Search Results

In a developing business and technology landscape, digital marketing has revolutionized the way companies connect with their audience. We have witnessed exponential growth in digital marketing throughout the last few decades, from basic websites to the curation of highly personalized, targeted campaigns. In this blog post, we will review the evolution of digital marketing and how it has transformed throughout the years to leverage consumer interest and engagement. What is Digital Marketing, and What are the Advantages? Digital marketing is synonymous with online marketing. It refers to the marketing of products or services through digital channels. Today, some of the most common types of digital marketing you hear about include search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing (SMM), email marketing, content marketing, and more. Digital marketing is highly favored by marketers due to a perceived superior return on investment (ROI) in comparison to conventional marketing methods. This is facilitated by content accessibility and the growth of tailored content. Consumers also prefer digital marketing due to its non-invasive nature. When content is consumed organically, people are more open to hearing the message. Digital Marketing Deep Dive Birth of the Internet The first generation of the world wide web was established in 1989 by Tim Berners-Lee. This “read-only” web version was an extremely basic model of today’s dynamic internet realm. Users could only search for information and read static web pages. The interface had little opportunity for content contribution and user interaction, making marketers unsure of its business potential. In 1993, an online magazine called HotWired created its first clickable banner to advertise the magazine and boost subscriptions. Shortly after, Yahoo! was launched. Within its first year of existence, Yahoo! received nearly a million interactions. This is considered the turning point of digital marketing, as marketers began to reconsider their attitude toward marketing their products or services online. In 1994, Lou Montulli invented cookies. Cookies are small text files that track user behavior and preferences. These quickly became important tools for businesses to improve user experience and push personalized content. Search Engine Emergence Following the successful launch of Yahoo!, smaller search engines like Alexa, LookSmart, and HotBot followed suit in 1996. 1998 witnessed the emergence of Google, MSN search engine, and Yahoo! web search. These search engines became giants in the industry, leaving no room for lesser-known search engines to coexist. At this time, companies began placing a large emphasis on optimizing their websites to garner higher search engine rankings. The second generation of the world wide web, Web 2.0, launched in 1999. This version of the internet bridged the gap between passively consuming content and being an active participant in uploading and sharing content. The internet’s new features paved the way for social media platforms and marketing never seen before. Social Media Surge In 2002, LinkedIn was introduced to the growing digital world. LinkedIn allows professionals to connect and engage with their professional network and access knowledge, insights, and opportunities. In the year following, MySpace, Orkut, and Facebook were introduced. Users could create their personal profiles, connect with others based on similar interests, and promote their projects. These networks experienced massive growth in popularity, demonstrating to businesses the marketing opportunities that these platforms offered. Marketers quickly realized that they could reach thousands of users within minutes. Even more enticing was the affordability of doing so. This signaled the growth of social media marketing. By 2004, internet advertising was valued at $3 billion. Mobile Revolution and Responsive Web Design In 2007, Apple introduced the first-ever iPhone as a revolutionary Internet communications device. This launch was followed by the iPod Touch and new generations of computers like the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. Google was also in the midst of establishing Android, a competing mobile operating system. The rise of mobile technology called for reconsideration of web design. By 2009, more than half of Americans accessed the internet using mobile devices like laptops, cell phones, gaming consoles, or MP3 players. For companies to accommodate the shift to mobile internet access, they had to consider responsive web design. This is the process of making a website adapt to different screen sizes, resolutions, and orientations. Responsive web design ensures website accessibility on any device, a positive user experience, and a boost in brand visibility. Marketers recognized that consumers are more inclined to interact with content that is as accessible as it is consumable. This includes concise messaging, easy navigation, and visually appealing graphics. Personalization and Data-Driven Marketing By 2012, the average social media marketing budget expanded by 64%. This is contributed to the emergence of data-driven marketing strategies. Marketers started using data as a crucial tool to better understand their target audience, industry trends, and campaign effectiveness. They found that data-backed insights help create hyper-personalized campaigns that enable effective business-to-consumer communication and, as a result, higher conversion rates. Through the collection and analysis of data, marketers can segment their audiences. Audience segmentation allows businesses to push campaigns that cater to each audience’s unique preferences. Data is then gathered and assessed anew, identifying campaign effectiveness and highlighting areas in need of improvement. Influencers and User-Generated Content The mid to late 2010s saw a shift in consumer behavior. 53% of shoppers said they always research before they buy to ensure they are making the best possible choice. This highlighted the emphasis on spokesperson credibility. Before, businesses would market their products or services directly to the consumer. Marketers soon realized that public opinion was considered far more valuable. Customer testimonials, tutorials, and referrals from relatable, everyday consumers had the ability to “influence” purchasing decisions on a product or service that they have used first. Many businesses employ influencers to create and post content on their behalf. User-generated content has contributed to higher engagement, brand awareness, and sales. The proof? Influencer marketing is worth an estimated $21.1 billion in 2023. Digital marketing has made remarkable progress since the creation of the Internet. Online marketing will continue to adapt to ever-changing technological advancements, constantly opening opportunities and challenges for businesses. To maintain a competitive edge, marketers must remain abreast of emerging trends, novel platforms, and newly incorporated website functionalities. One thing is for certain: We can’t wait to see the advancements awaiting the world of digital marketing! What do you think the next marketing innovation will be? Let Omega assist you with all of your print and digital marketing needs. Click here to get started today. Written by Omega High-Impact Print Solutions’ Marketing Intern, Gracie Steel.

By Jamie Cloak, Marketing Director at Omega High Impact Print Solutions Do you ever find yourself staring at multiple Excel worksheets, scratching your head, wondering how to combine all sheets into one dataset? Have no fear – we've broken down the process step-by-step to ensure you can combine all your data seamlessly. ENTER: the Excel Power Query Tool! Ahhh, we are so excited about this awesome (and somewhat hidden) feature. In our humble opinion, it’s no coincidence that “Power” is in the name of such a POWER(ful) tool! The Power Query allows you to clean large sets of data, combine multiple sheets into one, and reduce the file size limiting its load time. Now, if you’re working with 1-2 worksheets, copying and pasting them together may suffice, but the Power Query Tool offers a dynamic feature that allows you to constantly refresh your combined worksheet, meaning if you adjust or add content on one of the individual sheets, you can simply refresh the combined version and the updates will push out universally. Pretty cool, huh? However, we'll get to that a bit later.... Before we get started, one thing to note is that this process will work best if your files are laid-out in a very similar manner. It's recommended to ensure all headers are the same and the data is similar from column to column. In this exercise, you will notice that we have First Name , Last Name and Email Address as our headers on all three of the tabs we are looking to combine. Power Query Tool view 1 - Headers Now for the fun part! Step 1 Create and name each table. This will allow for an easy reference, which you will see in a few steps. To do this on a Mac, click and highlight the columns you want to apply the table to. Table & Title Once highlighted, type CMD +T, then click Ok and name the table in the upper left-hand corner. Title Follow these steps for all tabs in your master file. Please note that the first window to pop-up will ask if your table has headers. In our case, we selected this as we have matching headers on all files. Step 2 Click the Data tab. From here, navigate to the left-hand side and select the arrow to the right of the Get Data (Power Query) icon. Then select Launch Power Query Editor . Launch Power Query Tool Now we want to import data from multiple queries so click Get data . From here, you want to select the appropriate file type to gather. For this exercise, we are going to select Excel workbook as our master file is already in an Excel workbook format. From here, click Browse and select the file you are looking to import data from. Once found on your local computer, select it and click Get Data and Next. This will load your relevant tables. Please note, this step is the reason why we named our tables. Now everything is clean and easy to identify. From here, choose the relevant tables that you want to include by check-marking all three and click Create . Choose Data Step 3 On this view, you will see that all three tables have been combined into the Power Query, but you’re not done! The last step is to combine them into one master data set. In the queries view, ensure you’re on the Home tab and navigate to the far right where you will find an option titled Combine – select this. Click the drop-down arrow next to Append Queries (option2) and select Append Queries as new. The reason we select Append Queries as new is that we want to create a separate table to keep this combined data as clean as possible. Step 4 In the append pop-up, you will have the option to select Two tables or Three or more tables. In this exercise, we will select the radio button next to Three or more tables . Next, it will ask you which available tables you want to append. Simply click on each of the tables on the left display window and then click add . It will move the files (one-by-one) into the “Tables to append” window on the right. All we are doing here is specify which tables we want to combine. You also have the ability to organize the tables to display the data in any order that you want. Simply utilize the arrows on the right side of the pop-up window to move the tables into your desired order. Once you’re done, click Ok. Append Files Step 5 Now all three tables are combined in a vertical run – YAY! Great job, you’re crushing this Power Query Tool!!! Once you’re done, click Close and Load ! Wahlah – there it is. A beautifully combined table that can easily be updated! Our favorite part of this process is if additional data is added to any of the individual tables, all you need to do is simply hit refresh on the Power Query Tool. To do this, select Data > click the down arrow next to Get Data (Power Query) > Launch Editor and click Refresh in the tool bar. Close and Load For all intents and purposes, we are officially done. However, sometimes you may have duplicate data from worksheet-to-worksheet, so we would like review how to remove duplications and the blank cells that are inevitable left behind. Good news is this is a super simple process. Step 1: Highlight the cells with the data you want to adjust. Click Data and then Remove Duplicates. Be sure to check off if your worksheet has headers and select the columns you want to remove duplicates from. For this exercise, we selected them all and both the First Name, Last Name and Email Address columns had duplicates. Once you’re done, click OK . Remove duplications If your sheet has multiple rows, you will likely be left with some blank cells. To remove the blank cells ensure you are on the Home tab in your toolbar. Select Find & Select, Go to Special and click the radio button for Blanks. This will highlight all of the blank cells in your worksheet. To remove them, (ensure you’re still on the Home tab), click the arrow next to Delete and select Delete Sheet Rows. Delete With this knowledge, you should be able to slice and dice multiple worksheets into one very organized place to ensure your data is ready to go for any request. Merge additional data, create Pivot Tables, drop them into PowerPoint Presentations (both internally and client-facing), and so on. The sky's the limit...you've got this!

By Gracie Steel, Digital Marketing Assistant at Omega High Impact Print Solutions With an extensive user base and an algorithm designed to make videos go viral in an instant, TikTok is a leading social media platform for digital marketers, influencers, and brands alike. However, becoming the next viral sensation is no easy feat. That’s why we created a guide to navigate TikTok’s Creative Center- a free and valuable resource that helps you discover trending creators, soundtracks, hashtags, ads, and more. This way, you can stay ahead of the curve on this fast-paced platform, and join the ranks of trendsetters in a snap! Step 1 In your browser, search for TikTok Creative Center and begin by setting up your account. You don’t need anything fancy- just an email address and password. Step 2 On the top left hand corner of the webpage, locate the INSPIRATION tab . Underneath, you’ll see subsections including Top Ads Dashboard, Top Ads Spotlight, Keyword Insights, Creative Insights, and Top Products. We will review how to use these tools to inspire your TikTok ad strategy . First, go to Top Ads Dashboard and/or Top Ads Spotlight (Both include the same information.) Filter through high-performing ads by country, language, industry, objectives, date, format, and likes. Select SEE ANALYTICS to gain valuable insights on the ad’s attributes and performance. Here you can evaluate the ad based on: CTR (Click-through-rate) CVR (Conversion rate) Clicks Conversion Interactivity Step 3 Next, go to INSPIRATION > KEYWORD INSIGHTS. Identify trending keywords that have been extracted from top-performing TikTok videos. Either search by keywords specifically or filter by country, industry, objective, keyword type, and date. Consider using these keywords in your content to stay relevant in an ever-changing digital landscape. Step 4 Under INSPIRATION, go to CREATIVE INSIGHTS. See how high-performing ads increase engagement through creative patterns. Be sure to explore the BEST PRACTICES tab to learn how you can optimize your content. Step 5 Lastly, go to INSPIRATION > TOP PRODUCTS. You can sort through popular products by category. Integrate trending products into your own content to influence your audience’s purchasing decisions. Step 6 Maneuver to the TRENDS category at the top left hand corner of the homepage. Here you can find out what hashtags, songs, creators, and videos are performing well on TikTok so you can maximize discoverability and engagement on your account. Go to HASHTAGS. Use this information to your advantage. For example, if you’re in the beauty and personal care industry, hashtag haircare is trending with 6,000 posts and nearly 92 million views in the past seven days. Consider centering your next TikTok around this topic to boost traction. Step 7 Go to TRENDS > SONGS. Leveraging trending music increases your chances of user engagement, including comments, stitches, duets, and collaborations. Click on the BREAKOUT tab to view soundtracks that have boomed rapidly. Using sounds that TikTok signals as interesting and engaging can help you reach a wider audience. Step 8 Find the CREATORS tab under TRENDS. Sort through TikTok’s popular creators. This tool will show you the total likes and followers of each creator. Take a moment to explore their content, and see what works and what doesn’t. This can save time and effort when experimenting with different approaches. Step 9 Finally, go to TRENDS > VIDEOS. Remember when whipped coffee, Adult Swim, and the Renegade dance ran your “For You” page in 2020? In this section, you can sort through TikTok trends and challenges. Brainstorm ways you can apply these to your content. Staying up-to-date on TikTok trends is crucial for growth and relevance. And with TikTok's Creative Center in your toolkit, you can easily unlock the secrets to TikTok success. Use this resource as your ally, integrating trending products, sounds, hashtags, keywords, and more into your content creation process. You'll be capturing the attention of millions in no time!

By Jamie Cloak, Marketing Director at Omega High Impact Print Solutions Taking your project into a published digital landscape may seem overwhelming, but there are plenty of tools out there to achieve this. In this tutorial, we will explain the easiest way to publish your document online, via InDesign, as long as you have an Adobe subscription. This step-by-step tutorial is so simple, you won’t believe you didn’t know about this awesome feature sooner! The first step is to finalize your InDesign document. Ensure spelling, grammar, imagery, etc. are set as this process is simple and moves so fast – you won’t believe you’ve completed it! Select File > Publish Online On the pop-up window, you will view 3 tabs: General, Advanced, and Analytics. In this tutorial, we will explore all fields to ensure you have a comprehensive understanding of the available features. General: For this exercise, we selected the radio button for Publish New Document as this file was just created. However, a great feature Adobe offers is the option to update an existing document. Title : Enter the name of the finalized document. Keep in mind, this will be displayed as the browser title of the published document. Description : Input the description of the online document. This description will be visible on any social media forums so ensure it’s a solid representation of your content. Pages and Export As : Select to export All or a Range of pages from your finalized document and determine if you want single files or spreads. For this exercise, we selected “single”. Allow viewers to download the document as a PDF (Print) : Only select this option if you are offering viewers the ability to download your file. Hide the Share and Embed options in the published document : Select this if you’re looking to hide the Share and Embed options on your published file. Allow viewers to Search and Copy text in the published document : Starting with InDesign 18.4 and later, this is a neat default feature where viewers have the ability to search and copy text from your published file. Something to keep in mind – while the search function is available on any device, viewers are only able to copy your text from the publish file on a laptop or desktop. Advanced: Cover Thumbnail: On the Advanced page, you’re able to determine the Cover Thumbnail image for social media posts by selecting a page in your document or uploading an image from your computer. Image Settings: for this exercise, we left the default settings as they are appropriate for our project, but you have the ability to adjust: · Format · Resolution · JPEG Image Quality · GIF Options Palette Download PDF Settings · Select your desired PDF Preset Analytics: Link Google Analytics: Starting with InDesign 19.0, you’re now able to link Google Analytics with your published file. To do this, you need to generate a Measurement ID in your Google Analytics account and attach it to the published document. Please note, Adobe will not receive any information from your GA Account, this is only to track the behaviors of your viewers. Cookie Banner: InDesign offers the option of enabling a cookie banner on your document. This text can be customized (limited to 100 words) but should mirror your cookie notice requirements. If this is enabled, and accepted by your viewers, analytics will display in GA and will only reflect information from your viewers who accepted the cookie banner notice from your published document. Keep in mind, notice requirements may vary based on your location. Once you have finalized all your settings, simply click Publish and you’re DONE! So simple – you almost can’t believe it, right? From the success message pop-up, you can view your document online or copy the URL for additional use, share to social channels and view your Published Online Dashboard. When clicking on “Published Online Dashboard”, you will find all of your published documents, along with analytics for both. Success Message: Publish Online Dashboard View: This feature is so easy to use, we hope you’re able to utilize this new skill in your work and personal lives. Have fun, create new content and share it with the world to see!

By Gracie Steel, Digital Marketing Assistant, at Omega High-Impact Print Solutions Linktree is an invaluable resource, providing a streamlined way to access multiple links in a single platform. With Canva’s design tools and user-friendly interface, you’ll be able to craft a Linktree that organizes your links and captures your brand’s essence. In this tutorial, we will walk you through how to personalize a functional, visually-appealing Linktree that is sure to enhance your digital presence. Step 1 Open Canva on your mobile device or desktop. Select CREATE A DESIGN. In the search bar, type in "Link in bio." Choose BIO LINK WEBSITE as your template. Step 2 Choose from Canva's suggested templates, or create your own design from scratch. Step 3 After you've finalized your design, it's time to insert your links. To do this, CNTRL + CLICK on a word or element and select LINK. Enter the destination URL. Note: Be sure to test your links! Step 4 Once you're content with your Linktree template, select PUBLISH WEBSITE at the top right-hand corner of your screen. Here, you can evaluate how your Linktree appears on different devices. Then it's time to decide where you want to publish your domain. There are three options: FREE DOMAIN, PURCHASE A NEW DOMAIN, and USE MY EXISTING DOMAIN. For this tutorial, we will be using FREE DOMAIN. Step 5 Next, edit the BROWSER TAB PREVIEW, PAGE URL, and DESCRIPTION to your liking. Step 6 When finished, select PUBLISH. You can now view your live website! If you've followed all of the steps outlined above, congratulations! You've made great strides in optimizing your online platforms. Not only does your new Linktree make it easier for users to navigate your URLs, it also adds consistency and professionalism to your brand. To elevate your digital realm even further, be sure to explore our other how-tos and tutorials!

By Gracie Steel, Digital Marketing Assistant at Omega High-Impact Print Solutions Video editing is an essential skill for those looking to make an impact in the world of content creation. CapCut, as we covered many times before, is a free video-editing and image design software with a versatile and user-friendly interface. Within this platform is a templates feature, which allows you to enhance the visual appeal of your content. In this blog post, we will teach you how to use CapCut templates so you can spend less time figuring out intricate effects or edits and more time producing engaging TikToks, entertaining YouTube videos, or shareable Instagram content. Step 1 Open CAPCUT on your desktop or mobile device. Next, select TEMPLATES. Step 2 Filter through templates using the categories in the sidebar. Or, use the search bar to find a specfic template. Once you've found a template that aligns with your video's style and purpose, drag your template to the editing timeline. Step 3 Sometimes CapCut templates include a green screen, but don't actually isolate the subject. If this happens to you, simply go to VIDEO > CUTOUT> AUTO CUTOUT. Doing this will remove the background from the subject of your CapCut template. Step 4 Now you can adjust the placeholder background, and add or modify text, fonts, and colors to your liking. And just like that, you've created a video using CapCut templates! We recommend exploring other CapCut features and experimenting with a variety of templates so you can stay on the forefront of video editing innovation. Be sure to stay tuned for more tips, tricks, and tutorials designed to polish your skills in the ever-changing world of content creation!

By Jamie Cloak, Marketing Director at Omega High Impact Print Solutions Amplify Your Reach by unleashing the Power of Combined Print and Digital Marketing. As we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of marketing strategies, it's crucial to explore innovative approaches that can maximize your brand's impact. Introducing the undeniable powerful synergy between the seamless integration of print and digital marketing. In an age dominated by digital platforms, the effectiveness of print marketing is often underestimated. However, marrying the tangible appeal of print with the dynamic reach of digital channels can create a compelling and holistic brand experience. Below we've outlined a handful of reasons why combining print and digital marketing could be a game-changer for your business... 1. Enhanced Engagement By leveraging both print and digital channels, you can capture your audience's attention through multiple touchpoints. A well-crafted print piece can serve as a tangible introduction, while digital platforms provide interactive and dynamic content, fostering deeper engagement.  2. Cross-Channel Consistency Achieve a unified brand message by aligning your print and digital collateral. Consistency across channels builds trust and reinforces your brand identity, ensuring that your audience receives a cohesive and memorable experience. 3. Expanded Reach While digital marketing allows you to reach a global audience, print marketing can target specific geographic areas effectively. Combining the two enables you to cast a wider net, reaching diverse demographics and increasing your overall market penetration. 4. Measurable Insights Digital marketing provides robust analytics, allowing you to track and measure campaign performance in real-time. Integrating digital tracking tools with print campaigns enables you to gather valuable insights into consumer behavior, preferences, and engagement levels. Social Media & Postcards By combining social media and postcards, you create a comprehensive marketing strategy that leverages the strengths of both digital and traditional methods. This integrated approach lets you connect with a broader audience while ensuring a memorable and personalized brand experience.  Direct Mail & Email Marketing Direct mail and email Campaigns can complement each other in terms of campaign lifespan. While emails can create initial awareness and engagement, direct mail can serve as a more enduring reminder, extending the impact of your marketing efforts over time. Blog Post & Newspapers Complement your blog posts by converting them to local newspaper publications. Include a QR code to direct readers to your website, encouraging them to explore additional content and engage with your brand online. To help you harness the full potential of this integrated approach, we offer a comprehensive suite of services that seamlessly blend print and digital strategies. Our team of experts is dedicated to crafting personalized campaigns that resonate with your target audience across various platforms. If you're interested in exploring how the fusion of print and digital marketing can elevate your brand, please contact us here . Together, we can tailor a strategy that aligns with your goals and maximizes your marketing ROI.

By Ava Hoch, Marketing Associate at Omega High Impact Print Solutions Alt text serves a crucial role in enhancing accessibility and optimizing SEO. It enables screen readers to articulate image descriptions to users with visual impairments and facilitates content discovery by search engines and search features, based on the provided description. Alt text may appear in situations where an image loads slowly, when using a browser catering to the visually impaired, or when utilizing a screen reader to provide image descriptions. Instagram automatically generates alt text for your posts; however, it frequently falls short of conveying the complete context and description of the image within a post. You have the option to craft your own alt text to provide a more precise and comprehensive description of your photo. On Instagram, the goal of alt text is to provide a precise description of the image you're sharing. Optimal alt text should encapsulate both the image's context and its specific description, ensuring accuracy. Let's get started! How to add alt text when posting an Instagram photo: Step 1 Begin by creating a new post on Instagram. Once you've captured or selected your photo and completed all desired edits, proceed by tapping "Next." Next, navigate to the "Advanced Settings" option. *If you manage multiple accounts, you might need to scroll down to the bottom of the screen to access the "Advanced Settings" option. Step 2 Under Accessibility at the bottom, tap on "Write Alt Text". Step 3 Write your alt text and tap "Done". Step 4 Tap “Share” in the top right corner to post. How to add alt text to a photo already posted on Instagram: Step 1 Choose a photo you already posted on Instagram. Step 2 Tap the three dots in the top right corner. Step 3 Tap “Edit”. Step 4 Tap “Edit Alt Text”. Step 5 Write your alt text and tap "Done".

By Gracie Steel, Digital Marketing Assistant at Omega High Impact Print Solutions Did you know that there's a way around the 24-hour Instagram story lifespan? In this guide, we'll walk you through the simple steps to add current or expired Instagram stories to highlights, a feature that ensures your favorite and most engaging content can be accessed and enjoyed even after they disappear. This way, you can create and organize the highlights on your Instagram to curate a visually-appealing, personalized, and lasting showcase of your content. Step 1 To add a new or current story to highlights, click on your Instagram profile picture. Select NEW if you want to create and title a new highlight, or choose from one of your preexisting highlights. Instagram will alert you if your save was successful. Step 2 To add an existing or expired story to your highlights, go to your profile. Choose the highlight you wish to add to. Select ••• MORE in the bottom right-hand corner > EDIT HIGHLIGHT > STORIES. Click on the story or stories you would like to add. Press DONE when finished. Step 3 Ensure that your stories added properly by filtering through the highlight you just altered. And just like that, you're all finished! With this tool under your belt, you have the opportunity to extend the life of your content beyond the fleeting 24-hour time limit. Taking advantage of your Instagram highlights means that you can show off your best moments and leave a lasting impression on your followers. With that being said, get ready to let your stories shine in the spotlight of your highlights!

By Ava Hoch, Marketing Associate at Omega High Impact Print Solutions Creating an Etsy Explore video can be a great way to showcase your products and engage with potential customers on the platform. Etsy Explore videos are short, engaging clips that highlight your products and give viewers a glimpse of what you have to offer. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to an Etsy Explore video. Let's get started! How to create an Etsy Explore video: Step 1 Begin by downloading the Etsy Seller app. Step 2 Open the Etsy Seller app and tap on “ More ” in the bottom right corner. Step 3 Scroll down to the “ Marketing ” section and tap “ Explore ”. Step 4 Tap “ +Create ” in the top right corner. Step 5 Tap " Add Video " and record or upload a video that represents your store or products. You can edit your video after recording or choosing one. Step 6 Optional editing of the video can be done. Adjusting the video length or appearance and adding text are available in Etsy's in-app editor. Step 7 An optional voiceover of the video can be done. Step 8 Tap on " Post type ". Step 9 Choose a video type that relates to the video. Then tap " Save ". Step 10 Add shop listings. (optional) Step 11 Add a caption and hashtags explaining your video. Step 12 Tap " Preview " to watch what the video will look like on Etsy's Explore page. Step 13 If you are satisfied with the preview, tap " Submit post ". Extra Tips: Be authentic, tell your story, and share behind-the-scenes of your Etsy shop/products!

By Jamie Cloak, Marketing Director at Omega High Impact Print Solutions Are you looking to add a touch of animation to your visual content? GIFs are a fantastic way to engage your audience and bring your images to life. Fortunately, with Adobe Photoshop, the process of creating GIFs is both accessible and rewarding. In this step-by-step guide, we'll walk you through the process of making a GIF in Photoshop, unlocking a realm of creative possibilities. Step 1: Open Photoshop and Import Your Images Launch Adobe Photoshop on your computer. Select "File" > "Scripts" > "Load Files into Stack." Click "Browse" and select the images you want to use for your GIF. Press "OK" to import your images as separate layers. Step 2: Adjust and Arrange Layers Navigate to the Layers panel. Arrange your layers in the desired order for your GIF frames. Make any necessary adjustments to each layer, such as resizing or adding filters. Step 3: Set the Duration for Each Frame Click on the timeline icon at the bottom of the screen to open the Timeline panel. In the Timeline panel, click "Create Frame Animation." Adjust the time duration for each frame. This determines how long each image will be displayed before transitioning to the next one. Step 4: Create the Animation In the Timeline panel, click the "Duplicate Selected Frames" icon to create additional frames. Make changes to each frame as needed, creating a seamless transition between them. Preview your animation by pressing the "Play" button in the Timeline panel. Step 5: Fine-Tune Your GIF Refine your GIF by adding effects, transitions, or text overlays. Experiment with layer visibility and opacity for dynamic effects. Preview your GIF to ensure it meets your creative vision. Step 6: Save Your GIF Once satisfied with your animation, go to "File" > "Export" > "Save for Web (Legacy)." Choose the GIF format and adjust settings like size and quality. Click "Save" to save your animated GIF. Congratulations! You've just created your own GIF using Photoshop. Feel free to share your animated masterpiece on social media, websites, or wherever you'd like to showcase your creativity. Animating with GIFs in Photoshop opens up a world of possibilities for expressing your ideas and engaging your audience. Experiment with different effects, transitions, and styles to make your GIFs truly unique. With this guide, you're well on your way to becoming a GIF-making pro in Photoshop. Happy creating!

By Gracie Steel, Digital Marketing Assistant at Omega High-Impact Print Solutions In the ever-changing landscape of social media, capturing attention is the name of the game. From stunning graphics to captivating content, the pressure to stand out from the crowd can leave even the most creative minds in a rut. Because of this, content creators, graphic designers, and social media enthusiasts alike are constantly on the hunt for fresh ideas. If you've ever felt this way, you're certainly not alone. That's why we put together this simple Canva tutorial- so you can find that spark of inspiration to breathe new life into your social posts. Follow along as we show you how you can instantly elevate your Canva designs using this 3D effect. Step 1 To demonstrate this hack, we will be using Canva Pro. But, it is possible to complete this design using the free version. To get started, select and upload your photo. Step 2 At this time, add any text, effects, elements, brand fonts or colors. Step 3 Next, either reupload, copy & paste, or duplicate your image. Whichever method you choose, be sure it's the same aspect ratio as your original image. With your newly duplicated photo, go to EDIT PHOTO > BACKGROUND REMOVER . This will isolate the subject of your photo. ( TIP: If you're using the free version of Canva, you will not have access to this feature. To get around this, simply search "Free Image Background Remover" in any search engine to remove your image's background. Step 4 Align the isolated subject with the background image. DOUBLE CLICK or go to EDIT PHOTO > CROP to crop your isolated subject. You'll see how this step made the hand and coffee cup look as though it's going through the "o" in "coffee," adding instant depth and dimension. In just four simple steps, you've unlocked a new and exciting way to advance your designs and captivate your audience. We hope this tutorial inspired you to approach your social media game with a different perspective. To stay up-to-date on all industry how-tos and tutorials, be sure to subscribe here.