Whether you’re a financial analyst or graphic designer, you need creative thinking skills at work.
“I am considered a ‘creative’ by trade: My undergraduate degree is in design, and I worked as an art director for many years. Today I run my own company and I have never had my creativity put to the test more often than when I am wearing my CEO hat,” says Valerie Jimenez, the founder and CEO of full-service branding and digital marketing agency Bold Entity. “I wish more professionals – especially those in leadership roles – understood that being creative in the workplace doesn’t mean finding the most off-the-wall ideas.”
What creative thinking skills are all about (and why they matter)
So, if creativity is not about coming up with the next Netflix, what is it all about? Jimenez says that it starts with welcoming change and exploring things with curiosity, vulnerability, and empathy to find innovative solutions to your business’ most pressing problems.
She shared an anecdote that perfectly illustrates the power of creative thinking skills in action. Her agency has a large number of clients in the construction/contractor sector. It doesn’t sound like the most creative field at first glance, right? But Jimenez and her team were tasked with a problem to solve: recruiting talent, a common pain point in the industry.
“It took some doing, but I convinced them that they needed to think like a consumer company when it came to attracting talent,” she shares. “I found that most construction companies have amazing cultures: they know how to have fun, they solve difficult challenges, the workers enjoy a large degree of autonomy, no two days are ever alike, and most employees are rarely confined to a desk. The co-workers formed such a strong bond that they often socialized after work.”
By creating employer brands and strong web presences that allowed construction companies to showcase their appealing cultures, Jimenez and her team helped their clients reach and attract young talent. Recruiting difficulties diminished.
“The trick here wasn’t building a visually appealing, informative website – most good media companies can do that – it was finding a creative way to apply traditional marketing techniques to solve a problem in a non-traditional forum.” Now that’s creativity at its finest.
How to improve your creative thinking skills at work
In order to think outside the box and pull off that sort of impressive and innovative problem-solving, you need to actively work on improving your creative thinking skills. Here’s how.
1. Create time and space for creativity
First, you need to create the time and space for creativity. “In my case, at least, great ideas don’t just pop into my head. I make sure to give myself chunks of time to just … think,” says Jimenez.
While scheduling creativity may sound counterintuitive, it’s a powerful practice. You send your brain the signal that now is the time to free-think. You remove distractions and set boundaries around your availability. And you allow your thoughts to roam, even if it means ruminating or not finding an immediate solution. It’s through that blocked-off time when you take a step back from daily deliverables that creative solutions start to emerge.
2. Avoid idea overload
Coming up with ideas is not always a problem. “Sometimes it’s having too many ideas that get us in trouble. Knowing which ones are feasible and which ones will make the most impact on the larger goals of the organization is key,” says Jimenez. “Bombarding your team with lots of great ideas can get everyone confused.”
Keep a notebook or living document to store all your ideas. Let them simmer. Don’t act on them right away. Then, on a quarterly basis, review them and how they align with your larger goals, recommends Jimenez: “Are any of your ideas worthy of exploring? Would any of these ideas help solve the problems you are focusing on?”
3. Go crazy with your team
That being said, you don’t want to stop brainstorming. Crazy brainstorms are good. “Riffing, spitballing, ideating: whatever you want to call it, let your team (and yourself) go crazy!” says Jimenez. “There’s really no such thing as a bad idea because even the worst can lead to a good one. If you – the leader – really walk this walk, your team will feel safe saying what’s on their mind and they are sure to offer up some gems, either for the task at hand or for the future.”
Take a page from her book by doing an exercise called the Worst Possible Idea, which involves coming up with the silliest, craziest ideas possible. “It is a lot of fun and very productive. I can assure you that most of the best commercials, advertising campaigns, and business ideas around the world have been created with this exercise,” adds Jimenez.
4. Prioritize and foster curiosity
Finally, always remember that curiosity precedes creativity. “Some of the most creative people I know would be hard-pressed to draw a stick figure. So what do they all have in common? They’re insatiably curious about the world around them,” she says.
Observe the world around you. Ask questions. Soak up information from various sources. Connect dots that are seemingly unrelated. Make unexpected comparisons that help you see things from a unique perspective. From that place, formulate new ideas. That’s the true meaning of creativity, after all.
The rise of online platforms like social media, blogs and podcasts has changed the publishing industry. They have led to new avenues of marketing, cultivated collective spaces for those with purpose-driven interests and opened a discussion about what drives consumer engagement with authors, bookstores and literary events. Now is the time for self-publishers to take advantage of the tools that enable a successful launch and campaign without promotion from the traditional publishing industry.
In my experience working with independent publishers and mission-driven authors to plan and execute virtual events, a few best practices have emerged that apply to all genres and levels of publishing, but especially authors who are operating independently or without the backing of a publishing or marketing team. Here are four tips to help you successfully self-promote your work:
1. Establish your social media presence.
Many modern authors create an active social media presence for visibility and to engage with fans. In recent years, this has become a primary source for audiences to stay updated on news and connect with the person behind the art. Therefore, a cultivated social media network should not be underestimated for its marketing power amid a generation of consumers that look to thought leaders’ social media to sway their buying decisions and overall engagement where themes of social justice, self-improvement and other nonfiction categories are involved. This goes beyond advertisements and websites by providing timely personal tidbits of information that organically entice the audience, confirming the notion that access to talent is what fans are most interested in.
2. Contribute to the conversation.
In addition to establishing a social media presence, it’s also important for self-publishers to contribute to the larger conversation. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and, more recently, TikTok have become essential tools in every self-promoter’s kit. Blogs and podcasts are other self-ownership platforms of social discussion that can be utilized in long-form promotion strategies. If the book has a meaningful subject matter to readers, sourcing platforms that allow for open discussion forums can be extremely beneficial as it invites fans to join and create meaningful conversations. This, in turn, helps to build buzz and broaden the author’s reach.
3. Consider virtual gatherings if in-person events are too costly.
If hiring an agency to conduct a book tour is outside of an author’s means, there are still options to create dynamic experiences for fans that accomplish promotional goals. A key element that self-publishers should look for includes platforms that will host fans virtually, with free sign-ups or a low cost to produce and host. This allows fans to maintain access to talent and ensures the entire fan base is included, while removing the limitations and expenses of in-person events.
4. Quantify your success.
Producing content that is relevant to your followers and including calls to action for talent access when it’s time to promote can take shape in a number of ways. This may be in the form of a rewards program, such as buying the book and/or leaving a review that results in an exclusive invitation to meet with the author. Another approach could be to highlight and track engagement levels that are most important. This might be minutes spent with fans, the number of fans engaged, promotion currency or time and money saved using virtual platforms versus a storefront. While this is likely to vary for each self-publisher, it is still important to record in order to measure the success of the campaign and to apply key learnings going forward.
To run a successful, self-promoted campaign, independent creators can leverage virtual tools for their own business objectives, but this is not just limited to publishing. The impact of social media has changed the way talent can achieve their goals throughout all industries. This independence can lead to greater revenue opportunities without having to rely on agencies, thus creating new avenues for self-publishers to monetize and explore.
Courtney Jeffries is CEO of Virtual Tables, a virtual event solutions company designed to re-create in-venue live experiences. Read Courtney Jeffries’ full executive profile here.
WhatsApp will soon release a new feature called “Expiring Groups” to let users set an expiration date for group chats, according to Engadget.
Expiring Groups
The Expiring Groups feature will appear within the group chat’s settings. Options include day, week or custom date for the group chat to expire. Users can also cancel an expiration to keep the chat intact.
One thing to remember is that expiration dates set will only apply to the user who set it, not to the other people in the group chat. With that, the group chat will still continue to exists, just not with the user who placed an expiration date.
It seems that the messaging platform will not just delete a group chat without notifying users. According to the feature description, “You will be prompted to clean up groups on the expiration date.”
Still, this is helpful when you want to reduce clutter in your account. This can also help save more storage space on your device.
Other Features That Will Be Rolled Out
There are other features that the messaging platform plans to roll out soon. A feature discovered by WABetaInfo, it saw a recent beta version of the app for Android.
It states that the app will have the option to silence calls from unknown numbers. That said, it seems that the feature will acknowledge calls, keep them in the calls logs, and also let them pass through and show up in notifications.
What’s great about this is that users won’t be distracted or alerted by incoming calls. And if you happen to miss a call from someone you know, you can always find their number and just call or message them back.
The feature is not available yet and it seems that it’s still in development. There is also a chance that the feature won’t make it to a full release or the possibility that it could be released. For now, nobody knows yet if the WhatsApp feature will be released to the public.
WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging platforms today. It has over 1.6 billion users and is growing rapidly. It is used for both personal and business communication, and it is available in over 180 countries and in multiple languages. It is also available on a variety of platforms, such as Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac.
Overall, WhatsApp is continuing to evolve and improve its services. It is a great platform for both personal and business communication, and users can expect to see more features and improvements in the future.
Feature Image Credit: MANJUNATH KIRAN/AFP via Getty Images
Zoe Bradley, Head of Marketing, Communications and Corporate Affairs, Toyota Ireland.
10 slides on the topic of agency/client TRUST. Why we believe it should be a core internal evaluation metric for our young marketing clients and their young agency peers and why it’s a great new additional metric for Agency performance related remuneration. In other words why we’re making TRUST an active core value in our Agency.
About Javelin
Strategists. Media Planners. Art Directors. Copywriters. Social Media Visionaries. UX, Interaction and Motion Designers. Planners, buyers, performance-based thinkers of every useful sort, very savvy administrators and several data sorcerors, a thriving and eclectic mix of art and commerce. We are an integrated, independent Irish Agency, filling a large, light-filled old shipping Warehouse in Smithfield. With 55 very talented people (and growing), we are proud to partner with many global and local clients including SSE Airtricity, Toyota Ireland, An Post, The Department of the Taoiseach, UCD, Kildare Village, Spry Finance, amongst others.
Marketing Strategists create, implement, and enhance long-term strategies. If one compared a brand’s overall marketing efforts to an orchestra, the Marketing Strategist would be the conductor.
Responsibilities include:
Performing extensive industry research and data analysis
Identifying trends and producing accurate forecasts
Devising innovative ideas to build new strategies or improve existing ones
Ensuring that marketing strategies tie company goals to customer needs
Setting marketing goals and establishing timelines
Managing marketing budgets
Collaborating with teams in Marketing, Advertising, PR, and Sales
Evaluating campaign performance
Reviewing and addressing customer feedback
The Marketing Strategist role requires a bachelor’s in Marketing, Advertisement, Management, or another related field.
It also requires a minimum of two years of work experience and hiring managers look for a history of organizing successful campaigns. Qualified applicants possess the following skills:
Marketing Managers and Marketing Strategists have similar responsibilities. But while strategists focus on long-term plans and the big picture, managers develop short-term plans for daily digital and traditional marketing goals.
Research, analytics, and strategy are the meatier part of the role.
Responsibilities include:
Overseeing marketing campaign(s) for company or department
Lead research, analytics, and strategic activities
Implementing campaign goals
Collecting and analysing data to evaluate campaigns
Ensuring the company communicates correct messaging to attract and retain customers
Representing marketing team to all cross functional groups
Updating senior leadership on marketing activities and campaign results
Marketing Manager jobs usually require a bachelor’s degree and work experience in marketing, advertising, sales, or related fields.
Qualified applicants will also have the following skills:
Interpersonal skills
Problem-solving
Creativity
Multitasking
Team-building
Critical thinking
Comfort with various social media platforms and their management tools
Proficiency with different software and cloud-based programs (Adobe, Office365, Google Workspace, CRM, CMS, analytics tools, etc.)
Product Marketing Managers focus solely on one product or product line, identifying the best ways to market it. They oversee the product’s entire journey from launch to sale.
Responsibilities include:
Collaborating with R&D, Product Design, Sales, Marketing, Finance, Legal, PR, and Customer Support teams
Gaining extensive knowledge of their assigned product or product line
Developing a thorough understanding of the buyer’s journey
Identifying target markets using analytics and data
Establishing the strategic messaging and positioning needed to create marketing and sales collateral
Conducting market research
Organizing and hosting exclusive customer events to launch new products, updates, and announcements
This job typically requires 3-5 years of related experience, a bachelor’s degree (master’s preferred), and the following skills:
National Salary Range: $64,117 to $81,950 for Real Estate Marketing Managers
Property management marketing is a form of niche marketing. Property Managers use online marketing to attract potential tenants in addition to core property management duties. Responsibilities include:
Updating company website with images and information on new vacancies and improving visibility through SEO
Placing pay-per-click (PPC) or Google ads for vacancies using Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and targeted keywords
Posting images of rental properties and staged units, engaging people, and building a brand voice on social media like Facebook and Instagram.
Preparing and managing budgets, setting rental rates, collecting rent, handling late payments, and operating expenses
Inspecting units, contracting, and supervising repairs and maintenance.
A degree in Marketing, Management, Communications, or Real Estate can boost your resume but isn’t required. Previous marketing or sales experience is also beneficial.
However, an employment background in Real Estate is essential. Any work in Real Estate, regardless of job title, requires licensure. Property management certification can give you a competitive edge.
Valuable skills include:
Time management
Organization
Communication
Familiarity with SEO, SEM, and social media marketing
Familiarity with various digital real estate management and marketing tools
Learn More About Property Management Marketing Jobs
Event Marketers plan and execute company-hosted events.
These fun, memorable experiences increase customer engagement and loyalty. They provide opportunities to engage with customers, introduce new offerings, and gather feedback.
Responsibilities include:
Brainstorming, planning, budgeting, scheduling, and orchestrating events
Coordinating with vendors, sponsors, and brand partners
Scouting and reserving event locations
Developing a solid knowledge of the customer base
Collaborating with the digital marketing and PR teams to create and share promotional content
Ensuring that every aspect of events conveys the company’s brand image
Following industry and event trends
Typically, these roles require a bachelor’s in Marketing or a related field. Internships and assistant positions get your feet wet while teaching skills and standard planning procedures.
Digital Marketing Strategists build, execute, and evaluate high-level strategies using digital mediums. They aim to boost brand and product awareness and drive sales using various media types.
Responsibilities include:
Conducting market research to inform digital marketing strategy
Developing and implementing SEO, social media, email, digital marketing campaigns, and digital advertising
Following the latest digital and industry trends
Collaborating with the heads of sales and content marketing to determine the best ways to reach the target market
Monitoring campaigns and analysing performance metrics
This job often requires a bachelor’s in Marketing, Business, Advertising, or Communications. It also requires work experience, proof of previous success, and a solid understanding of digital marketing statistics, concepts and trends.
Certifications in related areas like SEO can give a competitive edge. Qualified applicants possess the following skills:
Project management
Time management
Analytics
Comfort with social media
Proficiency with digital marketing tools and programs
SEO/SEM knowledge
Problem-solving
Strategic planning
Critical thinking
Learn More About Digital Marketing Strategist Jobs
Channel Marketing Managers develop channel-specific marketing strategies for products or services. Responsibilities include:
Evaluating the existing marketing campaign(s) and channel partnerships
Discerning the best channels to use for promoting products
Coordinating with department heads, upper-level management, and channel partners
Determining the optimal use of the marketing budget to execute strategies
Governing the creation and distribution of channel-specific marketing collaterals
Establishing relationships with new channel partners
Monitoring, tracking, and analysing campaign data
Compiling data reports to help prove ROI and identify problem areas
Most positions require a bachelor’s in Marketing, Advertising, or a related field. An alternative to the degree would be a minimum of two years of marketing experience, preferably in campaign management.
Additional qualifications include:
Communication skills
Team collaboration
Strategic planning skills
Project management experience
Problem-solving skills
Proficiency with technology and an ability to adapt quickly to new technology
Track email KPIs and analyse data to adjust current campaigns and plan future ones
Conduct A/B testing to identify high and low-performing components of email messages and formatting
Build, maintain, grow, and update email lists
Optimize campaigns to improve open rates and decrease the number of messages that remain unread or get sent to spam
Monitor trends, news, and updates regarding email providers and consumer behaviour with email
Email marketer jobs don’t require a degree. However, advanced strategist or manager positions require work experience and a history of launching successful campaigns.
Beneficial skills include:
Communication
Attention to detail
Analytics
Graphic design
HTML
Familiarity with email platforms and how their filters work
Merchandisers work in-store, optimizing product organization and placement. Responsibilities include:
Organizing merchandise to enhance customer experience and stay consistent with the brand’s aesthetic
Creating attractive displays that highlight specific products for particular seasons or campaigns
Evaluating products for quality, removing spoiled, damaged, or discontinued items
Maintaining accurate inventory records
Updating pricing information to reflect sales, deals, clearance, or other price changes
Keeping the store clean
Assisting customers as they shop
The Merchandiser role is more entry-level than others on this list, not requiring a degree or prior experience. It’s also a more physically demanding job, often requiring:
Ability to lift a minimum of 30 lbs
Ability to walk and stand for long periods
Ability to handle repetitive motions and posture changes (bending, squatting, hoisting, kneeling, twisting, pushing, pulling, etc.)
SEM Specialists are proficient in SEO and Pay-Per-Click (PPC) marketing. They gather, interpret, and apply analytical data to develop effective SEM strategies.
Responsibilities include:
Determining how much of the marketing budget to apply to paid search and how much emphasis to place on gaining organic traffic
Collecting and analysing search engine and site visit metrics
Collaborating with content marketing and editorial teams to apply SEO to web content
Conducting keyword research and competitor analysis
Following the latest news, updates, and trends regarding search behaviour
Keeping up with updates to search engine algorithms
Most SEM Specialists have a bachelor’s in Marketing, Business, Communications, or another related field. This role requires a degree and prior experience launching successful marketing campaigns.
Familiarity with SEO/SEM is also strongly preferred. Additional skills that companies look for in an SEM Specialist include:
Communication
Analytical skills
Attention to detail
Familiarity with top SEO/SEM tools and analytics tools
Hopefully, this list of marketing jobs helps you identify what you’re looking for in your next role.
Do your current interests, skills, and experience align with a marketing role that you want?
If so, hit the job boards, update your resume, and go after that role. Set a job alert so you can pounce as soon as new opportunities arise.
Are there any qualifications you’re missing or wish to strengthen? Look into related marketing programs, courses, or internships and work towards developing your skills.
Then enter the job search arena as a formidable candidate and snag that dream job!
By Tiffany Lewis
Tiffany Lewis is a SmartBlogger-certified Content Marketer and budding freelance writer. She writes about Faith, Family, Furbabies, and Wellness. Yes, the broken alliteration in that sentence bothers her. Find her on LinkedIn.
One of the biggest barriers to success is often mental, these executive coaches say. Here’s how not to make the same mistakes and set yourself up to soar.
Making a big change in your life is exciting but also risky and uncertain. Whether you are making the leap to entrepreneurship, starting a new arm of business, or moving into a new role, the stakes can feel high—and the stats support that.
While marketplace or economic conditions may affect these failure rates, many people overestimate certain risks and underestimate others. In our work as executive coaches to organizational leaders and startups, we have found that one of the biggest barriers to success is often mental.
Entrepreneurs and executives alike can reduce these risks by preparing both mentally and emotionally. That means shifting your mindset to make a move with confidence, shrink the gap between expectations and reality, and increase the odds of success.
From task-focused to meaning-focused
When you feel a deeper sense of meaning around your work, it becomes possible to show up every day with more energy around what you need to accomplish—even if you still need to work on tasks you would rather not do. Tapping into this sense of meaning makes it possible for work to not feel as much like work, and for you to get into “the zone” or a flow state.
The Japanese concept of Ikigai can help access deeper motivations that provide that sense of meaning and fulfilment. Central to this concept are four questions: What do you love? What are you good at? What can you be paid for? What does the world need? The intersection of those four questions is the point at which you can most be yourself in your work, and feel fulfilled knowing others value what you do.
It can be tempting to create an idealized version of what life will look like after a change. Take care not to create a fantasy version of fulfilment based on imaginary external conditions. You must align your internal motivations with the external reality.
In addition to doing your internal homework to uncover your own motivations for change and conditions for success, do your external homework as well. Talk to others who have done what it is that you want to do, or consider running experiments to put yourself in situations that mimic the new role. This helps you craft a vision that is as realistic as possible.
From lack to leverage
Confidence is often at a peak at the beginning, and the doubts creep in when the excitement wears off. To maintain motivation and confidence in the face of the unknown, successful individuals remind themselves of their capabilities and accomplishments and use it as a foundation to tackle the new opportunity before them.
Make note of the work that has been most rewarding in the past. What projects are you most proud of? Why? How did you make them a success? What skills did you lean on? Why was it important? Who was around you? What did you learn? What was the impact? Who else was impacted? What became possible?
Write these examples down—if possible, before you make the move. Not only do these stories provide valuable insight into how you might need to structure your transition, but you need them readily accessible on those doubt-filled days when it’s harder to remember what worked well.
From me to we
Many of us want to solve problems by ourselves, or we have become accustomed to our current support network. Working alone can limit creativity, ideas, and opportunity for growth. A good support network allows you to gather support and resources, helps you overcome obstacles, and provides access to different networks, skills, and perspectives, which will improve your chances of success.
The people in your current support network may have more of a predetermined idea about what your path should be and what is possible for you, or they may simply know too much of what you already know. They may have outright conflicts of interest, or they may have resistance to you changing for fear of what it means for them. Sometimes they mean well but simply don’t have the broad perspective of what is possible that someone outside your network may offer.
You must be intentional about reaching out to people who can provide you with the perspective and resources you need, not just the people you are already comfortable with or who are readily accessible.
For best results at the beginning, build a more formal network of support by going outside your immediate circle to find people who have done what you want to do. Consider starting with weak ties—those people you once had a connection with but may not have talked to in a while—or second-degree connections. A warm intro or familiar reference point will increase the odds of response, but the weaker connection makes it more likely that they won’t have a strong opinion about who you are and where you should go.
Then, for ongoing support, consider your more informal networks of support, like the friend who can listen objectively when things get tough, the boss from long ago who always saw the best in you, or a partner who will be your biggest cheerleader and remind you of who you are and what you are capable of.
From unclear needs to clear milestones
While you will be able to leverage aspects of your past experience, doing something new will require you to bring different tools, skills, and behaviours to the table. Assuming you don’t have what it takes or that your past success will be replicable are both dangerous positions to take. One keeps you from changing in the direction you need to, and the other keeps you from effectively learning and executing what is needed in a new role.
It can be helpful to zoom out and assess the situation and determine what is needed given your objectives, rather than immediately jumping to what comes most natural or what worked best in your most recent situation. You may tend to jump to action, but actually need more learning. You may be one who likes to silently study the situation, but you may need more exposure. You may always lean heavier on completing tasks, but instead you might need to build relationships. Take a balanced approach to identifying gaps, and use these gaps as your milestones.
From whole picture to next step
Solving for the very next step in your journey allows for a more manageable and achievable approach to make steady and sustainable progress. When you have a clear picture of success, it’s easy to be eager to arrive at that destination, and to compare our progress to others. This can lead to overwhelm and discouragement.
If we consider all the steps at once, we risk taking on too much and failing to make meaningful progress. Breaking the goal into smaller, more manageable steps allows you to focus and take one step at a time. This also allows you to celebrate each step along the way, something that does more to sustain your progress than looking at how far you have left to go.
Pick the next reasonable thing to do—something within your control that will make the most impact. Do it. Repeat. Your goal will seem less daunting as each tiny step brings you closer.
From where you are now to where you want to be
When individuals believe in themselves they are more likely to take bigger risks and persevere, knowing they have the ability to reach their goals. They are less likely to be held back by self-doubt, fear, and feelings of inadequacy.
Yet it’s common for the voices in your head to get louder. Sometimes these are old voices. Sometimes they are new voices, as people pepper you with questions, offer well-meaning advice, or the marketing messages come through after the algorithms pick up on what you’re exploring.
Know that it is normal for even the most confident of people to succumb to these feelings during times of transition. Believing you should not have those feelings only heightens the sense of self-doubt and lengthens the amount of time it takes for you to continue making forward progress.
You must combat the voices in your head to maintain and grow your sense of self-belief. Learn to recognize when those thoughts appear, and don’t engage them. Look instead for evidence that proves those thoughts wrong. Use your collection of past success and your support team to help with frequent reminders along the way, and you will come out on the other side with an even greater level of confidence and resilience than you had going in.
With continued steps forward, what feels like a large distance between you and your goal will shrink with time. Making these shifts a part of your regular practice strengthens your ability to mentally sustain the progress that will lead to your success, and makes any new endeavour infinitely more possible.
Luis Velasquez and Amanda Gibson are executive coaches to CEOs, senior leaders, and entrepreneurs. Luis is a leadership facilitator at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business and Amanda is strategic partner at Radix Strategy.
Freelancing continues to be a popular way to make money in the U.S., whether full-time or on the side. A majority of U.S. workers, 73%, say they will either start freelancing or continue doing so in 2023, according to a December 2022 survey of 2,000 U.S. workers by freelancer platform Fiverr.
There are many in-demand skills for freelancers, including ones in tech and marketing. But there’s no shortage of employers looking for creative skills, too. Demand for 3D animation grew 44% year over year on freelancer platform Upwork, for example, according to a recent report.
The platform recently published its predictions for the most in-demand creative skills for 2023. Here are eight of them, including how much freelancers are currently charging. Many gigs hiring for these skills do not require a bachelor’s degree to be considered.
Graphic design
Graphic designers work on visuals for client brochures, websites, social media posts and so on. With so many companies leaning heavily on digital marketing, there’s “lots of opportunities for [designers] to flex their muscles,” says Yolanda Owens, career expert at The Muse.
Graphic designers on Upwork charge as much as $125 per hour.
Video editing
Video editors take raw footage and edit it together to create cohesive clips for the internet, TV and film. “Video is being used more and more as a tool for communication,” says Margaret Lilani, vice president of talent solutions at Upwork. Companies are using it to market and explain their missions and activities.
Illustrators come into play in various business activities including book creation, websites and ads. Their tools can be digital, using graphic design software, or physical, such as a canvas and paints or coloured pencils.
These animators create three-dimensional art for TV, film or video. Some storyboard their work to give themselves a general direction and all ultimately use animation technology to make it come alive.
These designers work on programs like PowerPoint, Google Slides and Keynote to build presentations like pitch decks, sales presentations and company presentations. They take a set of ideas, stories, words, images, etc. and arrange them so that “they tell a story,” says Lilani. “They persuade an audience.”
Image editors improve the quality of photographs using software like Adobe Photoshop and PhotoDirector 365. In an office setting, they might work on touching up company headshots, for example.
These artists create cartoons or comic strips by hand or digitally on programs like Adobe Animate and Animaker. Some companies may want to incorporate cartoons in their marketing and advertising materials, in their various online profiles or even in their internal documents. “It depends on the culture of the company,” says Lilani.
Cartoonists on Upwork charge as much as $70 per hour.
Product and industrial design
Experts in this artform conceive of and design products for use and mass production. They design digital products like apps and software and physical objects like furniture and electronics, considering elements like user experience and appearance.
The Apple Pencil is a seriously useful piece of kit. If you own an iPad, the Apple Pencil has a lot of functionality that will totally transform the way you use your device. Whether or not you have one, you may not know every single thing it can do – and luckily, there’s a brilliant video to show you every trick in the book.
There are a whole host of tips in this video (see it below), but our favourites include tapping on the lockscreen with your pencil to bring up notes (for times when you just can’t wait), and being able to add drawings in an email – very handy for quick example sketches. Plus, there are some other sketching-specific tips (like holding the pencil on the screen to make an imperfect shape or line into a perfect one).
In short, this 10 minute video will have you using your Apple Pencil like a pro. (Not got one? See our Apple Pencil 1 vs Apple Pencil 2 guide).
The video, created by Better Creating (opens in new tab), is broken up into sections so you can hone in on the parts you are most interested in (though we recommend watching them all). Skip to basics like using double tap, onto a Scribble tutorial and then sketching-specific tips (and a more besides that).
A website is often the first impression potential customers will have of a business in this day age. In today’s digital era, that first impression is more important than ever as customers increasingly search online for products and services on a daily basis.
A well-designed website will not only grab attention, but may also hold that attention long enough to convert a visitor into a customer.
Should you be in need of some help in revamping or creating the perfect website design (opens in new tab) for your business, below are ten tips to help you be on your way to designing a website that’s both visually appealing and effective.
1. Keep your homepage minimalistic
Your home page should be an introduction to your business, setting the tone and conveying your message quickly and effectively. Prioritize the information you want visitors to see immediately without overcrowding the page with unnecessary content.
Keep it concise and clean, having only necessary items such as navigation bars, logos, search bars, and other essential elements. Keep long stories for lower-level pages and make sure that the links are clear and easily accessible from the homepage.
Having a minimalistic design will offer a better user experience; creating an attractive interface with no distractions from key product or service features that you would want to show off.
2. Design with visual appeal in mind
When it comes to website design, one of the most important elements is visual appeal. Designing with visual appeal in mind means making sure the overall aesthetic of your website looks pleasing to the eye.
This includes choosing a colour scheme (opens in new tab) that works well together and avoiding too much clutter on your pages. You should also focus on creating a consistent look and feel throughout the website by ensuring typefaces, photos, and other visuals look cohesive.
Quality images are key when creating a visually appealing website, so try sourcing stock photography or creating custom videos or graphics for an added wow factor.
3. Create easy to read website content
A great website design is essential for drawing in potential customers and establishing a strong online presence. One of the biggest parts of this is making sure that your website content is easy to read.
Creating content with the right tone, length, and formatting can make all the difference when it comes to keeping readers engaged. You should try writing shorter paragraphs and sentences, while also including simple words that many reader can digest quickly.
Utilize headings and lists to draw attention as well as strategically break up large chunks of text. Additionally, use high-quality images and visuals related to your topics instead of blocks of text whenever possible. Last but not least, make sure you double-check your content for any typos or grammar issues before you post it.
(Image credit: Shutterstock/Kaspars Grinvalds)
4. Ensure your site is easy to navigate
Websites should be appealing and easy to navigate, allowing the website user to get to exactly where they want quickly and intuitively. Ensure your site is easy to navigate by making sure all pages are clearly labelled and organized logically.
Ensure the main navigation is consistent throughout each page, so visitors can easily find their way around the entire site. Also, make use of simple grid layouts for page organization as this makes a huge difference when it comes to how visitors view each page.
Make sure your menu(s) stay visible at all times while scrolling down, so visitors can easily return to any previous sections they want.
5. Stay mobile friendly
Mobile devices are becoming the primary way people access the internet. As a result, having a website that is not optimized for mobile use can be detrimental to your business. Users who have difficulty navigating your website on their mobile devices are likely to leave your website and move on to a competitor’s website.
In addition to user experience, mobile-friendliness is also a factor that search engines like Google take into consideration when ranking websites. Google’s algorithm now favours mobile-friendly websites in search results, which means that having a mobile-friendly website can help improve your website’s visibility and drive more traffic to your website.
To achieve this, ensure that your website is using a responsive design. Responsive design is an approach to web design that allows a website to adapt to the size of the device it’s being viewed on. This means that your website will look great on any device, from a desktop computer to a smartphone. By using a responsive design, you can ensure that your website is always optimized for mobile use. Another way to make sure your site is mobile-friendly is by simplifying your design. When designing for mobile devices, simplicity is key. Mobile screens are small, and users are often on the go, so they need information quickly and easily.
To create a mobile-friendly website, focus on simplifying your design. Use clear, concise language, and keep your design clean and uncluttered. Avoid using too many images or videos that can slow down your website and cause frustration for users. Also using a mobile-friendly font is another important factor when designing for mobile devices. Fonts that are too small or difficult to read can be a major frustration for users. Choose a font that is easy to read on a small screen and avoid using too many different fonts. Most website builder (opens in new tab) services allow you to edit your site in mobile view too, which is useful because you’ll see exactly what your site will look like on mobile when it’s live.
(Image credit: Shutterstock/Wasan Tita)
6. Avoid hectic colour schemes
When designing a website, the colour scheme is one of the most important elements to consider. The colours used can largely affect the overall look and feel of the site, as well as impact user experience. To create a website (opens in new tab) that is visually appealing and easy to navigate, it is crucial to avoid hectic colour schemes.
To avoid hectic colour schemes when choosing colours for your website, it is important to start with a neutral base. This means using shades of grey or white as the background for your site. A neutral base will create a clean and simple canvas that allows other colours to stand out and make an impact. It also helps to reduce visual clutter, making it easier for users to focus on important elements of the site.
Another key tip to avoid hectic colour schemes is to limit the number of colours used in your design. Too many colours can overwhelm users. Instead, choose a palette of two or three colours that complement each other and convey the desired mood or message. Using shades and tints of these colours can add depth and variety without adding too much visual noise.
7. Don’t ignore SEO
SEO (opens in new tab) is the process of optimizing your website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). This means that when people search for keywords related to your business, your website is more likely to appear at the top of the results. This is important because the majority of online experiences begin with a search engine, and if your website doesn’t show up in those search results, you’re missing out on a lot of potential traffic and customers.
To ensure that your site is optimized, conduct keyword research. Before you start designing your website, it’s important to know what keywords your target audience is searching for. By conducting keyword research, you can identify the phrases and terms that people are using to find businesses like yours.
This information can then be used to inform your website content and ensure that it’s optimized for those keywords. Another important factor is optimizing your website structure. The structure of your website is important for both user experience and SEO. Make sure that your website is easy to navigate, with a clear hierarchy of pages and a logical flow from one page to the next.
This will make it easier for search engines to crawl and index your website, which can improve your rankings. Also, use descriptive URLs. When creating URLs for your website pages, make sure that they are descriptive and include relevant keywords. This not only helps with SEO but also makes it easier for users to understand what the page is about before they click on it.
8. Make sure typography is consistent
Typography is an essential component of your website’s design. It can make or break the overall user experience of your website. If your website has inconsistent typography, it can make the website look unprofessional and unpolished. In contrast, consistent typography can enhance the readability, legibility, and overall user experience of your website.
The first step in creating consistent typography is to choose the right font. You need to select a font that aligns with your brand, audience, and message. A good rule of thumb is to choose no more than three fonts; one for the header, one for the body, and one for accent text. Another way to make your website design spot-on is by creating a hierarchy in consistent typography. It refers to the organization and arrangement of text elements based on their importance.
By creating a hierarchy, you can guide your website visitor’s attention toward the most important information. You can create a hierarchy by using different font sizes, weights, and styles. Another way to make your website design spot-on is by having consistency in font size and spacing.
This is critical in creating a polished and professional website design. You should establish a set of guidelines for font sizes and spacing and follow them consistently throughout your website. This can help ensure that your website looks cohesive and easy to read.
Alignment is another critical aspect of consistent typography. You should align your text elements to create a clean and organized look. For example, you can align text to the left, right, centre, or justify. Whatever alignment you choose, make sure that it is consistent throughout your website.
9. Use white space strategically
Also known as negative space, white space refers to the areas of a design that are left empty or blank, without any visual or textual content. While it may seem counterintuitive to intentionally leave blank spaces on a website, the strategic use of white space can actually improve the overall user experience and enhance the visual appeal of your website.
White space can be used to create a clear visual hierarchy on your website, highlighting important elements such as headings, buttons, and images. By leaving more white space around these elements, you can draw the user’s attention to them and make them stand out more effectively.
However, it is very important to ensure that the amount of white space used throughout your website is consistent, both within pages and across the entire site. This will create a more cohesive and polished look and feel.
10. Don’t forget high-quality images and videos
High-quality images and videos are important for adding a new look and feel to your site, and as important as it is for these added elements to be top quality, it’s also important for your images and videos to be relevant to your brand, products, and services. For example, if you run a fashion website, your images should showcase the latest fashion trends, while a food blog should feature mouth-watering images of delicious dishes.
Another crucial aspect of using images on your website is to ensure that they are high-resolution. Low-quality or pixelated images can be a major turn-off for visitors and may give the impression that your website is unprofessional. Make sure to use images that are at least 72 DPI (dots per inch) and preferably 300 DPI for print-quality images.
Ensure that your images load quickly and don’t slow down your website’s performance by optimizing them for web use. This includes compressing the images without sacrificing their quality, using appropriate file formats such as JPEG or PNG, and adding alt tags to improve accessibility and SEO.
In addition to images, incorporating videos into your website can also enhance user experience and engage your visitors. Videos can be used to showcase product demonstrations, tutorials, or even behind-the-scenes footage. However, it’s important to keep videos short and sweet, as lengthy or irrelevant videos can be a major turn-off for visitors.
Just like images, it’s crucial to ensure that your videos are high quality. Poor quality or shaky videos can be unprofessional and may drive visitors away from your website. Make sure to use high-quality equipment and editing software to create visually appealing videos.
Your website will need a top quality web hosting (opens in new tab) service to ensure your site is secure online
With hundreds of ways to promote a business online, you could find yourself wasting time, money and resources focussing on the wrong things. Here are the top strategies that are proven to work.
As the world becomes more digitised, businesses have to adapt to new ways of reaching their customers. Traditional marketing strategies like billboards and print ads are no longer as effective as they once were. Nowadays, online marketing is king, and there are many strategies you can use to promote your business.
The problem is, where do you start? With hundreds of ways to promote a business online, you could find yourself wasting time, money and resources focussing on the wrong things.
Here are the top strategies to promote a business online that are proven to work.
Optimize Your Website for Search Engines
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing your website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). When your website appears at the top of search results, you are more likely to attract potential customers to your site. To optimize your website for search engines, you need to do the following:
Conduct keyword research to identify the words and phrases your audience is searching for.
Optimize your website content with these keywords.
Ensure your website is mobile-friendly.
Use meta tags and descriptions to help search engines understand your website content.
Build high-quality backlinks to your site.
Appear in online media to build higher quality backlinks
One of the most effective ways to build high-quality backlinks to your website is by appearing in the media. When you are mentioned in news articles, blog posts, or other media, it not only helps to improve your brand’s visibility but also drives traffic to your website.
Google’s search algorithm is still hinged around link profiles. In basic terms, the more links to your site you have, the higher up Google you will appear. But it’s not quite that simple. Links with high trust and authority deliver more impact, whilst links from low authority sites can deliver almost none.
Given this fact, there is no better link-building strategy than appearing in the online media. If you manage to place useful and eye-catching copy on news sites, it can serve a duel purpose of promoting your brand message, whilst also providing a boost to your domain authority.
Agencies such as Monster PR have cornered the market when it comes to getting businesses into the online media at affordable prices, with direct access to hundreds of media outlets.
You can choose to approach the publications yourself to promote a business online. However, to contact a journalist for each individual publication can be a time consuming and soul destroying process. It can work if your content is good enough, but you’ll often find getting any kind of response difficult due to how much the journalists are bombarded each day. Finding a well priced agency can be worth the time saving.
If you need to produce low-cost, well written content (that hasn’t been produced by an AI bot), Case Study Link is a good starting point. You can ask qualified journalists to produce your content in their spare time, and their rates are generally very low.
Use Social Media to Your Advantage
Social media is a powerful tool that can help you reach a large audience quickly. To promote your business on social media, you need to start by creating profiles on the platforms where your target audience spends their time. This could be Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, or any other platform that suits your business.
Once you have your profiles set up, start sharing content that your audience will find valuable. This could include blog posts, infographics, videos, or anything else that will engage your followers. Make sure you respond promptly to comments and messages to build trust with your audience.
With anything online these days, really gaining traction on social media has become a pay-to-play activity for businesses. Tik Tok is one possible exception, depending on the nature of your business and how easy it is to engage online followers. For instance, a jewellery making business could attract many followers with engaging how-to videos, whereas an insurance salesman might struggle to find that engaging angle (especially whilst portraying a professional image).
Use Pay-Per-Click Advertising
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a model of internet marketing where businesses pay a fee each time someone clicks on their ads. PPC ads can be a highly effective way to promote your business, as they allow you to reach a highly targeted audience. Google AdWords, Amazon Ads, and Facebook Ads are three popular platforms for running PPC ads. To run a successful PPC campaign, you need to:
Identify your target audience
Create compelling ad copy and visuals
Choose the right keywords
Set a budget for your campaign
Monitor and adjust your campaign as needed
Ensure that your ad content is highly relevant to your keywords, and that your landing pages are high quality. You’ll pay more per click if that is not the case.
Collaborate with Influencers
Influencer marketing involves partnering with individuals who have a large following on social media to promote your business. This strategy can be highly effective, as influencers have built trust with their followers and can introduce your business to a new audience. To collaborate with influencers, you need to:
Identify influencers who align with your brand and target audience
Reach out to them with a proposal for collaboration
Set clear goals and expectations for the collaboration
Monitor and analyse the results of the collaboration.
Multi-pronged approach when you promote a business online
Promoting your business online requires a multi-faceted approach. By using social media, optimising your website for search engines, using pay-per-click advertising, and collaborating with influencers, you can reach a larger audience and grow your business. However, it’s important to remember that online marketing is constantly evolving, so it’s essential to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and tactics to stay ahead of the competition.
By following the strategies outlined in this article and staying informed about new developments in online marketing, you can successfully promote your business and achieve your goals.
The last and final point that is worth remembering is that nothing in business comes for free. Any so called ‘free’ ways to promote your business are normally ill-advised. The internet is becoming increasingly pay-to-play, so do expect to invest some time or money.
