Author: Franz Malten Buemann

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We see graphic design at work every day.
Everything from logos, posters, magazines, product packaging, ads, and more.
It’s an industry that’s always in demand. Why? Because brands always need designers, whether it’s to create branding assets or design an upcoming event flyer.

If it’s an industry you’re interested in, discover the steps you can take today to learn graphic design and find out what you need to keep in mind as you start your career.
1. Learn key design principles.
Graphic design is a visual communication tool that combines the use of graphics, typography, color, and illustration to communicate a message.
And while there are endless ways to communicate a message (that’s where the creative part comes into play), there are key principles that every graphic designer must follow:

Hierarchy
Alignment
Contrast
Space
Color
Proximity
Repetition
Balance

These fundamental concepts ensure that a design is cohesive, impactful, and clear.
In addition to these principles, there are other elements that come into play, such as typography and color theory.
The former relates to the way in which your copy (i.e. text) is arranged while the former refers to how people perceive color and how it impacts messaging.
Once you understand these concepts, you can then dive a little deeper. More on that in the next section.
2. Find a course.
Contrary to popular belief, having an eye for design isn’t an innate trait – it’s a learned skill.
Once you have a broad overview of graphic design, it’s time to dive in with an in-depth course.
A course will teach you about the history of graphic design, the various subdivisions within the discipline, the psychology behind design principles, and the tools you’ll need.
Here are the top online resources for graphic design courses:

General Assembly
Skillshare

LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com)
Udemy
Coursera

Then, of course, there’s always YouTube University. The best thing about this university is that it’s 100% free.
The downside here is that you likely won’t find the same depth in the material on YouTube and you won’t have the support of a professor.
Plus, you’ll likely be tasked with finding your own homework to practice what you’ve learned. However, it can be a good place to start if you’re on a budget.
3. Master design programs.
It’s hard to think of graphic design without immediately thinking of the tools they use.
So much of graphic design work relies on the use of tools like Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, and Sketch.
These are all powerful software that allow you to create everything from logos and illustrations to website designs.
While they aren’t free to use, consider them investments in your career, as you will likely use them for every project you take on.
4. Network with fellow designers.
In addition to the knowledge you’ll gain from your courses, it’s important to speak with designers who are currently working in the field.
This will help you get a 360-view of what it’s like working as a graphic designer and what it takes to succeed in your role.
Start on social networks like Facebook and LinkedIn. You’ll find plenty of design communities and groups that share information and opportunities.
You can also use sites like MeetUp to find designers in your area who are interested in meeting up as well as Eventbrite to find fun events you can join.
Networking across is as important as networking up. Make sure you lean on your community for support and advice as you develop your skills as a graphic designer.
5. Practice, then practice some more.
Now that you’ve learned everything you need to know, it’s time to put that knowledge into action.
When learning anything new, practicing is key. It’s not enough for you to take in the knowledge, you have to use it and learn how it works in real time.
So, now that you understand design principles and have learned from the experts, it’s time for you to gain your own experience. You can start by searching for graphic design exercises online.
For instance, Type Connection and KernType allow you to test your typography skills. You can also use sites like Sharpen to find design prompts to work on. They have prompts in various categories, from branding to marketing and user experience (UX).
Once you feel confident in your ability, consider taking on a design project of your own. It could be a passion project you give yourself or one you seek out.
This will help you get real-world experience in what it takes to start a project from start to finish and all of the non-design implications you must consider.
9 Tips for Learning Graphic Design
1. Always keep an ear to the ground.
As marketers, we already know how much there is to learn from influencers.
They are highly knowledgeable in their niche and are often willing to share the secrets to their success in their content.
If you seek out their content regularly, you’ll become more familiar with the graphic design world, discover more tips from industry leaders, become comfortable with relevant terminology, and stay on top of trends.
Wondering how to engage? Turn to YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram.
And don’t be afraid to reach out to them. You never know who might respond to your questions – and any positive connection you make will only help you move further along in your journey.
What to Do Right Now

Build a Twitter List of influential designers on Twitter, so you can follow their daily insights without having to pick out their tweets from a sea of friends, coworkers, and news sources on your timeline.
Have a mix of well-known designers who personally inspire you and those whose work you do not enjoy. That last point may seem counterintuitive, but consistently observing the work of that group can help you understand why you don’t like it, which is a key part of understanding design.

2. Collect inspirational work.
Once you decide to learn design, start building a catalog of work you think is successful.
That can be as simple as bookmarking images in your web browser, making a Pinterest board, or saving items to a folder on your computer.
Sifting through a catalog of inspiring work will help you to identify trends – both past and present – and can inform your own personal style.
What to Do Right Now

Get acquainted with leading designer portfolio sites like Dribbble and Behance. These platforms showcase an abundance of high-quality work from leading designers across the spectrum – everyone from web and UX designers, to graphic designers and typographers.
Set aside time in your day to review these sites and use apps like Panda to make the collection process easier.

3. Dissect the process.
One of the most pivotal moments in my design journey was when I recognized that every single illustration, infographic, and icon I had ever ogled over was the product of someone mastering how to combine shapes and lines.
Analyzing the process behind a design will allow you to understand the steps required to produce a piece of work.
Depending on your current skill level, you may have a leg up in knowing which tools were used, or which aspect was created first. But if you’re a beginner, don’t let that stop you – examining the construction of a design will let you flex your creative muscle.
Educated guesses will do far more to teach you than doing nothing at all. Plus, you’ll likely find that:

You know more than you think you do.
When you identify holes in that knowledge, you’ll know what techniques or concepts you need to explore to narrow the gap.
There’s more than one way to achieve the desired result.

What to Do Right Now

Download a free vector or PSD design resource, and dig through the layers to see how the designer constructed the object. You can find a number of those files here.
Once you pick your file, open it in Photoshop, then open the Layers Panel (which you can learn to use here) and un-collapse some of the folders, so that you can see the layers contained within them.

By simply changing the visibility of the layers, you can begin to see how the designer used each shape to build upon one another. You can also begin to understand how to use Photoshop Effects, like drop shadows and strokes.
4. Get specific with your online search queries.
As you begin creating your own designs, you’ll likely hit an obstacle where you think to yourself, “Hmm, how the heck do I do that? ”
Chances are, others have wondered the same thing.
Like many self-taught disciplines these days, the majority of my own technical design knowledge was gained by watching a YouTube tutorial while I actively followed along.
The key is to be really specific with your searches, so you can find a highly relevant tutorial.
Searching for something like “How to Create an Icon” might deliver really broad search results. Instead, type in exactly what you want to learn, like, “How to Create a Flat Icon with a Long Shadow.” Boom.
What to Do Right Now
Browse a design terminology glossary to find the specific terms for techniques you’re trying to learn.
That can help you find what you’re looking for online much more easily, in addition to helping you familiarize yourself with the language.
5. Reproduce your favorite work.
Let me be clear: Under no circumstances should you infringe on anyone’s copyrighted work. Never reproduce someone else’s work and try to pass it off as your own.
That said, re-creating a design you like, without advertising it as your own work, is helpful in gaining a deeper understanding of design techniques.
You’ll have to get creative with the method you choose to recreate the design. Don’t get frustrated if you can’t duplicate a design exactly – remember, the process is more important than the result.
What to Do Right Now

Find a design piece you think is successful, which should be easy if you’ve created an inspiration catalog.
Open up your go-to design software to recreate it.
Start dissecting the design and recreating it using your own process.
If you get stuck, use specific search queries and lean on your design community.

6. Embrace negative space.
The proper use of negative space is often overlooked by beginner and advanced designers alike.
What is negative space, or white space? It’s the space in your design that’s not occupied by any visual or written element. A design piece that doesn’t incorporate enough negative space is like a sentence with no spaces: itisdifficulttocomprehend.
What to Do Right Now
Learning to effectively use white space won’t happen overnight. You’ll have to try out different options to find what works for each design.

Read some of the articles on this list, compiled by David Kadavy, author of Design for Hackers: Reverse Engineering Beauty. Then, try to put some of these theories into action.

Remember, there’s no hard-and-fast rule to using white space. It takes practice. Eventually, you’ll find that exercises in resizing elements of your composition and changing the layout will lead to a natural understanding of the amount of breathing room required.
7. Don’t be afraid to get feedback.
On some level, everyone is afraid of criticism. We’re afraid our ideas will get shot down and we’ll be sent back to square one.
Learning to accept constructive criticism is no easy task, but it’s key to becoming a better designer.
Paul Arden, who was the creative force behind Saatchi & Saatchi at a pinnacle of its success, wrote this in his best-selling book, It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want to Be:
“If, instead of seeking approval, you ask, ‘What’s wrong with it? How can I make it better?’ you are more likely to get a truthful, critical answer. You may even get an improvement on your idea. And you are still in a position to reject the criticism if you think it is wrong. Can you find fault with this?”
The takeaway: Design critics allow us to incorporate others’ viewpoints into our work and improve upon our ideas. You always have the option to reject the feedback but considering it in the first place is what’s important.
Design is subjective in nature, and just because someone else has a different opinion doesn’t mean you’re wrong.
In fact, trusting your intuition is equally important. Just make sure you have the means to back up your design decisions.
What to Do Right Now

Have a one-on-one conversation with an experienced designer. If you don’t know anyone in the design world, join an online community of designers.
Post on Reddit’s Design Critiques.
Publish your work on social media and ask for feedback from fellow designers.

8. Pick a passion project.
If you only listen to one piece of advice from this post, let it be this one.
In your career, you’ll likely be involved in design projects you aren’t passionate about. And that’s OK.
So, in the beginning, give yourself the room to work on projects you can’t wait to get into. This is the time when you need the motivation to get you through those tough early days of learning something new.
When you get frustrated, a passion project can fuel you to push through.
It’ll also provide direction. Time and time again, the hardest part of learning design is not knowing what to design. Be decisive and choose something you can work on for an extended period of time.
What to Do Right Now

Align your interests or current situation with your projects. If you’re a blogger, try creating the header image for your next post. V
Voice your willingness to work on an offer with your content team.
Looking for a job? Redesign your resume and try to further your personal brand by creating a logo.

There are a number of ways to work design into your day, but it’s up to you to pick something that matters to you.
9. Just start.
t’s easy to be intimidated by the sheer amount of learning associated with graphic design, but remind yourself that even the most talented designers were newbies once, too.
What makes the creative field so special is that everyone’s journey is unique – there’s no one way to approach DIY design. You’ll find your own means to discern what you want and need to learn.
Furthermore, design is an iterative process, so keep reworking your ideas and projects.
As you progress, you’ll develop your own workflow, and one day, that design that took you all day will only take you an hour.
Trust me, I’m living proof.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in June of 2017 and has been updated for comprehensiveness. 

Nowadays, it seems like a new company is starting every hour.
While starting a company may seem easier now than ever before, entrepreneurs have an uphill battle from the moment they start a business. On average, a new business competes with 25 competitors to stand out and thrive in its industry.
Aspiring business owners who go in blind without a clear, actionable plan for marketing, hiring, finances, and operations are destined to face significant challenges. This is why crafting a business plan is an essential step in the entrepreneurial process.
In this post, we’ll walk you through the process of filling out your business plan template, like this free, editable version:

Download a free, editable one-page business plan template.
We know that when looking at a blank page on a laptop screen, the idea of writing your business plan can seem impossible. However, it’s a mandatory step to take if you want to turn your business dreams into a reality.
That’s why we’ve crafted a business plan template for you to download and use to build your new company. You can download it here for free. It contains prompts for all of the essential parts of a business plan, all of which are elaborated on, below.
This way, you’ll be able to show them how organized and well-thought-out your business idea is, and provide them with answers to whatever questions they may have.
Featured Resource: Free Business Plan Template

Building a Successful Business Plan
In the next section, we’ll cover the components that make up a business plan, such as an executive summary and company description. But before we get to that, let’s talk about key elements that should serve as building blocks for your plan.
At the core, your business plan should answer two questions: why your business and why now?
Investors want to know why your business is entering the market, i.e. what problem it’s solving and how it’s different from what’s currently out there. They also want to know why now is the right time for your type of product or service.
Too often, business plans are too idealistic and not realistic enough. While having a vision is important, your plan needs to be rooted in research and data.
So back to the question of why and why now – consider three things:

Your industry – How does your product or service fit within your industry? Are you targeting a specific niche? Where do you see the industry going in the next five to 10 years?

Your target audience – Who are you targeting? What challenges are they facing? How will your product or service help them in their daily lives?

Your unique selling proposition (USP) – What sets you apart from your competitors? Is it your product/service features? Your company values? Price?

Once you know the answers to these questions, you’ll be equipped to answer the question: why your business and why now.
Featured Resource: Free Business Plan Template

1. Cover Page
Your business plan should be prefaced with an eye-catching cover page. This means including a high-resolution image of your company logo, followed by your company’s name, address, and phone number.

Since this business plan will likely change hands and be seen by multiple investors, you should also provide your own name, role in the business, and email address on the cover page.
At the bottom of this page, you can also add a confidentiality statement to protect against the disclosure of your business details. The statement can read as follows: “This document contains confidential and proprietary information created by [your company name]. When receiving this document, you agree to keep its content confidential and may only reproduce and/or share it with express written permission of [your company name].”
2. Executive Summary
The executive summary of your business plan provides a one- to two-page overview of your business and highlights the most crucial pieces of your plan, such as your short-term and long-term goals.
The executive summary is essentially a boiled-down version of your entire business plan, so remember to keep this section to the point and filled only with essential information.
Typically, this brief section includes:

A mission statement.
The company’s history and leadership model.
An overview of competitive advantage(s).
Financial projections.
Company goals.
An ask from potential investors.

3. Company & Business Description
In this section, provide a more thorough description of what your company is and why it exists.

The bulk of the writing in this section should be about your company’s purpose – covering what the business will be selling, identifying the target market, and laying out a path to success.
In this portion of your business plan, you can also elaborate on your company’s:

Mission statement
Core values
Team and organizational structure

3. Product & Services Line
Here’s where you’ll cover the makeup of your business’s product and/or services line. You should provide each product or service’s name, its purpose, and a description of how it works (if appropriate).
Next, add some color to your sales strategy by outlining your pricing model and mark-up amounts.
If you’re selling tangible products, you should also explain production and costs, and how you expect these factors to change as you scale.
4. Market Analysis
The market analysis section is where you’ll provide details about the audience to which you’re marketing your business. This should encompass the size of your total addressable market, your market’s demographics and psychographics, and location analysis for your business’ operating space.
It helps to reference your market research documentation in this section, like a Porter’s Five Forces Analysis or a SWOT Analysis (templates for those are available here). You can also include them in your appendix.
If your company already has buyer personas, you should include them here as well. If not, you can create them right now using the Make My Persona Tool.
5. Marketing Plan
Unlike the market analysis section, your marketing plan section should be an explanation of the tactical approach to reaching your aforementioned target audience. List your advertising channels, organic marketing methods, messaging, budget, and any relevant promotional tactics.
If your company has a fully fleshed-out marketing plan, you can attach it in the appendix of your business plan. If not, download this free marketing plan template to outline your strategy.

6. Sales Plan
It doesn’t matter if your sales department is an office full of business development representatives (BDR) or a dozen stores with your products on their shelves.
The point is: All sales plans are different, so you should clearly outline yours here. Common talking points include your:

Sales team structure, and why this structure was chosen.
Sales channels.
Sales tools, software, and resources.
Prospecting strategy.
Sales goals and budget.

Like with your marketing plan, it might make sense to attach your completed sales plan to the appendix of your business plan. You can download a template for building your sales plan here.
7. Legal Notes
Your investors may want to know the legal structure of your business, as that could directly impact the risk of their investments. For example, if you’re looking for business partners to engage in a non-corporation or LLC partnership, this means they could be on the line for more than their actual investment.
Because this clarification is often needed, explain if you are and/or plan to become a sole proprietor, partnership, corporation, LLC, or other.
You should also outline the steps you have taken (or will need to take) to operate legally. This includes licenses, permits, registrations, and insurance.
The last thing your investor wants to hear after they’ve sent you a big chunk of change is that you’re operating without proper approval from the local, state, or federal government.
8. Financial Considerations
Ultimately, investors want to know two things:

When they will earn their money back.
When they will start seeing returns on their initial investment.

That said, be clear, calculated, and convincing in this section. It should cover:

Startup costs.
Sales forecasts for the next several months/quarters.
Break-even analysis for time and dollars.
Projected profit and loss (P&L) statement.

Facts and figures are key here, so be as specific as possible with each line item and projection. In addition, explain the “why” behind each of these sections.
However, keep in mind that information overload is a risk, especially when it comes to data. So, if you have pages upon pages of charts and spreadsheets for this section, distill them into a page or two and include the rest of the sheets in the appendix. This section should only focus on key data points.
9. Appendix
A detailed and well-developed business plan can range anywhere from 20 to 50 pages, with some even reaching upward of 80.
In many cases, the appendix is the longest section. Why? Because it includes the supportive materials mentioned in previous sections. To avoid disrupting the flow of the business plan with visuals, charts, and spreadsheets, business owners usually add them in the last section, i.e. the appendix.
Aside from what we’ve already mentioned – marketing plan, sales plan, department budgets, financial documents – you may also want to attach the following in the appendix:

Marketing materials
Market research data
Licensing documentation
Branding assets
Floor plans for your location
Mockups of your product
Renderings of your office space or location design

Adding these pieces to the appendix enriches the reader’s understanding of your business and proves you’ve put the work into your business plan without distracting from the main points throughout the plan.
Use a Business Plan Template to Get Started
Writing a business plan shouldn’t be an insurmountable roadblock to starting a business. Unfortunately, for all too many, it is.
That’s why we recommend using our free business plan template. Pre-filled with detailed section prompts for all of the topics in this blog post, we’re confident this template will get your business plan started in the right direction.
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in June 2017 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

The human attention span is short. This means that your website’s content has to inspire, delight, and engage your target audience in mere seconds.
Maybe your content is performing well on social media. It’s resonating with audiences and earning engagement. But it’s possible that when you look at website metrics, there’s a different story being told.
If your session time is low and your bounce rate is high, then your above-the-fold content may be to blame. Not to worry: We’ll go over everything you need to know about above-the-fold content, including best practices and examples that will inspire you.
Your above-the-fold website content directly impacts your engagement metrics, because it can inspire users to explore the rest of the website and its offerings. If it’s not properly optimized, you’ll likely see a boost in bounce rate and a decrease in conversions.
A web page that is slow to load, congested with information, and hard to use will probably not draw the reader in the same way a page with the opposite design would. This can hurt your website’s lead generation potential.
Let’s say you’ve been losing traffic. It’s possible the content website visitors see when they first visit your page isn’t interesting enough to keep them there. Your page might be compelling by the time visitors start scrolling, but if the content isn’t dazzling and user-friendly right off the bat, visitors can easily click away.
This means that your content above the fold could probably be re-done to engage visitors.
If your website has compelling above-the-fold content, you’ll likely see higher conversion rates and lower bounce rates. If you’re unsure, try to self-test by looking at your website from a new perspective — if you were a new viewer, would you stay on your site at first glance?
Let’s talk about some ways you can ensure your above-the-fold content engages web users.
Above the Fold Website Design Best Practices
When you design your webpage, keep these practices in mind. They’ll keep visitors’ attention and encourage them to explore the rest of your website.
1. Keep your design simple.
Above-the-fold content shouldn’t be extremely busy — if it is, readers might not know where to look first and click away from the page. Alternatively, if they’re not able to find the answer to their challenge quickly, they’ll likely choose another website.
To keep your page looking professional, organized, and user-friendly, try adding one featured image or multimedia, such as a GIF or video, to the content above the fold. Then, add a short headline that introduces your webpage, and a sentence below it that describes your page in more detail.
2. Make the content engaging.
Simple web pages are one way to keep a user’s attention. But when they get there, take opportunities to delight them. For example, when you write your headlines and body text, they should echo your brand voice.
You don’t have to make huge changes to delight the visitor. For example, if there’s a CTA button on your page, you could try “Ready to get started?” instead of “Learn more.”
If the featured photo on your webpage is static, see if you can deliver the same message with a GIF instead. Additionally, if all of your copy is one color, try adding one or two more — a good rule of thumb is to incorporate your brand colors for professionalism and consistency with the rest of your website.
3. Design your content for usability.
Above all else, your content should be easy to interact with. For instance, if you’re working on the above-the-fold content for a product page, make sure your above-the-fold content is functioning as it should.
Let’s say your product page’s above-the-fold content is a video. Does it load correctly, include captions, and offer sound options?
Additionally, think about the experience of the user. If your above-the-fold content features a video that autoplays, will it interrupt the user’s interaction with the page? To combat this issue, make sure the video plays on silent and includes subtitles, if needed. Make sure to incorporate other web accessibility standards as well.
4. Solve challenges for the reader.
Your content above the fold should answer the challenge of the user. To illustrate, let’s say you work for an email marketing service provider, and a user searches “email marketing software” and lands on your homepage.
Your content, then, should include a few, if not all, of the keywords “automated email marketing software” in some form. For example, your headline could read “Email Automation for Marketers,” and expand on that in the supporting text.
Those are a few guidelines to keep in mind when designing your content. Next, we’re going to look at above-the-fold website examples that will inspire you.
Above the Fold Content Examples to Inspire Your Own
1. Wistia

Wistia lets its users create dynamic videos for marketing campaigns. The above-the-fold content introduces Wistia’s services using a mix of multimedia: GIFs, videos, and short copy, to show off the capabilities of the service.
Wistia’s homepage feels casual, welcoming, and professional at the same time. The homepage video stops visitors in their tracks. They’ll likely spend more time watching the talk-show-inspired clip that explains Wistia’s services. As a consumer, when I see real people on a webpage, it’s inviting and compels me to explore further. After the video, users will have an idea of the software’s offerings, straight from expert marketers.
2. Velocity Partners

Velocity Partners, a B2B marketing agency, doesn’t have a company overview video for their above-the-fold content. Instead, the homepage has a fascinating 3D animated video and a paragraph of content that explains why innovative marketers should leverage new content formats to tell more refreshing stories.
The phrase “Great marketing moves” describes what the business is all about, and is short, simple, and to the point, letting the summary do the heavy lifting when it comes to attracting visitors. Velocity Partners’ above-the-fold messaging sparks curiosity, and in turn, the incentive to keep scrolling.
It’s important to note, however, that if you want to use above-the-fold content similar to Velocity Partners’, make sure the first few seconds of your collateral, as well as your copy, are the most engaging. If they aren’t, the visitor probably won’t feel inclined to stay on the site past reading the headline.
3. VeryGoodCopy

VeryGoodCopy is a creative agency that crafts articles, landing pages, web pages, and emails for brands. Above the fold, the website lets the copy describe what the company can provide for users.
The headline conveys the opportunity for marketers to learn how to persuade by leveraging ample white space and social proof. It also includes an enticing headline, a brief description of their content topics, and a vivid call-to-action. This simple and engaging above-the-fold design ensnares their visitors’ attention and convinces them to check out their micro-articles.
4. Shopify

Shopify’s above-the-fold content leverages images to invite the reader to explore. Shopify allows entrepreneurs to begin their own ecommerce business. The above-the-fold content uses images of products sold on Shopify to show how the software is used.
The homepage includes artistic images to make a lasting impression on the user. And, even though copy is sparse, the tagline is packed with purpose and compels visitors to click that green CTA to start a trial.
5. Ann Handley

Ann Handley, a Wall Street Journal best-selling author and partner at MarketingProfs, uses the homepage on her website to impress users by highlighting her marketing prowess. Hyperlinking and linking are heroes here — linking to other pages on a website can earn more clicks on various pages on a site.
She also leverages white space, a welcoming picture of herself, a catchy tagline, compelling copy, and a vibrant call-to-action to persuade her visitors to consider working with her. From this homepage, the visitor knows what Handley looks like, what she has done, and how to contact her. As far as above-the-fold content goes, it’s a home run.
6. Mint

Above-the-fold content can maximize on simplicity, like it does for Mint, a budget tracking and planning software. The simple, yet professional, homepage effectively conveys the company and how they can help customers.
Notice the copy in the headline — it emotionally connects to the reader in two sentences, opening the door for them to explore the app of a company that knows them.
Mint also has a video of their app in action to catch their website visitors’ attention. This helps the visitor visualize how the app will look if they decide to sign up.
7. InVision

How do you show customer stories dynamically above the fold? Let’s take a look at InVision’s sleek example.
InVision is a digital product design company that helps users easily build sleek impressive websites, so the design team at the company knew the homepage had to impress visitors. It does, auto playing a silent version of the company’s overview video, complete with testimonials from decision-makers at companies such as Uber and Twitter.
The copy that’s layered above the video does a great job of concisely explaining what the company does for users, and the “Get Started Free” CTA even entices me, a marketer who isn’t looking to design a website, to learn more about the company’s offerings. It also doesn’t hide the titles of those decision-makers from the video — “Dantley Davis, Netflix Design Director” is large enough that it can catch users’ eyes when they aren’t looking.
8. Animalz

Similar to VeryGoodCopy, Animalz is a content marketing agency whose website doesn’t bombard visitors with messaging about their services in the above-the-fold design. Instead, visitors are greeted with the headline, “The world’s best content marketing happens here,” which entices a marketer like me to read further.
The CTA copy is different from run-of-the-mill CTA buttons. “Let’s talk,” rather than, “Click here to learn more!”, implies that when visitors click on the CTA, they will be taken to a real person who can offer them more information about the service.
The website also leverages white space, and uses simple, hand-drawn images to entice the reader to scroll down. The purple squiggle runs down the webpage to introduce Animalz’s top customers, and leads to a form to get in touch with the company.
9. Ahrefs

Maybe you work for a company that wants a no-nonsense homepage that conveys the benefits of the product without congesting the page with an overload of information. If that description fits you, take a look at Ahref’s above-the-fold approach.
The headline describes what the service does: It helps users improve their SEO without necessarily being an SEO expert. The CTA seals the deal by communicating pricing information.
Satisfied customers are listed at the bottom, right before the fold, to give a rounded-out overview of how Ahrefs can be a benefit to successful companies. If you want your homepage to use more copy, rather than visuals, try presenting it in a simple way that doesn’t use more than 30 words, like Ahrefs did.
10. Twitch

After typing in Twitch.tv into your browser, you’re immediately immersed into what the website offers: live streams for gamers. This is because as soon as your browser accesses the website, a featured live stream begins autoplaying.
While it can be a bit jarring to suddenly hear voices coming from your browser, Twitch’s above-the-fold design doesn’t use any copy to describe their services. Instead, users can jump right in and demo the content themselves, browsing streams without having to make an account or read anything. They can keep scrolling to see popular streams, click one, and explore the site’s capabilities from there.
Because of how the site works altogether, this above-the-fold approach works. Twitch offers visitors to trial their services without doing any reading. Visual platforms similar to Twitch can benefit from this method, pulling in visual learners and non-visual learners alike.
11. Skillshare

Skillshare uses video to explain the bulk of their services above the fold. Because the software offers online classes in a variety of subjects, the video displays an overview of what Skillshare can help you accomplish, learn, and feel.
The video highlights confident-looking adults diving into their passions, which is what Skillshare helps users with. The sign-up box inspires visitors to explore their creativity with the software — and get started for free.
12. Flock

The messaging app Flock doesn’t waste any time: It right away includes an email capture form above the fold. The key to including an email capture form is to design it so it doesn’t interrupt the experience of a first-time visitor to your website.
The supporting images illustrate how Flock works, and the CTA text displays a little personality (“Get Flocking”). Using a form to spice up your homepage can be simple and effective when you include a clickable button and an image to display an overview of your company to visitors.
13. King Arthur Flour

The above-the-fold content of this Boston-based baking ingredient supplier, King Arthur Flour, is top notch. It gives visitors the choice to watch a video tutorial on how to make sourdough bread, right away inviting them to engage.
I could get a feel for the company’s offerings: a Facebook Page (which houses the business’ baking show), recipes, a baking FAQ, products for purchase, and even a “Baker’s Hotline”, which works as a Contact Us page.
The slideshow features, equipped with a glossy photo and their own CTA, gave me a complete overview of everything the company can do for aspiring bakers. It goes outside of just the business’s products, and instead, offers helpful information for bakers in general, which is welcoming to someone who may be intimidated about bread baking.
14. Clarkisha Kent

Are you a freelancer wondering how to make your above-the-fold content stand out among your competition? If so, when you design your homepage, make sure it accomplishes two things: displaying personality and offering easy navigation options.
This is because, while your work has to precede you, so does your personality, especially as a freelancer. If you’re a writer, like Clarkisha Kent, your copy has to sell it, like her website does.
The inclusion of a headshot and interesting headline quickly displays more of who Kent is as a writer, and the angle she is likely to take as a contributor to websites. Her navigation bar includes links to viral tweets she’s made and clippings from other publications, so her homepage doesn’t have to.
Instead, her homepage serves as an introduction, which can precede her before the rest of her website. When users are drawn in by a minimalistic web page with cliffhanger text, they’re likely going to be interested in exploring the website to fill in that gap. For instance, when I read, “Chaos bringer,” I instantly wanted to know how, which prompted me to look at her past work.
15. Good Witch Kitchen

This is another example of how to convey the personality of your brand if you’re a freelancer or small business owner. Good Witch Kitchen is the name of Kristen Ciccolini’s holistic nutrition business. The website’s above-the-fold content contains an introduction of who she is and why she does what she does.
Ciccolini’s logo and copy accurately provide a quick view of the services Good Witch Kitchen provides: A non-diet approach to nutrition management from an expert.
16. Aya Paper Co

This stationery brand makes good use of the area above the fold by including a slideshow that prompts visitors to shop for birthday cards, explore new products, and build a gift box for someone. This works exceedingly well because it gives users a chance to find what they need from the slideshow alone.
The website then includes a series of customer testimonials to sway visitors into becoming customers. From the above-the-fold content alone, you get a sense of the brand’s aesthetic, ethos, and commitment to environmental sustainability.
17. BREAD Beauty Supply

For those who’d like to keep their brand imagery strong above the fold, BREAD Beauty Supply’s example will be sure to offer some inspiration. The brand includes a video of customers showing off their curly hair — which is what their products are used for — with a large version of its logo placed over the video.
The brand then seals the deal by including a “Shop All” button at the bottom. You can still make a “splash” with your above-the-fold website content; you’ll only need to include a CTA.
18. Ceremonia

Ceremonia is another haircare brand that, like BREAD Beauty Supply, uses a video to catch visitors’ attention. It also includes a CTA button at the bottom that invites visitors to “Shop All.”
This above-the-fold website example is effective because it conveys the brand’s mission and aesthetic while still fully using the available real estate. The video inspires one to take care of one’s hair using the products. It shows people being carefree and enjoying the environment. The brand’s products are made from naturally derived ingredients, and the video hints at that without using text.
In the same way, you can hint at your products’ background using strong imagery in a video.
The Benefits of Above the Fold Optimization
Above-the-fold optimization is critical to ensure your website visitors don’t bounce off the page. That way, you can increase the chances of visitors becoming customers. By optimizing the content above the fold, you can:

Increase user engagement by right away inviting users to shop or reach out to you.
Greet users with on-brand messaging.
Establish the value of using your product or service.
Show the results your website visitors can see if they choose to purchase from you.

Now that you have some inspiration about how to keep your customers engaged on your landing pages, which strategy are you going to use for yours? I can’t wait to see what you come up with.
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in March 2019 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Salesforce deliver tons of new functionalities to Pardot like the power of Einstein to better understand your accounts and boost email engagement with Einstein Send Time Optimization. It also includes the improved Pardot Object Sync and made it generally available along with account-based campaign management tools. Now it is possible to
The post Pardot Winter’22 Release: Top 10 Features appeared first on Automation Champion.

As a brand, influencer, or creator on Instagram, you know how convenient it is to manage your profile within the app and on a device that sits in your pocket. However, if you ever wanted to view it on a larger screen, like your desktop, you probably had to use an external third-party tool.
Enter Instagram Creator Studio, where you can manage accounts using the familiar in-app tools but on your desktop. Plus, a bonus: the ability to schedule posts. In this post, discover how to use Instagram Creator Studio to manage your profile, from scheduling content to understanding your analytics to monetizing your content.

Specifically, marketers can use Creator Studio to:

View all of your account’s content (IGTV, photos, Stories, etc.) on a desktop.
Schedule all of your Instagram content to post at a later date so you can be consistently active in your feed.
Understand insights for your profile and posts, like performance metrics, follower data, and engagement type, to ensure you’re creating content that your audience enjoys.
Eligible accounts with over 10,000 followers can monetize content and manage brand collaborations.

Below we’ll outline everything you need to know to begin using Instagram Creator Studio to manage your profile.
How To Connect Instagram To Creator Studio
It’s important to note that you need to have a Business or Creator account to use Creator Studio and connect your account to a relevant Facebook page. Once you’ve done all of those things, here’s how to connect your Instagram account to Creator Studio:
1. Go to the Creator Studio website.
2. Select the Instagram icon on the top of the screen (as shown in the image below).
Image Source
3. Click the green Instagram Login button and follow the instructions in the pop-up window to log in to your account.
4. As mentioned above, you’ll need to connect your account to a relevant Facebook page. If you haven’t done so already, follow the on-screen instructions to connect one to your account.
Once you’ve successfully linked your account, it’s time to start using the platform.
How To Use Instagram Creator Studio
You can use Instagram Creator Studio to post content, schedule content, and get insights for your account. Below we’ll explain how to do all of those things.
When you first connect your account, you’ll land on the Creator Studio dashboard (as shown in the image below), where you’ll see an initial overview of your profile content library, including video, photo, carousel, Stories, and IGTV content. You can click on specific tabs to view each content type individually.
Please note that your page should show all of your posts and content; this is merely an example.

The menu on the left-hand side of the screen (as shown in the image below) has the following options: Content Library, Calendar, Insights (discussed further below), and Monetization.

Under the Calendar tab, you’ll see an overview of the posts you’ve scheduled for the future. Further below, we’ll discuss how to schedule posts so they’ll appear on the calendar.
Under the Monetization tab, you’ll be able to manage your brand collaborations. To have access to this feature, you’ll need an active, public account, 10,000 followers, consistent engagement over the past month, and no history of content violations.
The other tab on the Creator Studio dashboard is the Create Post button, and we’ll discuss how to use it below.
How To Post on Instagram Creator Studio
1. Click the green Create Post button on the top left-hand corner of the Creator Studio menu, as shown in the image below, and select the type of post you’re making: Instagram Feed or IGTV.

2. If you select Instagram Feed, you should see the pop-up window displayed in the image below. Upload the photo you want to post, and add a description to your image.

3. If you want to turn off comments on your post, select the Advanced Settings option on the right-hand side of your screen and toggle the Turn Off Commenting button into the on position.

Add Alt Text on Instagram Creator Studio
The accessibility features within the Instagram app are also available in Creator Studio. To add alt text to your content, follow the steps above for uploading your preferred content type.
Before publishing or scheduling a post to your Instagram feed, navigate to the Accessibility section in the Advanced Settings tab, as highlighted in the image below, and add your alt text.

4. When you’re satisfied with your upload, select the blue Publish button on the bottom right of the pop-up window.
To upload an IGTV video on Creator Studio, follow these steps:
1. Click the green Create Post button on the top left-hand corner of the Creator Studio dashboard and select IGTV from the drop-down menu. You should see the pop-up window displayed in the image below with an upload, title, and description box.

2. Upload your preferred video, and add a title and description.
3. If you want to share the IGTV video to your feed, check the box that says Share Preview To Feed underneath the Choose Where Your Post Will Appear Title.

4. Select the Cover Image tab on the right-hand side of your screen, and choose whether you want Instagram to create an auto-generated image, upload your custom frame, or use a video frame preview.
6. When you’re satisfied with all of your selections, click the blue Publish button on the bottom right-hand side of your screen to share your post on Instagram.
The steps outlined above will help you share a post to Instagram immediately after you upload it. Below we’ll go over how to upload content and schedule it to be posted for later on Creator Studio.

 
How to Schedule Posts on Instagram Creator Studio
To schedule a post on Instagram Creator Studio, follow the same steps you would as if you were going to upload content to your Instagram Feed or an IGTV video. Then,
1. Navigate to the blue Publish button on the bottom right-hand side of the screen and select the down arrow.
2. In the popup window, follow the on-screen instructions and select the date and time you want your post to be posted.
3. After you’re satisfied, click the blue Schedule button and schedule your post. You should then see a list of your scheduled posts in your content library, as shown in the image below.

After you’ve shared your content, you’ll want to understand the success of your content through your insights. Below we’ll explain the insights you can get and how to access them.

 
How To Get Insights From Instagram Creator Studio
The Creator Studio Insights tab gives you more information about your audience and how they interact with your posts. Here are the specific metrics you’ll get:

Audience: Information about your followers and their gender, age range, and location (top countries and cities). You’ll also be shown when they’re most active, so you can schedule your posts when they’re most active on the platform.

Activity: Information about how people engage with your account. This includes the reach your posts have, the number of impressions they get, and the actions people have taken (website clicks, taps to get directions, etc.).

1. Select the Insights tab on the right-hand side of the Creator Studio dashboard, as shown in the image below.

2. Select either Activity or Audience from the drop-down menu.
3. Navigate through either tab to learn more about the engagement on activity on your profile.
For example, if you select Activity, you should see the number of actions taken on your account over seven days, including website visits, profile visits, emails, accounts reached, and total impressions. The image below is an example of a Creator Studio activity insights page.

If you select Audience, you’ll see a bar graph displaying your followers’ age and gender breakdown, when they’re active on the app, and two location breakdowns.

Instagram Creator Studio boasts a unique feature not offered within the mobile app: scheduling posts. If you’re hoping to make the switch from managing on only your mobile device to a desktop, leverage the tips on this list to begin using the tool.

Ask “What makes a great leader?” and you’ll get a different answer every time.
For me, a great leader is empathetic, adaptable, and inspiring. For others, a great leader should be decisive, intelligent, and relatable.
That meaning continues to evolve over time.
One concept that has long been debated is whether leadership is innate or learned.

Some see leadership as a black and white concept: Either you’ve got it or you don’t. But is that really true?
In this article, we’ll explore the trait theory of leadership and what critics say about it.
This idea, first introduced in the mid-1800s, looks at certain traits as inherited, such as:

Intelligence
Confidence
Creativity
Competency
People/communication skills
Trustworthiness
Decisiveness

For a long time, this was the agreed-upon idea in society. You either had what it took to be a leader, or you didn’t.
The trait theory and approach have served as a benchmark for how we look at our leaders. It puts the emphasis on the person, rather than the followers or environment – which can be helpful in understanding why people gravitate toward particular leaders.
Then, about a century later in the 1940s, the narrative expanded.
Researcher Ralph Stogdill discovered that some people were leaders in some situations, and not in others. This contradicted the trait theory idea and introduced leadership as something that was influenced by the environment.
Think back to your group projects in college or high school.
Where did you fall in the roles? Were you the leader, the supportive but quiet contributor, the I’ll-do-everything-myself, the absent last-minute helper?
You might have been all four depending on the situation. Perhaps you only feel comfortable stepping up as a leader if no one else wants to.
With this in mind, there are several additional leadership theories:

Situational leadership theories argue that leaders emerge based on need. If a situation requires it, one person will emerge as the leader. However, that same person may not rise to the occasion in another environment.

Behavioral leadership theories suggest that leadership is a learned behavior that anyone can study.

Now that we know which theories are out there, let’s talk about what critics say about the trait theory.
Criticisms of the Trait Theory of Leadership
Many leaders today strongly disagree with the trait theory of leadership.
They believe that anyone can learn and build the skills needed to succeed as a leader. A small survey sample of U.S. consumers echoed this sentiment.
And there is some research to support this.
A 2008 study on heritability and human development found that 70% of leadership capacity is not inherited genetically, but rather learned through experience.
Additional research studies suggest that few traits differentiate leaders from followers. When comparing leaders with their followers, there are little differences in the traits they possess or have the potential to possess.
Another criticism of the trait theory is that it overlooks socio-economic inequities.
How do you determine who has the potential for leadership if your population doesn’t begin at the same starting line?
For instance, marginalized groups who grow up in underfunded and undersupported communities may not have the same opportunities to showcase their leadership abilities. Their abilities to develop this potential may also be limited.
With this in mind, some view the idea that leadership is inherited as flawed, as it does not factor in all variables.
Trait vs. Process Leadership
These two concepts fall on opposite sides.
The former argues leadership is innate, while the latter maintains that it builds over time as a result of the interactions between the leader and follower(s).
As a process leader, you are responsible for nurturing relationships with others and offering support. Through time, the theory states, you will gain the role of a leader and create an environment in which your followers can succeed.
When examining both theories, both theories can be true.
Leadership is nuanced, and as such, can operate within various models and environments.
For the trait side, everyone is born with personality traits, talents, and gifts, which make us more likely to succeed in particular environments and roles.
For instance, an extrovert can exhibit the qualities of a leader. They have little trouble in social settings and they communicate with confidence. With this in mind, they likely won’t have to work as hard as an introvert to engage with their peers, colleagues, and leaders.
However, an introvert can build those same skills through exposure and experience. On that same note, an introvert may rise to the occasion in more intimate settings.
What’s more, leadership is a constantly evolving concept. While the trait theory was initially the most popular way of viewing leadership, more theories have evolved that expand our understanding of it.
For instance, conversations surrounding psychological safety have only recently gained traction in the workplace. Leaders are now trained on creating an environment in which employees feel safe to share ideas, concerns, and mistakes.
As our understanding of what works best to motivate teams, leadership styles also evolve. As such, there will always be an educational component to being a leader.
There isn’t a right or wrong theory when it comes to leadership. All theories provide some insight into what it takes to be successful as a leader.
While the trait theory offers a rubric for the qualities of a leader, the process theory focuses on how to nurture relationships. The situational leadership model views leadership as a flexible concept that is heavily based on the environment.
If you’re working toward a leadership role, consider these models and use them as building blocks to find your own style.