifiable and even beneficial. I’ll explore that first, then I’ll tackle the common reasons people use to rationalize working gratis and briefly discuss the resultant dangers associated with doing so.

 

To Gain Real-Life Experience

Working for free is a great method to gain experience in a field in which you’re interested, but have no prior knowledge. This is especially true if you’re about to invest years of your life in school or lots of money on training. Working for free could provide access to a field it would be challenging to penetrate otherwise. Take me for instance. My senior year of high school, my father arranged an unpaid gig on my behalf. The gentleman for which I worked, was an attorney. It had been my hope and intention, since the age of 3, to pursue the same profession. With unwavering doubt, I knew that law was what I wanted to do with my life. My Father wasn’t so sure and suggested an internship. Turns out, my Pop was right.
 

I discovered that while Matlock and Law & Order’s Jack McCoy spent much of their time making lofty speeches in courtrooms, actual criminal attorneys spend long hours in solitude completing paperwork. There were other discrepancies between what I thought being a lawyer was like and the reality. Working for free saved me hundreds of thousands pursuing a career that was nothing like I thought. Thanks Dad and thanks to the opportunity working for free afforded me.

Exposure

Defined as the act of exposing, laying open, or uncovering. As research for this article, I wanted to find out what my spiritual leader, Oprah, had to say about all this. This is where exposure as pay entered the conversation. Instead of an inspiring Ted Talk or an enlightening interview with Shonda Rhimes, I found hula hoop sensation, Revolva. In 2014, the performer penned an open letter to Oprah Winfrey, admonishing her for an invite to perform pro bono at Oprah’s Live Your Best Life tour. Revolva was offered compensation in the form of exposure.
 

Let’s be honest, exposure is essential for any business. How can people patronize you, if they don’t know you exist? But those in the market to live their best life, are not necessarily in the market for a hula hooper. Exposure doesn’t guarantee future earnings. Working guarantees future income, which is why we work and for it, we are paid. Exposure is not legal tender.

Resume and Relationship Building

I toyed with the idea of working for free in order to forge a connection with a truly impressive business mogul based in New York. I wanted this connection so badly that I was willing to do most anything to jumpstart the relationship. I figured that rubbing shoulders with this person and being able to say I worked for their company would be like steroids to my puny career. Unfortunately, I couldn’t afford to move to New York and live in New York or feed myself in New York if I were working for free. Even if I could swing it, my plan bordered on the absurd. Folly aside, what’s important is how I arrived at that thinking.

The Truth

I had never had my talents or skills valued in a traditional workplace or compensated at the level at which I performed. As a result, I struggled with my sense of worth and hoped to happen upon a benefactor that, after I’d demonstrated my worth for less, would happily offer me more.
 

After years of following this strategy, I found that it rarely works. No one or very few will give you what you’re worth, even if your value has been demonstrated. You must know your worth and ask for, some would argue, demand due compensation. Why is this essential? Because, it’s your contribution. It’s what you have to offer the world. It’s what will be left when you are no longer here. That, in itself, is invaluable. Your essence, your legacy, your mark. Don’t discount or give it away, unless it directly helps sustain your momentum or motivation towards delivering your contribution to whom it is meant. Exposure alone just won’t do. It can be a remarkable perk in addition to income. Relationship building doesn’t justify, unless that relationship is truly symbiotic where both entities are actually benefitting. Impressive resume additions are great, but if you’re in doubt over your own greatness, it won’t be enough and you may continue compromising in the future. Relish in your worth, stand in it, marinate on it, reach for it, rise from it, and then boldly and unapologetically ask for your check, please.

---

MEET THE WRITER:

Tamika Page works as a marketing assistant and instructor in Atlanta, GA. Her first words were “increase market share.” Although her first words were far less remarkable than previously stated, she does have extensive experience in helping small businesses grow and discover their unique identities.

Want to chat with Tamika directly? TamikaMPage@gmail.com

Snow covered garland, carefully crafted wreaths, eye catching poinsettias... The right greenery can usher the holiday spirit into any space! 

To get in to the holiday spirit, we've sorted through some of our favorite photos of Festivus-inspired greenery. These color stories take a closer look at some of our favorite foliage, from a close-up of a pine bough to an entire hillside of snowcapped trees. 

Open Invitation

A pop of rich red awakens an earthy green for an inviting color scheme... it's so rich it practically beckons you right in! 

---

Tranquil Terrain

Cool blues and purples paint the soothing and silent aftermath of a snow storm.

---

Delicate details

If you look closely enough, even the smallest detail is alive with color! This ornament inspired palette pairs a dusty plum with graphite and sage for a one-of-a-kind winter scheme.

---

Crisp Cranberry

This modern color pairing packs a bold punch with an accent of brilliant red. A nearly-black mahogany and cool greys accent this daring statement color.

---

Festive Fern

Deep earth tones take us back to nature in this rich and rugged color scheme. A pale blue pops on a backdrop of muted mahogany and soft brown.  

---

LOGO AND BRAND DESIGN IN GREENSBORO, NC

Need a custom holiday invite? A fresh brand to start 2018 off right? We've got you covered on all fronts. Hue & Tone specializes in logo design, branding, and collateral development. Reach out if you're ready to start the new year off right: hannah@hueandtonecreative.com or 336-365-8559.

The song, It’s so Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday was originally recorded for the 1975 film, Cooley High. It’s a real tear jerker and may make for fitting music as we bid farewell to design trends that can’t join us in the new year. Honestly, the list itself isn’t sad at all. It’s actually solid advice regarding 4 web design trends to leave in 2017.

Before we get to the list, let’s quickly discuss why this purge is so necessary. Two letters: UX. UX or User experience refers to a person’s feelings and impressions about using a particular product, system or service. In this case, your website. To keep this experience simple, logical and enjoyable, these 4 web designs must be left behind.

#1. Skeuomorphism

The design concept that merges our real-life perception or characteristics of an object with its digital equivalent. A good example of this is the original Instagram logo; a life-like image of a camera that has since changed to a simpler, semi-flat design. Flat and semi-flat designs have a minimalistic feel and seem to be preferred more widely by web audiences. For this we say adieu to skeuomorphism. 

#2. Hero Images as the whole Story

Hero images are large images that take the place of traditional banners and are generally overlaid with text. Don’t get me wrong, they look amazing. They are captivating, they are alluring and signal substance. The problem is, some websites are little more than these images with no accompanying meaningful content. Perfectly fine for a webpage used for contact information or a place to describe a single product. However, hero images are not enough to tell the whole story about a business and its products or services. Coca-Cola is a great example of how to use hero Images while still boasting a site full of relevant and substantive content. Easy to say arrivederci to hero images as the entire story.

#3. Tight Spacing

Sometimes, full breakups aren’t necessary. A little space goes a long way at rekindling a quenched flame. White space in particular, could vastly improve the look and feel of your website. This can be accomplished pretty easily. Sites that are text heavy can add space between lines and letters, enhancing readability. Similarly, those with lots of products to display should take a hint from Amazon.com which uses grid layout design. The online superstore has successfully employed this design to organize their many products. In either case, the user experience is upgraded. We can happily say adios to tight spacing. 

#4. Sliders and Carousels

These are not the same, but are similar design techniques. They each involve the movement of images in either a sliding or rotating fashion. Neither, according to a Nielsen Norman Group study, were found to be effective conversion tools. A point made many times over the years, but appears on this list due to an even greater downside. The designs could negatively impact your SEO or search engine optimization. While the use of sliders and carousels aren’t automatic SEO killers, the risk to your website’s ranking is real and may not be worth taking that chance. Either, enlist the help of a professional website builder or try something else. Videos are a great alternative to both these elements and may be a better way to tell your story. Let us say Gooday to sliders and carousels. 

Companies in the know wisely improve their websites to increase user satisfaction. This includes, but is not limited to the way the site appears on mobile or desktop devices, how easily and intuitively one can navigate the site, and the overall functionality and feel when engaging with the website. The 4 web design trends to leave behind, tend to interfere with these aims in one way or another. It may not be so hard to say goodbye after all.

---

WEB DESIGN IN GREENSBORO AND BEYOND

Guilty of using all these things on your website? We can help pull you out of the past!
Hue & Tone Creative will help get your web presence up to speed. Be sure to check out our design portfolio to see clients we’ve helped in the past -- and then give us a call if you’d like us to build you a modern website that truly tells your story.

As another year comes to a close, it’s common to reflect upon our existence and the world at large. What’s the meaning of life, are we alone in the universe and what’s the difference between EPS, AI and PDF files? The first two questions are worth pondering, but in this marketing dimension, the latter inquiry is of much greater importance. Let’s take a closer look at these formats and hopefully solve at least one mystery of the world.
 

Encapsulated PostScript or EPS predates AI and PDF files. It and the other file formats can contain any combination of graphics, text and images. The different components comprising an EPS file are communicated in a programming language called PostScript that describes the objects in and the layout of a page. An EPS file internally contains this programming language which accounts for its main benefit: compatibility.

EPS has cross-platform compatibility which means it can be shared between Mac and PCs. While a EPS can be accessed on a Mac automatically, if in Windows, it requires graphic software like Adobe Illustrator, Inkscape and Corel Draw to open and edit this type of file. Also, if the file is print ready, meaning no changes need to be made, an EPS file can be sent directly to a PostScript printer without compatibility issues and to most imagesetters. It’s the original file format for complex designs and is still used by graphic designers and publishing professionals currently. However, it’s been gradually supplanted by AI and to a greater extent, PDF files. Here’s why:

AI or Adobe Illustrator Artwork files are vector based graphics contained in a single page. While AI files have many of the same attributes as EPS, AI is an application-native format. This means that it is designed to be understood by the software that created it. In this case, Adobe Illustrator. AI files can still be imported by other programs like Freehand or CorelDraw, but when doing so, it omits any Adobe Illustrator-specific content it doesn’t understand. Simply put, AI file formats function most optimally in Adobe Illustrator, because they were literally made for each other. Contrarily, EPS wasn’t created for any particular application. This file type is an exchange format where the intent is for it to be openable by multiple applications. Think tailored suit vs one-size-fits-all pant. While EPS is compatible with more applications than AI, the entirety of the information contained, doesn’t always translate into the chosen application. This problem led to the creation of the PDF.

PDF or Portable Document Format is described as the successor of EPS. The PDF was the first file format that enabled a document to be shared electronically while retaining its original formatting. No matter what application is used, you’re able to transfer electronic versions of these documents anywhere, and view and print them on any machine. It allows the exact presentation and exchange of documents, independent of software, hardware, or operating system. Unlike EPS, it translates exactly no matter what. And contrary to AI, it’s not limited by its application of origin.

The file type you use should depend on the project at hand, the tools in your box and you and your team’s preferences. EPS, AI and PDF files all have their unique advantages given the context and you may find yourself using each of these throughout your work.  While there are still larger life questions we all want answered, at least this one can be crossed off the list.

---

CREATIVE EXPERTS IN THE TRIAD

Can't figure out your mess of files? Not sure what the printer is asking you for? No worries, we'll get your businesses branding back on the right track -- we specialize in branding and collateral design. Whether you need to refresh your existing brand or start from scratch, we've got your back. Contact us if you're ready to stop stressing about your visual identity.

Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, The Starbucks Holiday Cup, and the NFL’s Thanksgiving Games are all examples of how companies capitalize on the Holiday Season. You may be wondering how your business can get in the holiday game. If you’re not yet prepared to spend millions on gigantic floating turkeys or interested in joining the controversial cup circuit, you could simply create season-specific content for your darling customers and clients. Below are 5 thankworthy tips to generate more interesting holiday content for your website and social media outlets.

1. Customization is Key.

Your customers’ likes and dislikes, locations, and values, etc., should dictate what you’re posting on a normal basis. Likewise, it’s helpful information for the direction of your holiday content. For local clients, contributing a calendar of nearby holiday events would be beneficial. If your base is smorgasbord of religious beliefs and practices, then focusing on shared values like gratitude and family could aid in promoting holiday cheer without offending anyone. If you don’t quite know the makeup of your patrons, see our helpful guide to creating customer personas. The point is to customize your content for your audience which will have them coming back for more helpings through the holidays and beyond.

2. A little Industry Anyone?

Your content should fit your industry. Gift guides, product reviews, stories regarding your company’s philanthropic pursuits are all popular methods and sources for holiday driven content. Whatever you choose, it should be industry-based. A recipe app could of course feature holiday inspired recipes like red velvet cake or Cajun turkey tips, whereas the Goodwill could, more relevantly, post about finding the perfect holiday look or ways to tailor donations toward holiday needs. Injecting your content with juicy business/industry-specific information will have your customers salivating for more.

3. Help Me, Please!

The holidays are a time for many decisions to be made. What should I cook, how should I decorate, what are the best gifts of 2017 and where should I shop? With so many options to choose from, having a trusted advisor to hep navigate such choices is gold. Do you have information regarding high-demand products or data concerning online shopping vs. in-store purchasing? If so, create posts sharing your expert knowledge. Providing valuable holiday information will delight your clients and could prompt them to share the useful data and your awesome posts with countless others.

4. Picture This.

We’re all familiar with the adage “pictures are worth 1,000 words,” therefore, don’t limit your holiday posts to just text.  Use this time to display compelling images and heartwarming videos about your company. Showcase photos of your office decorated for the holidays or a video of your employees at the annual toy-drive. If your company doesn’t personally participate in these practices, highlight other organizations and businesses who do. Promote vendors, sister companies and other business affiliates by posting videos and pictures of their holiday experiences. It’s a great way of saying thank you to them and to drive some holiday traffic your way.

5. Give Thanks.

Speaking of thanks, some companies like to use the season to highlight the people who make it all possible – their staff.  Who doesn’t like to be appreciated? Create posts that show your employees in festive wear, acknowledging their contributions or cutting a rug at a company party. Create contests for customers and clients regarding the best-looking turkey or ugliest holiday sweater and post submissions on your site. Get others involved by asking for votes. Show the people who matter most that you care and create some buzzworthy holiday content at the same time.

The truth is, there are literally thousands of ways to create interesting holiday content for your site. The challenge is doing so in a way that’s relevant and valuable to those you serve. Honor them this holiday season by providing content that places their needs, wants and contributions at the top of the list.

---

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING IN GREENSBORO, NC

Content stale? That's what we're here for! Whether you’re looking to increase your views or simply need a break from handling your account, Hue & Tone Creative has you covered for all things social.