We’re well into the months of summer, which means that summer vacations are underway. And while many people look forward to these vacations all year— whether they hit the beach like most people, or they try to fly somewhere like Alaska for cold weather like me—, many have also found it increasingly difficult to fully enjoy their trips.

This can be a huge source of discord amongst the entire group during the trip, especially if one person is needing to rush back to the hotel to finish up an assignment or answer an email, even if they had noted that they’d be on vacation then. Whether you’re employed with an always-on team or a freelancer, it can be incredibly difficult to just step away.

As someone who has been there, I never want to do it again, and I know you don’t either. So if you have trouble detaching from work, here are a few tips to successfully take time off from work and enjoy your summer vacation.

1. Prepare Ahead of Time

The best way to be able to take those glorious few days (or, even better, weeks!) off for a vacation is to prepare in advance.

Request time off ahead of time if possible; the sooner, the better. Remind your boss, your coworkers, and clients that you work with at least two weeks before your trip that you’ll be taking time off and unavailable. As a freelancer, I provide at least one month’s advanced notice, and I remind them again a week before I leave.

This allows you to finish up any work that still needs to be done and assign responsibilities to different team members for the duration of your time off. It also prevents your boss or clients from “forgetting” and having last-minute projects they ask you to handle on your scheduled time off.

Try to complete all essential tasks two days before you’re time out of the office so that if anything urgent does come up on your last day, there’s time to handle it.

2. Leave Your Work Computer Out of Sight

When you’ve set sail (figuratively or literally), keep temptation at bay by keeping your work computer and your work phone out of sight.

It’s easy to want to check in to see what’s happening at work, even if they’re not pinging you and asking for help, so it’s best to keep any work devices out of reach. The last thing you want is to see that there’s a big project you’re dreading waiting for you when you return, or feel the need to respond to non-urgent emails.

Everyone needs time away from work, which is why an increasing number of companies have PTO minimums now. It’s good for your mental health, so make sure that you’re actively taking time off when you do have the opportunity to do so.

3. Set Your Phone to Do Not Disturb

Even if the primary work communication is through email or a work phone number, you may sometimes get calls from work on your personal number. You’re also likely to get calls reminding you about your kids’ open house at school, the payment for your pest control service, and (of course) alerting you about your extended warranty.

Staying disconnected from real life— as much as possible— can also help you avoid thinking about work.

Remember that you can always add contacts to your favorites list so that their calls come through, including family members, house sitters, or neighbors who are watching your home.

4. Remove Work Apps From Your Phone

If you’re using a personal phone for work purposes— which is particularly common for anyone using a virtual business line, and amongst freelancers— there’s a good chance that you have work-focused apps on said phone.

Slack, Asana, Microsoft Teams, ClickUp, and more.

You can go through and manually disable notifications from each app, but this can take some time and there’s a risk that you forget to enable them once you return. That being said, some prefer to completely remove the apps from their phones during vacation so they’re not tempted to check in while they’re away.

5. Avoid Your Normal Routine

Whether you’re traveling abroad or enjoying a relaxing staycation, try switching up your normal routine to escape a difficult work-life balance.

If you normally get up and check your work emails over a cup of coffee, switch it up and intentionally leave your phone behind while you go out to a cafe with a friend or partner. Changing your routine can be a good break to put you into vacation mode quickly.

6. Remember That Work is Just Work

Work is important, no one is denying that. But a job is also just a job. If you’ve done everything you could to hand off responsibilities and close out projects before your trip, enjoy your time away. You’ll never regret taking vacation time to enjoy life, but you likely will regret squandering it on a job that might drop you like a hot potato the second the economy takes a shift.

Work-life balance is important, and taking a complete work detox during a vacation is part of that.

Final Thoughts

As someone who has spent an entire night of vacation stressing because the hotel that was supposed to have internet definitely did not, I know I speak for many when I say that I’ve learned a hard lesson about trying to keep up with work on a trip away.

Vacation shouldn’t feel like a chore, and you don’t want to be rushing back on your time off to try to answer emails or knock out a few projects. It should be what refreshes you from work instead of stressing you out more. Otherwise, you’re likely to fall into professional burnout, which is easier to avoid than to heal from.

Follow the tips above to detach during your summer vacation and enjoy it for all it’s worth.

What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post 6 Ways to Detach From Work on Your Summer Vacation appeared first on Snappa Blog.

A well-designed landing page is no small feat! People might underestimate the necessity of a great landing page, but it’s crucially important for creating a strong first impression.

Using a landing page (sometimes called a “One Pager”) is the best way to make the process of converting customers simpler and easier. Sometimes, having multiple pages on your site can feel bloated and cause decision-fatigue, but a great looking landing page makes things simple and straight-forward, as it has all the information right there on a simple and easy-to-scroll page.

Whether you’re looking to create a page for a product, a CTA to join an email list, or an infographic-like page with important stats, we’ve curated 8 great looking landing pages for inspiration. While these range widely from each other stylistically, they were all created with the shared goal to create an engaging user experience.

So if you’re in the market for a new landing page, you’ll definitely want to check these out! These 8 pages will serve as inspiration and motivation to create an amazing landing page for yourself. Enjoy!

8 Great Landing Page Examples

1. Condo Leasing Landing Page Example

First of all, we have this long-scroll page for a new condo development. Neutral colors, bold sans serif typefaces, and thick underlines all draw your attention to the most important details on the page. There’s a sign-up box near the top, giving you the sense of urgency to sign up (while you still can)!

We especially love how the “V” for Victor adds cohesive branding to the page, as it appears in a lighter color as part of the background pattern.

2. GotPar E-List Landing Page Example

Next up, we have this crisp one page for GotPar, a golf newsletter. Direct and to-the-point, this page tells you exactly what you’ll find when you sign up; daily deals, top headlines and tips.

Its design features a playful golf icon as well as a fresh pop of green on the CTA button, reminiscent of days spent hitting the green.

GotPar’s one page is a reminder that less is more, and avoiding unnecessary visual clutter will ultimately serve your call-to-action!

3. Cooking Course Landing Page Example

Pimpinella’s page has the same vibe as a glossy full-color brochure. As a pasta making course, they featured pasta-like hues of yellow in their overall design, which is a fun touch that adds a friendly mood to the content. The page is a long-scroll that alternates between images and text, showing that the art of storytelling is as delicate as making pasta itself.

Kudos to them for including a video loop on the page that somehow takes up visual space without distracting the eye.

4. Coding Course Landing Page Example

React.GG’s landing page is the most playful so far. The page is for a course to master React, an open-source Javascript library, but the whole site scrolls like a board game. Your inner child will surely smile at the sight of this! The subtle grid pattern in the background feels technical and balances the playfulness with a sense of professionalism.

5. Dance Academy Landing Page Example

Here is some vertical text that’s as bold as it is dynamic. This dance academy page gets extra style points. Teaching a style of dance that requires wall running, the genius vertical placement of the text creates that same sense of movement. The bold black text pairs well with the muted pink background color, and the whole thing reads like a high-end art gallery. To represent something so movement-oriented as dance is an art itself, and this design does so with great impact.

6. Coffee Table Book Landing Page Example

This page is for a book of photography of beautiful modern homes in New Zealand. The landing page offers a clear explanation of what the book is, and the layout of the page itself is very much like a coffee table book. The artfully-blended photography and text, shows that the perfect amount of whitespace creates a gallery-like experience for the viewer.

Bonus points for how the window in the photograph frames the chair as if on display in a museum. They say an image is worth a thousand words, and this one, without words, visually explains the intent of the book itself!

7. Finance Landing Page Example

Victory Advisors, a London-based investment firm, felt no need for color as they created this black and white design. The combination of their serif fonts and pure-black creates the impression this firm is solid and reliable.

Color is completely avoided in this design theme, which feels like an intentional way to prove their professionalism and build trust. Pure-black backgrounds can be a great asset for all things finance; your fintech company, financial planning site or crypto-related blog can all benefit with a dark-mode style!

The only italics on the page is the underlined “Learn more” sentence at the bottom, which pairs well with the square logo to grab your attention.

8. Spotify Landing Page Example

Spotify made this page to offer transparency to their Artists on how their Stream revenue is determined, and the process in which it is accumulated. The title of the page “Loud & Clear” is of course loud and clear as a bold and literal statement. The page scrolls like an infographic, blending Spotify’s famous purple color with gradients, icons and on-trend illustrations.

Rather than just issue a written statement, Spotify created this on-trend guide to their payment process, with eye-pleasing cohesive design to engage the reader and communicate their vital information.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there are no right or wrong styles for landing pages! It’s really a matter of choosing what feels best for your own brand, and sticking to it. Whether you’re creating a page for a fintech company or a golf newsletter, rest assured, there’s no single right way to do it. Your visuals are entirely up to you! As long as the information you’re conveying is well displayed, and your CTA is enticingly click-worthy, you’ll have an awesome landing page.

We hope you loved these cool pages from all over the net, and that you’re feeling inspired! Have you seen some cool landing pages lately? Let us know in the comments below!

The post 8 Great Landing Page Examples to Inspire You appeared first on Snappa Blog.

Summer is here! For many brands, that means updating visual graphics with a little seasonal flair. If you want to add a taste of summertime to your Pin boards, consider incorporating some great-looking summer Pinterest templates into your social media strategy over the next few months.

First, take a look at Pinterest’s most recent trend predictions to help inform your design decisions. Once you’ve got your creative strategy in hand, it’s time to find on-brand templates to support your best content.

Where to Find the Best Summer Pinterest Templates

If you’re wondering where to find the best summer Pinterest templates for your Boards this year, you won’t have to look far. Snappa has your back! In our extensive graphics library, you’ll find a wealth of pre-made templates you can tweak to suit your graphic design needs.

Once you login to your Snappa account (it’s free to get started!), click Pinterest Pin under Social Media Posts. From there, you’ll navigate to our library of Pin templates. It’s super easy to get started.

Each of our Pin templates reflects Pinterest’s recommended 2:3 aspect ratio and size of 1000 x 1500 pixels. However, Pinterest allows for a broader range of image sizes. (You can build custom graphics with Snappa, too.)

12 Templates to Inspire Your Summer Pinterest Board

When it comes to choosing summer Pinterest templates to post this year, there are many options to choose from. We’ve gathered 12 of our favorites below to give you plenty of inspiration as we head into the warmest months of the year. Let’s jump right into it.

1. Warm Colors and Sunlight

Take advantage of the summer weather in your Pinterest Pins by using images and graphic design elements with plenty of sunlight and warmth. This skincare Pin is an excellent example, although you don’t have to create cosmetic content to take full advantage of this design trend. If you opt for images of people, you’ll want to depict a range of subjects from all backgrounds and ethnicities.

2. Seasonal Foods

Sometimes, featuring seasonal food photography on your Pinterest Pins is a great idea–especially if you run a food-centric business, such as a restaurant, grocery, or nutrition shop. Stick with elegantly-plated foods that accurately reflect what you offer, and which look great on any size screen.

3. Fun, Simple Designs With Summer Graphic Elements

Sometimes, simple backgrounds work best. If that’s true for your visual branding, then you’ll love this no-fuss Pinterest template for your board! It features a no-nonsense font and a cute set of icons that really jump off the page. Adjust these colors to match your brand and you’ll be in business!

4. Neutral Colors With Natural Light

Graphic elements featuring neutral colors often pair well with naturally-lit photographs. The sun illuminates spaces, objects, and people in such a complementary way. Using neutral design colors gives those photos a chance to stand on their own. And, since Pinterest is such a visually-driven social media platform, this is the perfect chance to incorporate some naturally-lit photography into your pins.

5. Refreshing Foods and Beverages With Monochromatic Colors

Try pairing an image of a refreshing food or drink, such as iced coffee, a smoothie, ice cream, or a popsicle, with a corresponding color palette. This template is a fantastic example. Not only does it display a chilled cold brew front-and-center; the design elements reflect and support the colors that already exist in the photograph.

6. Summer Fruits With Post Text

Using strawberries, citrus, berries, or other summer fruit in your designs can lend a refreshing look and feel to your marketing, especially your Pinterest boards. We love the way summertime fruits can really pop, both in photographs and in graphic design. This is just one of many food-oriented templates you can choose from in Snappa’s library, so let your imagination run wild! Make sure there’s plenty of space for any text or memorable quote you might like to share.

7. Colorful Gradient Backgrounds With Simple Text

Rainbow gradient backgrounds come in all color combinations, and they look fantastic paired with simple text that stands out. Use clean graphic design elements to add extra descriptors to your Pin. Finally, don’t be afraid to let your designs breathe. There’s no need to crowd your Pins with too many images or too much text.

8. Summery Photography With Brightly Colored Design Elements

Evoking great memories of childhood summers is a wonderful way to connect with your audience. And, nothing says summer like a great snapshot of the afternoon sky or a field of colorful flowers. Consider pairing a pretty picture from your collection with some bright lettering for a warm, fun look that’s both easy to read and reminiscent of the hot weather.

9. Complementary Colors With Fun Fonts

Setting the right summertime mood for your visual branding is all about choosing the right colors. Whether you’re creating special graphics for short-term offers or launching a new product from the ground up, keep in mind that your audience needs to be able to read the text you select. That’s true for the colors you choose, as well as the images that go with them.

10. Product Image with Background Cutout

We love the combination of monochromatic graphic design elements alongside photography, like the Pinterest template below. The simplicity of the lavender background and purple design elements helps the cookies stand out in an eye-catching way. This design style would be fantastic for foods, beverages, and physical products that photograph well.

11. 80’s Design Elements

Nostalgia for the 1980s and 1990s is in full swing, so it just makes sense to include a 90s-style Pinterest template in the mix. If you’re incorporating love for your favorite era into your marketing this summer, this template has what you need to get started. Tweak as needed to get the effect you want. Elder millennials and Gen-Xers will especially love including this look on their Pinterest boards.

12. Deep Colors and Vintage Style

A Pinterest template with deep colors and vintage style–both in the fonts and the photography–has a distinct “Summer of Love” look. If your visual brand is a little bit retro-inspired, this type of Pin is a fantastic way to go. Pair a dark, earthy background color with light, summery font colors to really help your words stand out.

Final Thoughts

Now that you’ve got some great inspiration for your Pin board this summer, it’s time to choose your favorite summer Pinterest templates and start creating. Tools like Snappa make it quick and easy to select a template and start customizing to fit your brand’s needs.

Want to give Snappa a try? You don’t need graphic design expertise to get started. Sign up for free here to create your own summertime Pins today.

The post 12 Summer Pinterest Templates to Inspire Your Next Board appeared first on Snappa Blog.

A great Room Picture is essential to deliver a successful live video session on Lemon.

A Lemon Room Picture appears on your Reception Page, which you use to promote your live sessions and encourage viewers to register for them. It should contain a good quality image that reflects the subject area of your live session.

In this article, we share our tips on how to design the ultimate Lemon Room Picture.

First Things First: What Is Lemon?

Lemon is a paid live video platform for creators and brands. With high-quality live streaming, easy payments, and tools to engage and monetize audiences, Lemon enables creators to build strong connections with viewers and generate income through paid access to their content.

Lemon’s user-friendly interface makes it easy to set up, schedule, and share live video sessions with audiences. With a variety of customization options, creators can personalize their rooms to exhibit their distinctive brand and content.

Lemon’s focus on high-quality visuals and seamless streaming experiences enables creators to professionally deliver their live content. It is an ideal platform for anyone delivering lessons, courses, training, events, online services, or live experiences.

What is the Lemon Room Picture?

The Lemon Room Picture is the key visual element of a Room Reception page, which is designed to promote your live sessions and encourage viewers to sign up for them.

It is a visual representation of the content delivered in a live session. It should make an impression on customers, playing an important role in attracting new viewers and retaining existing ones.

By designing an attractive Lemon Room Picture, you not only showcase your content  – you also establish your professionalism and dedication. A quality Room Picture builds your credibility with viewers and sets the expectation that you will provide an engaging experience in your live session. It helps you stand out amongst other creators and attract the attention of potential attendees.

What is the Lemon Room Picture size?

Lemon recommends an ideal Room Picture size of 1280 pixels wide and 720 pixels in height, with a minimum width of 640 pixels. This is an aspect ratio of 16:9.

It is necessary to keep essential elements such as text and logos within safe areas (i.e. with a minimum spacing between them and the edge of the image) to prevent cropping or obscuring on various screens.

How To Make a Lemon Room Picture for free

Snappa’s user-friendly, feature-packed graphic design tools simplify the creation of a Lemon Room Picture. We’ve put together a step-by-step guide to creating a Room Picture for free on Snappa, complete with screenshots to walk you through the process.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Sign up for a free Snappa account at https://snappa.com.
2. Once logged in, click on ‘Create a Graphic’ and select the custom size option. Enter 1280 for width and 720 for height, then click ‘Create’.
3. Choose a background image that reflects your content, or upload your own. Remember to keep the focus on the central area for optimal visibility.
4. Add text to your design, making sure to choose a legible font and contrasting color to ensure readability. Keep your title short and enticing to capture viewers’ interest.
5. Add any relevant logos or branding elements. Ensure that there is some space between the text and the edges of the graphic. This will ensure that the text is clearly visible when uploaded to Lemon, without it being cropped or obscured in any way.
6. Once you’re satisfied with your design, click ‘Download’ and select the appropriate format (ex: JPG or PNG).
7. Log in to your Lemon account at https://lemon.fm
8. Click on ‘Create Room’ and follow the instructions to create your room (ex: title, date, pricing, etc.).
9. Upload your Cover Picture, either by clicking Upload Picture and selecting your file, or by dragging and dropping it.
10. View the Preview of your Cover Picture and zoom, rotate, or adjust the positioning of the image as required, and click ‘Submit’.

That’s it! Your Lemon Room Picture is done.

Examples of Good Lemon Room Pictures

The aim is to create a picture that reflects the content of your live session and the value you generate for your viewers. Your picture should be eye-catching, communicate the value you offer, and stimulate participants to click and register.

Here are some less effective examples of pictures:

These examples are not attractive and do not appear professional for a number of reasons: the images are not appealing; they don’t present clearly the subject area of the live session; and they lack a text overlay or branding to help differentiate themselves from others.

Here are some more effective examples of pictures:

These examples are attractive and appear professional for a number of reasons:

• Photo: a good photo of a person, appearing friendly and approachable;
• Color: a careful selection of colors, often with bright tones;
• Title: a short, catchy description of the offer (ex: ‘On-page SEO’, ‘What is your English Level?’);
• Visual Layout: elements are centered and aligned;
• Outcomes: text includes what you get from the lesson (ex: ‘techniques’, ‘yoga flow’);
• Messaging: is positive and engaging (ex: ‘powerful’, ‘stress relief’, ‘take the test’).

3 Lemon Room Picture Best Practices You Need To Use

Show What Your Live Session is About

When someone sees a Room Picture on your Reception Page for the first time, you want them to instantly understand what you’re offering and why it should interest them.

The following Room Picture is an excellent example of how to achieve this:

In this example, the picture effectively communicates the topic through the use of a relevant image, a clear and concise title, and a brief description. This combination of elements helps potential attendees quickly grasp the value of the live session and stimulates their interest, increasing the likelihood of registration.

When your picture highlights the value of your live session, this enables viewers to understand the subject matter and goals of your event. A well-chosen image can even convey the atmosphere of the live session, the target audience, and the main learning outcomes.

Use High-quality, Relevant Images That Reflect Your Content

Selecting high-quality images is essential for creating a professional and visually appealing Room Picture. Low-resolution or pixelated images can suggest to viewers that your live session will be of poor quality, or that you lack attention to detail. To ensure your picture stands out, choose clear, crisp, and relevant images.

High-quality images help establish trust and credibility with your audience and encourage them to engage with your content.

Use Contrasting Colors

Using contrasting colors in your Room Picture helps draw attention to essential information and improve the overall readability of the image. Contrasting colors make text and other key elements stand out (or ‘pop’!), ensuring that potential attendees can quickly and easily understand the value of your live session.

This design technique also adds visual interest and makes your Room Picture more memorable, helping you attract more participants.

Where to Find Eye-catching Lemon Room Pictures

Some striking Lemon Room Pictures can be crafted from graphics, such as those created using Buffer and Drip, while others utilize photographs. Regardless of your preference, if you don’t have your own high-quality photo or image, there are numerous resources that can supply images for you.

These include:

• Free stock photo sites, including StockSnap, Pexels, and Unsplash, which provide free stock photos for commercial use;
• User-generated content (UGC) is often free and abundant. Some UGC is very high-quality, and many users will be delighted if you use their content in your Lemon Room Picture;
• Alternatively, Midjourney is a generative AI program that enables you to create images and artwork through language descriptions or “prompts”, and is an increasingly popular option.

Final Thoughts

The perfect Lemon Room Picture plays a vital role in making a great first impression on viewers. Your image should look good on both mobile and desktop devices, without odd cropping or off-center positioning. Combining the ideal Room Picture size with Lemon Room Picture best practices helps you establish an engaging online presence for your live sessions on the platform.

With Snappa, you can create professional-quality Room Pictures that will make your live sessions stand out and attract more customers. Start designing today with Snappa and maximize your Lemon experience!

The post The Perfect Lemon Room Picture & Best Practices appeared first on Snappa Blog.

Writing an eBook is exciting, and nothing is better than the feeling you have when you’ve completed the writing and are ready to publish it. Before going straight to publishing, though, you need to create an outstanding eBook cover that will tie it all together and even help improve the purchase or download rate of the book itself.

For many writers and content creators, this can feel like a thorn in their side, especially if they consider themselves to be exclusively writers and not designers. Fortunately, there are plenty of best practices, eBook templates, and amazing examples to make the process easy.

So, need to create an eBook cover for your project? Let’s look at 8 killer eBook cover examples and go over how to create a great cover yourself.

What Should an eBook Cover Accomplish?

A great eBook cover should never be an afterthought; it needs to be given the same amount of attention as any other aspect of book creation, especially since it can directly impact how many purchases or downloads the book receives. We all like to say we don’t judge a book by its cover, but there’s no denying that the cover has a pretty major pull.

Your eBook cover, therefore, must accomplish the following:

• Capture a reader’s attention and interest
• Make a good first impression; you want it to look professionally done to earn instant respect
• Display the title and author title in an easy-to-read font
• Set the tone for your story from an aesthetic perspective

5 eBook Design Best Practices (with Examples!)

Want more inspiration? These are a few simple but highly effective eBook design best practices that will help you create a strong cover that gets results.

1. Keep it Simple

When in doubt, simple is always a good graphic design choice. You never want the cover to look too cluttered to the point where it becomes distracting. This template uses a single black-and-white background image to set the tone of the book and capture reader interest.

2. Start with an eBook Cover Template

I know we’ve talked about templates a lot already, but for anyone designing their own eBook cover, this is a highly effective way to go. Here at Snappa, we have dozens of eBook templates that are already sized correctly and come with intricate design elements in place.

All of our templates are fully customizable and use drag-and-drop design features to make the entire process easy.

3. Contrasting Colors Are Your Best Friend

We’ve seen a lot of contrasting colors so far, so there’s no surprise that they can help key elements of your cover design stand out. Text should always contrast from its immediate background so that it’s easy to read, but core design elements should also stand out, too.

4. Choose a Color Palette That Matches the Book’s Aesthetic

You want your eBook cover to represent the content inside. You also want it to appeal to your target audience.

Choosing a color palette can have a major impact here. The below is feminine, with pastel colors and design elements, all the way down to the woman’s pink fingernails. This is a very distinct look, and it wouldn’t appeal to everyone, but it would jump out at the target audience.

5. Use Design Elements to Make It Interesting

Finding simple ways to make your eBook cover stand out is a great way to go, and we’ve seen a few examples of covers that do that well.

Bright colors, oval shapes, and a warped background checkered pattern, all work together to bring your attention to the book’s title in our example below. Bright shades of orange and blue can add a strong impact, without being too overwhelming when done correctly.

4 More Outstanding eBook Cover Examples & Templates

If you’re worried about recreating amazing eBook covers that you’ve seen online and adapting them for your own book, I’ve got some good news for you: eBook cover templates make the process much easier and faster, even if you have no graphic design experience.

We’re going to look at 4 additional strong eBook cover examples, all of which are available as eBook templates through Snappa, so you can recreate your own version of anything you see in just a few clicks.

1. The Aspirational Cover

We downright love this eBook cover here at Snappa. It does a few things very, very well:

• It highlights the most important part of the title in big, all-caps sans serif lettering
• It has the “complete guide to” secondary text visible, but italicized and smaller for visual interest
• The author’s name is perfectly legible in a solid color block at the bottom
• The background picture isn’t of a boring computer; it’s sunglasses, indicating that the author is living their best freelance life somewhere outdoors and tropical and you can, too

2. The Branded Cover

We know we likely have plenty of indie authors reading this post, but for any brands who are creating eBooks (or freelancers creating eBooks for their clients), you’re likely going to need to work a logo somewhere on the eBook.

You need to do this without sacrificing the overall look, and this cover is a great example of how to do that. A subtle-but-still-there publishing name at the bottom of the cover (and using the same color as the color block used for the author’s name) is a solid way to add some necessary branding with subtlety.

3. The Bright & Simple Cover

Bright, bold colors are going to stand out online. Bright colors (especially yellows and oranges) are also psychologically associated with happiness, so it can be a feel-good color choice right off the bat.

This eBook cover uses neon-bright green to attract attention and capture reader interest.

4. The Bold Text Cover

We’re going back to color psychology with this one. Big blocks of red text (and white text in red blocks) have an authoritative, definitive feel. You must read this.

We also love the background photo, which adds interest and character, taking the design up a step, but that’s greyed out and translucent enough that it doesn’t take away from the main focus: The text itself. This was a great choice since this is a more text-heavy eBook cover. If you have a long title or lots of information to convey on your eBook cover, this is the template that’ll help you do it!

Final Thoughts

eBook covers can directly impact the sales or downloads of your book, so you want to get it right, and cover templates make that much easier.

Consider the aesthetic you want to go for and start with a template that aligns with that! You’ll have your next eBook cover ready in no time.

Ready to create your first eBook cover for free? Get started with Snappa here.

The post 8 Amazing eBook Cover Examples appeared first on Snappa Blog.

Millennial and Gen Z employees in the workforce are talking about business ownership in larger numbers than generations before. This is perhaps no surprise since the gig economy has been flourishing, and since it’s also no secret that if your business is successful, you can make much more as a business owner than an employee.

Small business ownership can seem glamorous and appealing. And in many ways, it can be. As a small business owner of a freelance writing business, I love the work I do in my home office. I get to set my own schedule, choose my clients, and even choose the projects I want to work on, and the pay rates I’m willing to work for.

All of that is wonderful… but there are also very real aspects of business ownership that aren’t so enticing. There are seven things I tell everyone who comes to me asking about freelancing or business ownership so that they can make a more informed decision and know what they’re getting into.

So let’s take a look at 7 things no one (or at least most people) won’t tell you about small business ownership.

1. You’ll Wear a LOT of Hats

When you’re starting and running a small business, you’re going to wear a lot of hats and have a lot on your plate.

I don’t just create content for my clients. I also need to:

• Manage invoices
• Track and manage business expenses
• Keep up with third-party contractors that I hire
• Manage relationships and scheduling for around fifteen clients a month
• Pay different types of taxes around nine times per year
• Understand and manage legal contracts

And my business is extraordinarily simple.

Small business owners should expect to at least be supervising customer service, quality assurance, finance, legal, and product development. This can be overwhelming at times.

2. It’s Harder to Take Time Off

As you’re wearing a lot of hats, you’re going to be heavily involved in multiple areas of the business. As a result, it may be harder to take time off.

If you’re a single-member business like me, taking time off becomes incredibly difficult. Clients each have unique deadlines, and some need revisions unexpectedly. It’s hard to just press pause, even for a few days, especially since if I’m not working, I’m not making money.

Be prepared for your phone to ring even if you’re away from the office. Even a well-trained, hard working team may need assistance when you’re working on scaling.

3. Decision Fatigue is Real

The number of decisions you make on a daily basis can be exhausting in its own right, and decision fatigue can be difficult to overcome.

How much do you want to charge your clients?

Are you willing to negotiate on that price for high-value, high-visibility clients that could get you more work in the future?

When is your schedule full? Are you willing to take those extra projects on a weekend to make extra?

What software should you use?

Should you work with a third-party contractor or hire an employee?

Are you ready to scale? Do you want to?

You get the idea. There are a lot of big and small questions that you may need to answer daily, and it can be mentally draining. Making sure you prevent burnout becomes essential.

4. If You Don’t Stay Competitive You’ll Fall Behind

You can have an outstanding product or service, and a solid base of clients. It can be challenging to get to that point… but it’s also sometimes hard to stay there.

While small business ownership relies heavily on momentum, you need to keep that momentum going. As new talent emerges onto the market, they’ll step up if you start to falter.

For me, that means staying up to date on content marketing, search engine optimization, copywriting, and social media changes and best practices.

SaaS companies need to monitor the competition to make sure their features are stacking up to what else is on the market.

You need to ensure that you’re never getting complacent and that you’re always pushing to grow. While this is true for many employee positions, the reality is that the cost of additional education is on you.

5. You Want to Know Your Insurance Options

Most employees consider health, life, or disability insurance policies as part of their benefits packages when they first sign-on with a company. Aside from that, they don’t need to consider insurance much.

For business owners, that’s not the case. You’ll need to consider what happens if your business is sued. What if your products hurt someone? Or cause a legal liability, including due to cyber security issues? Or what if one of your employees is injured at work and sues?

Look into different insurance options to protect your company from all legal threats. You may not think you’ll need it, but you never want to be without insurance if you do need it. Consider talking to a business lawyer about what sort of policies are most essential in your business’s industry and location of practice.

6. It Can Be Bad for Anxiety

The anxiety of business ownership and freelancing is hard.

I’ve always been on the highly anxious side, but freelancing just about broke my brain the first few years. Every month I was so nervous about how much income I’d generate the next month and if my clients would dry up.

I’ve learned to manage that anxiety, but now there’s still an edge of panic that’s hard to overcome every time the word “recession” pops up.

For many, business ownership is a dream, and there’s a lot riding on it, including potentially significant financial investments. And the anxiety of knowing it’s all on you to make your business a profitable success despite the fact that there’s so much out of your hands can be challenging.

7. There’s Both More & Less Job Security

When everything first spun out of control in March 2020 during COVID-19 shutdowns, I lost five clients in a day. I wondered if my business was going to go under with nothing I could do to stop it. My now-husband and I went to the courthouse the next day to get married six months ahead of schedule, because we had no idea what would happen.

If I lost my business, I’d get no severance. There was, in some ways, no job security. Clients could drop me because I was low-hanging fruit, and it meant they could hold onto their actual employees a little while longer.

At the same time, however, it’s worth pointing out that I also have more job security than standard employees because my eggs aren’t all in one basket. During the huge tech layoffs last summer, I lost two clients. Those clients laid off large portions of their employees. If I worked only for one of them as an employee, I’d have been totally out of a job.

As it was, however, I only lost a small portion of my monthly income, which I was able to replace within three months.

You have both more and less job security as a business owner. There’s more on the line, but there’s also more you can do (in most situations) to control the outcome.

Final Thoughts

Business ownership of any kind (including managing my very small freelance writing business) is not for the faint of heart. It can be full of highs and lows, and the lows of struggling to get momentum, facing rejection, and the anxiety of what will happen can be a challenge.

That being said, if it’s the right fit for you, it’s also worth it.  There are plenty of resources and tools available to make business ownership easier, and you can (and should!) hire people to help your organization grow. With the right people, tools, and strategies in place, it can be an amazing and profitable adventure that’s well worth it!

Need help with graphics for your small business? Learn more about how Snappa can help here! 

The post 7 Things No One Will Tell You About Being a Small Business Owner appeared first on Snappa Blog.

Fully branding your YouTube content is essential to making your videos stand out from the crowd. Whether you plan to start a YouTube channel or already have one, using end screens levels up your videos’ overall look and feel.

It’s simple to create eye-catching videos that keep your viewers’ attention–and keep them moving from one video to the next. Let’s look at what end screens are and why they’re important. Then, we’ll share a few examples of great designs to get you started.

What Are YouTube End Screens?

A YouTube end screen appears at the end of a video to tell your viewers about related content, plus where they can find you.

Often, end screens contain clickable links and elements to draw users deeper into your brand. They can be an overlay to your video footage or an entirely new screen.

Why Are YouTube End Screens Important?

Just like YouTube banners, end screens help to encourage brand recognition and set up your viewers’ next steps for engaging with your content. If you want to attract viewers to your channel and keep them there for longer, then creating end screens is an excellent way to go.

Adding end screen designs to your videos is a simple way to drive more traffic to other content and platforms. Let’s take a look at a few important reasons to consider using end screen designs for your YouTube channel.

A Great End Screen Wraps Up Your Videos in an Attractive Way

Your YouTube end screen gives your viewers a clear ending and wraps each video in a way that looks polished and professional. The end screen can serve as a transition from one piece of video content to the next.

End screens on YouTube can be colorful and animated, or they can be simple and straightforward. Most importantly, they serve a clear and strategic purpose in your video content marketing.

For example, this end screen by author and speaker Gabrielle Bernstein gets right to the point with clarity and a simple design.

Well-produced videos with attractive banners and end screens don’t tend to feel abrupt when they end. The clear intro and outro graphic treatments help to clarify your beginning and ending points with style.

A Well-Designed End Screen Levels Up Your Videos’ Branding

A YouTube end screen that’s designed well helps to elevate your videos’ branding. This is especially important since repetition is so key to brand recognition. When your viewers see your banded visuals over and over, they’re more likely to remember you.

Creating great banners and end screens for your YouTube videos can help set you up for success because you’re opening and closing with excellent graphic design. Use a custom branded color palette, like entrepreneur team Andrew and Pete, for extra brand recognition.

Well-designed brand assets show your viewers that you truly care about their experience with your brand. Plus, the next time they see your particular combination of colors and imagery, they just might click on another video.

End Screens Tell Your Viewers What to Do Next

Most importantly, end screens give your viewers a clear picture of the next steps they should be taking when they complete a video. Most end screens contain links to one or more related videos your users can click to watch right away. Other end screens might have a prompt to subscribe to the channel.

Take this example from HubSpot, for instance. It contains a link to subscribe on YouTube, a link that opens a related video, a download link, and even a funny GIF to sweeten the deal.

YouTube end screens may contain even more information about where viewers can find you online. Consider including your social media handles and website URL, for example. The more opportunities you give viewers to find you elsewhere online, the higher the likelihood they’ll click and follow!

5 Eye-Catching YouTube End Screens to Inspire Your Next Design

Ready to start building great-looking end screens for YouTube, but not sure where to begin? Tools like Snappa can help you get started.

We have a fantastic library of customizable YouTube end screen templates to inspire you. They’re already optimized and right-sized for the platform, so the heavy lifting is done for you.

Here are some great-looking YouTube end screen prompts to get your ideas flowing.

1. People-Centric Professional Photos and Stock Images

Professional, people-centric photography that fits well with your brand design can work well for YouTube end screens.

Stick with an aesthetic that aligns with your brand’s overall look and feel. Use images with plenty of breathing room and designs that don’t distract viewers from what you want them to do next.

2. Product-Focused Images and Graphics

If you sell physical products, consider using your YouTube end screens to show them off. You can use an image that spans the entire background of your end screen. Or, you can give viewers a sneak peek using Snappa’s easy-to-use design elements.

3. Pops of Color

If your brand relies on a simple color palette, using a monochromatic image or color scheme could work well. This template uses two shades of green with pops of blue. Add attention-grabbing pops of color if they align with your brand design so your next steps are hard to miss.

4. Simplistic Graphic Design Elements

When it comes to good design, less is sometimes more. Consider using an end screen with simplistic graphic design elements and branded colors to wrap your video content.

Your end screens don’t have to be busy. They just need to lead users on a journey through your content.

5. Fun, Colorful Backgrounds

Try incorporating colorful end screen backgrounds that make it easy for your audience to take action. Solid colors with minimalist design elements can work well here. On the other hand, a gradient background can look great, too.

Looking for more tips and ideas? You can find more graphic design tips here.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to creating YouTube end screens, you want to give your audience a clear roadmap of where to go next. When you create end screens that are attractive and designed well, you’re adding a distinctive level of branding to your channel that helps your content stand out. And, when you use a tool like Snappa, it’s easy to create end screens without the need for a professional graphic designer. Even better, it’s no problem to update your end screens as your brand aesthetic shifts.

What do you think? What kind of YouTube end screen would work best for your branded video content right now? Leave us a comment below and share your thoughts!

The post 5 Eye-Catching YouTube End Screen Designs appeared first on Snappa Blog.

Let’s talk Facebook Ads.

Facebook Ads have helped small and large businesses alike reach new customers and sometimes drive massive amounts of sales, often at a relatively low customer acquisition cost (CAC). If you want to get those results, though, it’s always a good idea to start with a great strategy, strong copy, and (of course!) great ad images.

Your Facebook Ad images are going to be the first thing that users notice when they see your ad. It is responsible for grabbing their attention enough that they want to read your copy and/or click.

Videos, GIFs, and images are all great, but in this post, we’re specifically going to look at Facebook Ad images. In many cases, images are faster, more affordable, and more accessible for small businesses to create at scale than video.

So, let’s take a look at five different types of Facebook Ad images that you should be testing in 2023.

1. Product Images with a White Background

These are images that you likely already have if you’re an eCommerce business selling physical goods: They show the product being displayed over a white or otherwise neutral background.

These are images that you’re likely using in the search function for your site and in product thumbnails. They work well in Facebook Ads because they keep the entire user’s focus on the product themselves, as opposed to making users guess what you’re actually selling.

And, since you already likely have them on hand, there’s no harm in testing them! They often do particularly well in the carousel ad format like what’s featured in the example above.

2. Products in Use

Showcasing products in use is another outstanding and popular choice when you’re considering types of Facebook Ad images to add to your campaigns.

These images will show the product in “the real world” and may actually be in use by a “customer.” So instead of having a picture of a makeup brush on a white background, it may be on a counter, or be in use by an actual person.

These images can help potential buyers visualize the item in their lives. For slightly more complex products, it may also show them how the product is used or provide perspective on size, style or color.

In the example Facebook Ad below, choosing to show the products in the real world was a smart choice. People can see how the items are styled and envision the chair or bookshelf in their home, with ideas for how to use them.

And here’s another example that combines the first and second types of Facebook images we’re discussing today to great effect. Liverpool shows three different items over a neutral background, and then puts them all together on a model. This is a great way to show users that they can buy every single item from the brand (not just the blazer, which the copy almost implies) and shows them how to put an outfit together.

3. Reviews Added in Overlay

Reviews are unbelievably powerful in marketing, and that’s just as true for Facebook Ads as it is in all other touchpoints of the buyer’s journey.

Plenty of ads will drop user reviews in the copy of the ad text, but a great way to capture user attention and interest quickly is to put a short snippet of reviews that really feature your USP in the image using a text overlay.

When we say short, we mean it— think no more than a sentence or a phrase. Put it in quotes so that it’s clear that it’s coming from a customer, and use plain text that’s easy to read. And make sure it’s only a small part of the image, with an image of the product or service taking up most of the space.

4. Graphics

Some businesses are advertising services or even SaaS tools that maybe don’t have product images the same way eCommerce businesses do. In this case, you can’t go wrong with designed graphics.

HubSpot recently ran an ad using graphics to promote their Google Ads integration, which is a core use case for many customers.

The image is simple and uses contrasting-but-branded colors to draw attention, with the top box featuring the benefits and the bottom graphic box showing the integration icon. It’s quick to create (especially with a tool like Snappa, which uses drag-and-drop design tools to make the process fast and easy!), and it can work well for your campaigns.

5. Product Breakdown Images

Product breakdown images are well worth testing, though you’ll need to make sure that the images are large enough and the image isn’t so cluttered that it takes away from what you’re trying to do.

This type of Facebook Ad image will have a picture of your product and text overlay that highlights different features or benefits of the product. In the example below, you can see a combination of features and benefits, like “keeps you warm under a jacket,” “ultra buttery soft,” and “100% non-see-through.”

This image type is commonly used to showcase distinct features that will set the product apart. A brand selling a grill might highlight the non-stick grill grates that are easy to clean, and the option to use either propane or electric. Showcase the features that you know that users most need and that can impact their experience.

Final Thoughts

There are so many things to consider when creating Facebook Ads, and your visuals are definitely one of them. Remember that videos are also valuable to use on Facebook Ads; this post just happened to focus on images. Ideally, create a library of both videos and diverse images and let Facebook do the testing and optimizing for you since their machine learning has really taken off.

Need help designing great images for your Facebook Ads? We can help! Get started with your free trial of Snappa here.

The post 5 Types of Facebook Ad Images You Should Test appeared first on Snappa Blog.

You need the perfect Instagram Reels size to make the best Reels video for your brand.

Using mobile video to its full potential means knowing what size your videos should be. This is true for platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. Optimizing your mobile video size means you’ll show up looking your best wherever viewers find your content.

When you use the perfect Instagram Reels size, your video content will be formatted correctly and will be more likely to grab and keep your followers’ attention.

Why You Should Be Making Instagram Reels

If you’re wondering whether you need to be making Instagram Reels for your brand, the answer is definitely.

Reels are at the forefront of Instagram’s video-centric strategy. The platform is aiming to compete with TikTok’s short-form vertical videos, as well as YouTube Shorts. It took this strategy a step further in summer 2022, moving all forms of video into Reels.

Mobile video has skyrocketed over the past several years, especially with the rise of mobile video apps such as TikTok. According to HubSpot, 67% of marketing professionals said that social media video gets the best ROI.

Reels get more likes and a broader reach than other forms of content posted to Instagram. According to research by Statista, Reels account for 33.8% of reach and 35.4% of likes on Instagram, respectively. So if you want to expand your reach on the platform, you want to get on board with video content.

Not only are Reels short, snappy, and entertaining; they’re also a way to show multiple facets of your brand personality. You can use Reels to show off your products, services, team, and a peek at what goes on behind the scenes at your business. If you’re a personal brand, you can use Reels to speak directly to your audience.

The Exact Dimensions of Instagram Reels

To make your Reels the perfect size for Instagram, they should be 1080px x 1920px with a 9:16 aspect ratio. This is the best size for your user’s mobile phone and means your content will utilize the entire screen.

Reels can be up to 60 seconds long, with a 2,200-character maximum on the caption. Just like Instagram photo posts, you should use relevant hashtags in your caption to broaden your reach. Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags per caption, so take advantage of that leverage.

When you create a Reel in Instagram, you can use one 60-second clip or record multiple clips that equal 60 seconds combined.

How to Make an Instagram Reel

Now that you know what Instagram Reels size you should be using, let’s quickly walk through how to make a Reel for your Instagram account.

1. From your feed, click the plus button in the top right-hand corner or swipe right on your screen.

2. At the bottom of your screen, select Reel.

3. From there, you can record video by tapping and holding the center button. Film a standard video clip via your camera using the white button, or scroll left or right to select a video filter before you begin.

When you’re ready to stop filming, just release the button. You can press, hold, and release the button to film sections of your Reel until you’ve used your allotted amount of time.

4. Once you’ve filmed your clip, tap the Next button on the bottom right.

5. Now, you have the option to edit the video you just shot using the Edit Clips button on the bottom left. You can either watch what you just recorded, or you can trim, reorder, or delete each section of your video.
6. Tap the buttons along the top of your Reel to add music, effects, stickers, text, drawings, and more. You can also opt to download the video to your smartphone or tablet.

7. If you add text to your video, you can tap the corresponding buttons at the bottom of the screen to edit the duration of each clip.
8. Once you’re happy with your Reel, tap the Next button at the bottom right of the screen.
9. Now, you can opt to select a frame from your Reel or upload a custom thumbnail. Tap Edit Cover to choose which image you want. You can also add a caption from this screen.

10. Fill in any other details on your Reel before posting. You can tag people, choose whether to share to your Feed, add products or your location, and more.
11. If you’re not ready to post your Reel, tap Save Draft on the bottom left. When you get ready to post, it will be waiting in your drafts folder.
12. Ready to post? Tap the Share button on the bottom right of your screen.

That’s it! Don’t be afraid to experiment with different Reels filters, features, and trends to get the maximum impact out of every video.

6 Instagram Reels Best Practices

Now that you know how to make Reels (and what size you should be making them), let’s go over a few best practices you should always stick to.

1. Create branded thumbnails for your Reels for a consistent look on your feed. At 1080px x 1920px, Snappa’s customizable Instagram Story templates are the perfect size and aspect ratio for your Instagram Reels.
2. Keep your Reels short and snappy. You don’t always have to use the full 60 seconds allotted, and sometimes shorter is actually better.
3. Make it your goal to hook your viewer within the first few seconds so they don’t scroll away.
4. You’ll want your lighting to be good and your sound clear. While you don’t necessarily need studio-quality lighting, you do want to make sure your videos are well-lit and people can understand what you’re saying.
5. Choose music from the Facebook Sound Collection for your branded videos. This music library for Facebook and Instagram contains royalty-free music businesses can use for Reels to avoid potential copyright issues.
6. Use the right video format for Instagram. If you upload video clips to Reels rather than recording them directly to the app, make sure you’re using MP4 files.

Final Thoughts

You now know how to make Reels, what size they should be, and some best practices to get started. If you need a design tool to quickly and easily create Reels thumbnails for your content, Snappa can help. You can find customizable designs in our graphics library or make your own using our design elements. Get started free to give it a try.

What are some of your favorite Instagram accounts for funny or entertaining Reels? Let us know in the comments below!

The post What’s the Perfect Instagram Reels Size?  appeared first on Snappa Blog.

Considering starting a YouTube channel?

You should!

Whether you want to create a brand around a YouTube channel or create a YouTube channel centered around an existing brand, we think it’s a great idea.

YouTube is an outstanding and invaluable marketing platform, and it’s the second-most-used search engine on the market today, second only to Google. It also allows you to create long-form content in a place where users are actively looking for it, which is a huge advantage.

Whether you want to showcase product demos, educate potential clients, or even just share client testimonials, a YouTube channel is the perfect place.

So, in this post, we’re going to make the process easy by sharing how to start a YouTube channel. We’re going to go over the planning stage, the setup process, and some tips for content ideation and creation.

Let’s get started!

The Planning Stage Before Starting a YouTube Channel

It’s important to have some ideas in mind before you start posting to YouTube. Take your time during the planning stage. This process will help you choose the best ideas for your brand, which will give your channel its best chance at success.

Choose What Content You’ll Create

Before you start on the YouTube side of things, take some time to choose what kind of content you’ll create for your channel.

We know you’ll be creating and posting video content. But what will your videos be about? How long will they be? Will you plan to post standard YouTube videos, YouTube Shorts, or both?

Brainstorm some ideas and topics, either on your own or with your team, for inspiration. These answers will be unique, depending on your industry and the audience you serve.

For example, if you’re in the software-as-a-service (SaaS) industry, here are some of the content types you might include in your YouTube channel:

• Product education videos that teach them how to use your software
• Detailed product updates, especially if you’re rolling out upgrades and new features
• Q&As with experts in your industry
• How-to tutorials that teach users at all levels not only how to operate your software, but how to use other software that’s relevant to their brand, product, or service
• “What is” answers that educate your audience, particularly about related and peripheral industry topics

See What’s Already Out There

Before you start creating YouTube video content, you’ll need to get a feel for what’s already out there. Who’s posting in your industry? What are they talking about? How are they helping their audiences?

Do a little market research before you go full-force with posting your own content. It’s important to understand who and what you’re competing against. You don’t want to be too similar to other creators. On the other hand, you do want your target audience, who might already be following some of your competition, to be able to find your content easily.

Market research is an important step in this process because it will either help to validate your idea or help you course-correct. You might also spot gaps in the current market and decide to fill those yourself.

Think About What Your Branding & USP Will Be

Finally, you’ll want to put some thought into what your branding and unique selling proposition (USP) will be. Don’t skip this step before you start your YouTube channel.

If you already have a brand, you likely have a brand voice and visual branding. If not, this is a great time to develop one and decide on the look and feel of your content. Your branding details will inform the content you create, so it’s important to have that information in place before you get started.

Here are some important questions you should be asking yourself as you build or refine your brand:

• Do you have a logo?
• Have you decided what colors you plan to use on all your marketing materials?
• Do you already know your brand voice–in other words, the tone and cadence of your marketing content?
• Is your brand a personal brand, or is it more of a corporate brand?
• What objectives are you trying to achieve with your brand and your content?

It’s also important to make sure you understand the USP of your channel before you start posting. What can you offer that’s unique? How will you stand out from other content creators in your space?

Once you’ve landed on those answers and solidified your brand, it’s time to set up your YouTube channel.

The Creation Stage for Starting a YouTube Channel

Once you’ve got a solid idea of what kinds of content you’ll be creating for YouTube, it’s time to create your channel.

Create Your Channel

Setting up a YouTube channel is quick and simple. From your YouTube homepage, click your user icon in the upper right-hand corner.

A drop-down menu will appear. Select the Create a Channel option.

Next, you’ll see a pop-up menu that prompts you to enter your name and handle. You can also upload your avatar at this stage.

If you’re a personal brand, a headshot works really well. For corporate brands, try a small version of your logo that’s optimized for use as an avatar.

If you don’t have a headshot or logo, you can create one using a tool like Snappa. Just make sure the image is clear, easily recognizable, and aligned with your brand.

When you’re ready, you can click Create Channel to continue.

Now, YouTube will show you your channel’s dashboard. From here, you can start to optimize it for your brand.

Write a Strong Channel Description

To optimize your YouTube channel, you’ll need to start with a strong description that tells viewers exactly what to expect from you. Click the Customize Channel button in the upper right corner of your screen.

You’ll be taken to the YouTube Studio dashboard. This is the page where you manage your channel and its contents.

Navigate to the Basic Info tab to add your channel description.

From here, you can type in your description. Be sure to incorporate SEO keywords into your description to optimize it further. That way, people who are searching for content like yours will be able to find you.

Optimizing Your Channel

Now, head over to the Branding tab in YouTube Studio.

Under the Branding tab, you’ll see options for uploading your user picture, or avatar, and a YouTube banner image. If you want, you also have the option to add a watermark to your videos.

Want to know how to optimize your avatar? You’ll want a square image that’s 800 pixels wide by 800 pixels tall. We’ve created a tutorial to help you create the perfect YouTube avatar size here.

For your YouTube banner image, you’ll need your graphic to be 2560 pixels wide by 1440 pixels tall. Read more here.

Be sure both images align with your brand and represent it well for your audience. You can build both quickly and easily in Snappa.

Once you’ve uploaded your avatar and banner, YouTube Studio will show you a preview of both.

It’s also easy to create your thumbnails and end screens in Snappa once you start creating videos.

The Content Creation Stage of Starting a YouTube Channel

Now that you have your YouTube channel set up, it’s time to create and publish your content. Here are some best practices to follow as you get started.

Conduct Keyword/Topic Research

Take the idea list you created during the planning stage and use it to conduct keyword and topic research. Use YouTube’s built-in search engine to get an idea of what people are searching for and publishing.

You can also try using a YouTube SEO tool such as TubeBuddy to dive deeper into keyword optimization. Check the search ranking of any given YouTube video in combination with a specific keyword with a tool like YTRank.

Divide Your Content into Playlists

Once you’ve started building a library of YouTube content, you can divide it into playlists. Sort your videos by topic so your viewers can easily find what they’re looking for.

When a viewer selects a playlist, the videos will automatically play in sequence, making it super easy to view a series.

Upload Consistently

As with any marketing platform, you’ll want to make sure you post your YouTube videos consistently.

Your posting schedule will teach your viewers what to expect from you. Decide on a publishing rhythm you can sustain long-term so you can meet their expectations as you grow your audience.

Final Thoughts

YouTube can bring a large number of users to the table for your brand. You can use it for brand discovery, product education, and really build a reputation for your business. And by following these simple practices, you can have a YouTube channel up and running in no time.

Ready to get started creating your YouTube channel? Use Snappa to create your profile images!

The post How to Start a YouTube Channel with Strong Visuals (2023 Update) appeared first on Snappa Blog.