7 Instagram Tips for Graphic Designers

By 

Haidan Dong

April 23, 2020

Can you believe that by this October, it will have been a decade since Instagram was first launched? Graphic designers, in particular, have been using this popular social media platform to promote their design services since the beginning. Over the years, however, Instagram has become saturated with talent, and now it’s a real challenge to stand out.

Countless social media gurus have taken it upon themselves to provide Instagram tips for graphic designers, but as times change, so do strategies. In our article, we’ll take some of the most outdated, clichéd Instagram tips for graphic designers and transform them into practical strategies that are perfect for standing out.

7 Clichéd Instagram Tips for Graphic Designers

1. Write a bio
2. Show off your best work
3. Write captions for your images
4. Use popular hashtags
5. Post often
6. Switch to a business account
7. Connect with influencers

7 Useful Instagram Tips for Graphic Designers

1. Write a clear bio that resonates with your audience and include a link.

It’s not about whether or not you have a bio (you should know already that you need one). Rather, it’s about what you put in it. You have a 150 character limit, and it’s the only place you’ll be able to link to anywhere. Here are the top 5 things you need for a standout Instagram bio:

1. Your name. If your Instagram handle doesn’t make it clear what your name is, include it in the bio.
2. Your services. Tell them what kind of designing you do.
3. Something personal. This should be something that people can relate to, or something quirky that makes you stand out.
4. Link to portfolio. This is preferably your website instead of just another social media account.
5. A city. This is becoming increasingly common because Instagram users want to know where you’re based.

Other optional things include a hashtag (no more than one) and emojis (best used as bullet points).

Here are a few good examples.

Source: @lucasyoung

Source: @myvectorplayground

Source: @timothygoodman

2. Make your gallery a portfolio.

The old advice of showing your best work is good, but just like a portfolio, you should also show images and/or videos of your processes. Between your completed masterpieces, you can post other things (including Instagram stories) such as:

• Works in progress
• Behind-the-scenes videos
• Before and after images
• Happy clients using your designs
• Concept development

Here are some good examples.

Source: @moritz.adam.schmitt

Source: @homsweethom

Source: @junedigann

3. Write captions that bring value to your audience.

Like your bio, your captions need to do more than just exist. They need to exist for a reason.

Here are some good reasons for your caption’s existence:

• Getting your audience to interact (through swiping, comments, going to bio, etc.)
• Teaching your audience something that they wanted to know
• Entertaining your audience so that you get more followers

Here are some bad reasons for your caption’s existence:

• Explaining what the picture is (if they can’t tell, that’s not a good sign)
• Telling your audience what the design is for (usually they won’t care unless it’s for a very high-profile company)
• Telling everyone to follow your account (you can do this in the caption, but there should be more than just this or else nobody will bother)

There are three very important things to keep in mind when writing captions:

1. Keep things easy to read. This means splitting up long sentences and paragraphs, using emojis, etc. Don’t write novels because your audience will generally not read them.
2. Make things interactive whenever you can. Get your audience to comment when possible to build community and loyalty. Just make sure you respond to their comments too.
3. Keep it relevant to the picture or video. Not only is a disconnect confusing, but it also makes the audience feel like they’ve been ripped off.

Here are some examples of good captions.

Source: @willpat

Source: @designbylaney

Source: @m81creative

4. Use relevant hashtags that range from popular to specific.

Hashtags are ultra-important in Instagram, but that doesn’t mean you should just use as many as you can and always aim for the most popular ones. You should use both popular hashtags and ones that are more specific.

Popular hashtag example: #graphicdesign

More specific hashtag example: #pasteldesign

Very specific hashtag example: #corporatelogos

Popular hashtags help you show up on more feeds, but you’re less likely to get noticed because those feeds are refreshing regularly with hundreds or thousands of posts. Specific hashtags may show up on less people’s feeds, but they help you get noticed more because there is less competition.

5. Post regularly with a predictable schedule.

People like knowing what to expect, and when to expect it. If you’re posting daily, choose a consistent time of the day. If you’re posting a few times a week, choose the same days of the week for doing that.

Space out your posts so that it looks like you are posting regularly instead of dumping all your posts and then disappearing for three weeks. It helps you look more active, which will encourage people to follow you. It also keeps people following you because you don’t spam their feed.

6. Track your results

If you just want to track likes, comments, and follows, you can do that without a business account. But if you’re serious about growth and track more metrics, then an Instagram business account is a must-have. It allows you to track the following:

• Post reach (how many people see it)
• Post impressions (how many times it has been seen)
• Profile visitors (how many people visit your profile)
• Link clicks (how many clicks the link in your bio got clicked)

Having this information helps you make wiser choices about which posts to promote and what kind of posts to publish in the future.

Here’s what you can expect to see from Instagram analytics.

Source: Instaboom

7. Connect with relevant influencers (and think like one yourself).

Don’t just reach out to any and every influencer. Instead, ask these questions first:

• Would I actually enjoy working with this person?
• Would my target audience like this person?
• What value can I provide to this influencer?
• What value would this influencer provide to me?

And last but not least, think like an influencer yourself. Support brands and issues that you care about. Choose who you say “yes” to carefully. Think about how your audience would react to your content. You may not have the same number of followers as some of the big name influencers on social media, but you have some followers, and that means you still wield a degree of influence. Use it wisely and resourcefully.Need some fresh ideas? Contact us today to get started! 516-561-1468 or FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ANY OF OUR MARKETING PRODUCTS GO TO: www.printcafeli.com

  Why 2021 Direct Mail Marketing Still Matters for Retail Food Businesses

While people are finally able to obtain a vaccine for COVID-19 and the ability to travel, move around, shop, and dine out is increasing, restaurants have a long hill ahead of them before getting back to a business “normality.”

In fact, entire behavior patterns have changed in people after a year of completely living at home and avoiding regular work presence, school, commuting, and traffic. And that means businesses have to work extra hard in diversifying how they produce income and revenue channels to stay viable.

Many restaurants realized early the only way they were going to stay in business was to boost their ability to handle delivery, ordering out, pick up, and other forms of fresh-cooked food transfer to customers who could no longer dine in.

While people generally tried producing their food regularly at home, overall, Americans are used to picking up and eating out. So, the demand never actually left; it was stifled by COVID restrictions.

However, even now, many communities are still maintaining social restrictions to prevent new COVID infections until vaccinations are fully in place at every age level. That means restaurants and food preparation businesses have to continue leveraging direct mail to be heard, seen, connect and remain on the attention radar of customers.

4 Reasons Direct Mail Works

1. Direct mail is almost always local.

The most likely customers that can and will visit a restaurant from the surrounding area are the primary target for print mails.

2. Direct mail is significantly lower in cost than other marketing channels.

This is a key factor for food businesses that are already strapped and trying to stay in breakeven with the loss of income thanks to COVID.

3. Direct mail has a higher return on investment.

The return on investment of a simple print card mailer can be thousands upon thousands of dollars when a customer responds to an included call to action.

Add in the additional benefit of discounting, and that same customer is likely to buy even more, increasing a business's revenue and cash flow per sale.

4. Direct mailers should be designed to be re-used.

Customers love the ability to use a marketing tool or coupon repeatedly.

And that creates both business retention and a greater amount of income stream for a restaurant or food business, again the primary goal of the effort in the first place.

Now is the Time

Restaurants and food businesses that rely on retail traffic shouldn’t be waiting for social restrictions to lift further.

Marketing takes time to have a positive effect, which is why direct mail efforts need to be sent out on a cyclical basis, pushing and reminding folks of a restaurant’s presence and availability.

As people keep being reminded, especially as they start commuting to work again, the food business will become viable and convenient for a warm meal, even if it is still takeout or delivery. Card stock direct mailers can help tremendously. So don’t wait for the market to reappear. Get out there and chase it now!

Need some fresh ideas? Contact us today to get started! 516-561-1468 or FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ANY OF OUR MARKETING PRODUCTS GO TO: www.printcafeli.com

Employ This Unique Question-Storming Technique to Drive Creativity in Your Team

 

A well-known pastor once said this: “It takes guts to get out of ruts.”

In truth, it takes more than just guts. It takes inspiration, which is what drives courage and fuels life and new energy. When your team wants to create brain flow or stimulate innovative ideas, asking the right questions and getting others to ask them with you is one way to start.

The Question Formulation Technique

Most people spend a lot of time worrying about giving the right answers.

But an answer can only be as powerful as the question it addresses. If you work with teams, one of your goals should be to draw on each person’s unique strengths and creativity. But this can be a challenge if you can’t get the ball rolling.

If you want to try a different launch point for your next creative gathering, consider the Question Formulation Technique (originally formulated by the Right Question Institute). Here’s how it works:

Design a Question Focus

Pick a problem or challenge that is important to you. It should be clear and stimulate new lines of thinking. It should not be a question.

Establish Rules

Start by setting a time limit of around 5-15 minutes. Agree on this ahead of time and set a list of parameters before brainstorming begins. Brainstorming rules could include:

• Encouraging people to ask as many questions as possible
• Refraining from stopping green light thinking to answer, judge, or to discuss the questions posed
• Asking everyone to submit at least three questions
• Writing down every question exactly as it is stated

Produce Questions

Now it’s go-time.

Use your question focus to formulate as many questions as you can. Aim for 50 questions in 15 minutes to give your team a brain jolt.

Improve Questions

Once you have a list of questions, the next step is to try to improve them.

For example, you could change yes/no questions into open-ended phrases. You could modify a generic question by adding specifics (changing “how can we preserve heat loss in drafty spaces?” to “how can we increase heat efficiency by 20 percent?”)

Sort Questions

After brainstorming, your list will seem a bit jumbled.

Drill down by sorting questions into common themes then prioritizing the most critical areas. Choose 3-4 categories with the most potential and rank them by importance.

Take Action

Now ideas can take flight.

After ranking your categories, decide what you need to do next to generate creative solutions. Do you hand off a concept to a design team? Work with a consultant to flush out possibilities? Maybe you want to take the top-ranking question and have another “question-storming” session to flush out specifics for this concept.

Reflect and Reframe

Before closing your session, reflect on what your group learned and how you might assimilate these insights into your work. This may uncover hidden assumptions or reframe the way your team approaches its next obstacle. And give positive feedback on the discussion that just happened.

Teaching people to ask questions and partner in decision-making can fundamentally change the synergy of your team!

Need some fresh ideas? Contact us today to get started! 516-561-1468 or FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ANY OF OUR MARKETING PRODUCTS GO TO: www.printcafeli.com

                             How to Prepare Large-Format Projects for Print

 

When you want to flaunt your finest, large-format printing can make an oversized impact!

Large-format printing includes products printed at a length of 18-100 inches with a minimum width of 60 inches. Some of the most popular items include posters, window graphics, yard signs, vehicle wraps, vinyl banners, media backdrops, and more.

While large-scale graphics are stunning, these projects require special preparation, so these images remain vibrant and sharp when stretched to larger-than-life proportions.

If you plan to go BIG, here are some factors to consider.

Communicate from the Start

When diving in on a large-scale printing, create a detailed brief and use this to speak to your printer as early as possible.

Try to include everything from the size, design, materials, and deadlines. Your printer will work with you to be sure your ideas are achievable, and the timeline is realistic.

Set Appropriate Image Specifications

As you connect with a printer, be sure your images match the required specifications.

Pixels per inch (or PPI) is the standard measurement for image resolution. PPI refers to the density of pixels per square inch of space they occupy. The higher the PPI, the sharper your image will appear as a large-format graphic. As a general rule, most commercially printed materials require at least 300 PPI.

The viewing distance required for your project can be a factor in selecting the appropriate specs.

Select Clear and Legible Fonts

Since most large-format products are meant to be viewed from a distance, fonts are a big deal.

Usually, sans-serif fonts are easier to read than script or serif fonts. Fonts that are too bold or have wide spacing between letters are also very difficult to read when viewed from afar. To check your font’s legibility, take a few steps back from your computer and evaluate from a different perspective.

Limit the number of fonts you use, and don’t crowd the design!

Choose Your File Formats

There are generally two file types in large-format printing: EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) and TIFF (Tagged Image File Format).

EPS – such as .eps or .ai files – can contain both text and graphics and are a better option for vector images, which use algorithms to increase an image size (rather than pixels), which preserve image quality when scaled up.

TIFF files are best for high-quality graphics, with color depths ranging from 1 to 24 bits. They can also support special Adobe features like layering and transparency.

Not sure which format is best? Your printer can help and may even have software presets they can send you in advance. No matter which file type you select, don’t flatten the original file before sending it to print. Keep an editable file to make the design and printing process easier!

Get Color Samples

Did you know there are two primary ways of displaying colors?

Anything designed for a screen – such as digital banners or a website – uses an RGB (red, green, blue) color model, while printed materials use CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black). RGB looks great on a screen but can look dull when printed, so you can save yourself extra hassle by converting your design file color to CMYK before you begin. If you haven’t, double-check with your printer about how to proceed from where you’re at.

Amplify Your Voice

Large-format printing offers huge promotional potential for your business.

But it can be a big investment, which is why it’s important to get things right the first time. Whatever your large-format printing needs, our experienced team can help! Whether you’re looking to build brand identity or bring curb appeal to your business, upgrade your customer experience with magnificent large-scale visuals.

Need some fresh ideas? Contact us today to get started! 516-561-1468 or FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ANY OF OUR MARKETING PRODUCTS GO TO: www.printcafeli.com

 Creating a Substantial Visual Impact Through Corporate Responsibility Campaigns

In a post-pandemic world, marketers are tasked with a unique balancing act: helping people return to reality while remaining sensitive to the challenges of this era.

Today’s consumers appreciate businesses that prioritize people over products. Research by consumer authority Mintel has shown that as many as 56% of Americans will stop buying from brands they believe are unethical. Additionally, in a global survey, 91% of consumers reported they were likely to switch to a brand that supports a good cause, given similar price and quality. 

Corporate responsibility, or cause marketing, occurs when a company’s promotional campaign has a dual purpose of increasing profitability while bettering society. Or, more colloquially: cause marketing occurs when a brand does well by doing good.

Visual campaigns are potent, and they are even more compelling when combined with a social initiative of some sort. Here are three dynamic examples.

Cadbury’s “Donate Your Words” Campaign

In the United Kingdom, 225,000 older people often go a week without speaking to anyone.

During the pronounced isolation of COVID-19, Cadbury chocolates launched an initiative to benefit Age UK, the country’s leading charity dedicated to providing companionship, advice, and support for older individuals.

In a stark visual, Cadbury removed all lettering from the front of its dark purple packaging and replaced it with a blank tag: instead of a price, there was a pledge to talk to an older person. Blank pledge tags were also available for customers who wanted to write personalized pledges. Shoppers could take any display item to the till, but instead of paying money they could pledge to talk to an older person.

Cadbury donated its chocolate and challenged a nation to donate its words.

American Express and Small Business Saturday

Did you know that the original founder of Small Business Saturday was American Express?

Without a non-profit partner, American Express embraced entire communities by encouraging consumers to shop local and support the mom and pop stores in their own neighborhoods (presumably while using an American Express card to do so!).

Launched in 2010, local profits leaped from $14.3 billion in 2014 to $19.8 billion in 2020. Key to this success was visual marketing; to equip local businesses, American Express designed creative pieces like signage, social posts, scavenger hunt maps, recipe sheets, and themed passports to support their “Neighborhood Champions”—men and women that vowed to formally celebrate Small Business Saturday in their areas.

A Meaningful, Memorable Message

Consumers want to see positive change in the world and when your brand can be part of it, the emotional impact of your marketing will ratchet up.

Choose your cause wisely, listen to your audience, and lean in to the power of print marketing to put your message front and center. 

Need some fresh ideas? Contact us today to get started! 516-561-1468 or FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ANY OF OUR MARKETING PRODUCTS GO TO: www.printcafeli.com

                                     3 Ways to Create Pictures that Pop

Have you ever heard the expression, “a picture paints a thousand words?”

It’s true. While words can limit our ability to effectively communicate ideas, even a split-second glance at an image can convey volumes of information. Whether you’re a marketer or design specialist, it is important to employ tactics that add power and clarity to your communication.

Creating Dynamic Images with a Singular Focus

Experienced graphic artists have many tricks of the trade. Some like to blur the background of an image to draw central focus to one element. Others add texture to flat graphics by adding bevels, text shadows, or blended layers.

But on an even more conceptual level, you can communicate boldly and clearly with signs and symbols. Looking to simplify – while adding complexity? Here three techniques you can experiment with in print marketing to amplify your visual messages:

Signs

On a basic level, signs are the combination of a word and a picture to create meaning.

What comes to your mind when you see a bright yellow triangle, an image of a dog with a slash through it, or a photo of a distressed person clutching their neck with two hands? Signs convey simple, universal ideas that viewers can understand immediately. Even colors themselves can have inherent meaning!

Like a cross and skull poison symbol, signs can stop people in their tracks. Signs are especially helpful when communicating with mass audiences at a glance.

Typograms

A typogram refers to the deliberate use of typography to express an idea visually.

For example, the word “half” displayed with only the top half of each letter showing might imply an eraser effect. The word “volleyball” with the “o” popping out above the text brings a playful, spirited message. Want inspiration? Check out this 365-day challenge, where Daniel Carlmatz created a typographic logo for every day of the year!

Typograms use basic visual enforcement to add subtext to the words you display. Logos, taglines, or custom envelopes are a great place to put typograms to work.

Symbolic Imagery

While signs communicate a very straightforward message, many images have connotative meanings with far more complexity.

While a house denotes a place where you live, a home has far greater connotations (like family, security, and love). A subject, the objects surrounding it, and the editing techniques we use can all play a role in the cognitive messages we bring. Consider these examples:

• Cropping a woman’s face to only the eye can make viewers wonder what she is thinking
• Cropping a man’s body to only his head and shoulders may suggest he’s leaning in to hear more
• Inverting colors may insinuate a flashback scene or a memory
• Increasing contrast between the back and foregrounds might suggest the object behind a person is about to surprise them
• Larger contrasts or color saturation can elicit feelings or arousal or cheerfulness
• Increased sepia tones can give an aged or vintage look (like a photo carried in wallet)

Add Clarity and Complexity to Communicate on Many Different Levels

While language can limit our ideas, an image communicates on many different levels. Proficient designers know the more clarity or complexity you bring to your print pieces, the greater impact you will have on your target audience.

Use signs, typograms, and symbolic imagery to add emotional weight, to increase the efficiency of your communication, and achieve a greater return from your marketing dollars.

Need some fresh ideas? Contact us today to get started! 516-561-1468 or FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ANY OF OUR MARKETING PRODUCTS GO TO: www.printcafeli.com

                   How the Best Leaders Embrace a Results-Based Perspective

More than 40 years ago, Dale Miller conducted a study that compared two groups of executives.

One group was identified by their colleagues as highly effective and ready for promotion. Individuals in the other group initially seemed promising but were later deemed unready for an advanced role.

During evaluation, each group received a deck of 62 statements describing management behavior and was asked to sort the statements on most effective versus least effective leadership qualities. After the first group finished sorting, the top behavior they selected was this: “accepts full responsibility for the performance of the work unit.” This phrase was chosen above delegation, staffing, time-management, or even technical skills.

The primary difference between these groups? Those primed for high-level leadership took full ownership over the team, its cohesiveness, and final project outcomes.

Practical Ways to Practice Personal Responsibility

“If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn’t sit for a month.” — Theodore Roosevelt

Many people who enter management are willing to accept the benefits of their position without fully embracing the pain points of this role.

Modern society often views leadership as self-serving, with the needs and desires of the individual taking priority over those of the team. But effective leadership primarily benefits the followers, not the leader. People who put the team’s needs above their own will achieve maximum influence and increase efficiency and effectiveness in their organization.

What does it look like to embrace a results-based perspective in your leadership? Ultimately, this starts with a mindset that says, “I am the person who must make this happen.” This goes beyond merely completing a task to a wholehearted commitment to the company’s best interests, including doing things for which there is no immediate reward. Do you turn off the lights if you are the last one in the building, or do you assume the custodian will do this? Responsible leaders use organizational resources with great care; they take the long view and see their own well-being as intrinsically linked to this organization’s success.

On a tangible, daily level, here are several ways successful leaders take personal responsibility:

-- Asking, “how can I help?” instead of “what does that have to do with me?”

-- Sharing credit when things go well but acknowledging personal shortcomings when a team fails

-- Proactively seeking honest feedback about personal performance

-- Acting as a buffer to protect the team from unreasonable demands on time, resources, or output

-- Delegating tasks (using clear job descriptions) while avoiding the temptation to micromanage

-- Being willing to forego being one of the group (or everyone’s “buddy”) to accept the social stigma of leadership

-- Encouraging people to take responsibility for their own roles by highlighting the importance of what they are doing and how these efforts tie into the bigger picture

-- Breaking large ventures into small steps, so people feel proud of their progress (rather than overwhelmed by the magnitude of a project)

-- Ensuring team members have the resources needed to do their job (including training, equipment, access to mentors and coaches, etc.)

-- Documenting poor outcomes and intentionally communicating them to struggling team members so positive changes (or eventual termination) can occur

Empower Yourself and Encourage Others

While taking responsibility can be difficult, it is also empowering.

Pursuing this results-based mindset allows you to take ownership over a situation and avoid feeling like a victim. When you take ownership over your role in every situation, you become an active participant, not a passive bystander. You are a trustee of these intangibles, and this empowering attitude helps others move forward in vitality – even when they’ve forgotten how to believe in themselves.

Need some fresh ideas? Contact us today to get started! 516-561-1468 or FOR MORE INFORMATION ON ANY OF OUR MARKETING PRODUCTS GO TO: www.printcafeli.com