With 2024 in the rearview, there’s nothing I love more than starting the year with a latte in hand and geeking out with all kinds of business Metrics and Google Analytics. Seeing what resonated with you most inspires me to bring you even more value-packed content as I look ahead.
Let’s take a walk down memory lane and revisit these scroll-worthy blog posts that sparked ideas, influenced your ambitions, and hopefully made your journey a little bit easier.
What You Loved Most: Studio A’s Top 10 Blog Posts from 2024
Below is a quick link list that will take you directly to the blog post. If you want more info about what each post covers, keep scrolling, friend.
- Reach Your Goals Faster with a Digital Vision Board (free template included)
- My Top Book Recommendations for Small Business Brands
- Designer Tells All: 5 Things to Avoid in Canva
- How Color Theory Impacts Branding and Examples of Brands That are Doing it Right
- 6 Ways to Level up Your Contact Form Thank You Page
- Canva Pro Tips for Building Your Brand Kit (w/ step-by-step screenshots)
- Create an email signature in Gmail using Separate Clickable Icons (freebie templates included)
- 12 Free Canva Fonts, Paired for Stunning Designs
- Things Your Visitors Actually Want to Learn on Your About Page
- Top Podcasts for Iowa Small Business Owners
Reach Your Goals Faster with a Digital Vision Board (free template included)
It’s the blog post that has stolen the #1 slot for three years, and for good reason. A digital vision board (especially at the beginning of the year) is one of the hottest trends in goal-setting. It’s a creative and intentional way to visualize your goals. The blog post guides small business owners through narrowing their dreams into clear categories like health, finances, and career and provides a free Canva template to bring their goals to life.
My Top Book Recommendations For Small Business Brands
Spot number two proves what I already know about ambitious entrepreneurs. They are lifelong learners. In this post, I share my all-time favorite book recommendations as a brand and website designer. This list works no matter where you are in your entrepreneurial journey because it breaks down who the book is for (and who it’s not for) so you can choose just the right book for your goals.
Designer tells all: 5 Things to Avoid in Canva
We all love Canva, but we don’t always realize the pitfalls or mistakes that small business owners often make. That’s why it’s helpful to have a designer help you avoid a few simple things so you can design like a pro. This post covers five key missteps to dodge and offers strategies to make sure your designs reflect your brand.
How Color Theory Impacts Branding and Examples of Brands That Are Doing It Right
I don’t think it’s much of a secret that I like color. After all, “Vibrant Brands for Iowa Small Businesses” is front and center on my website’s homepage. In this blog post, I dive into how trends and blah color palettes alone can dilute individuality, but that color can influence emotional feelings.
6 Ways to Level Up Your Contact Form Thank You Page
You had better believe that the thank you or confirmation page on the contact form is one of your website's most underrated (and overlooked) parts of your website. If your current setup is a basic “Thanks, I’ll be in touch,” this blog post is for you. There’s a unique chance to wow your leads and keep them engaged while waiting to hear back from you. Think intro videos, juicy testimonials, freebies they can’t resist, and even a calendar link to book with you instantly. From a branding standpoint, turning that after-submission snooze fest into a lead-engaging space could be the difference between a customer choosing you over competitors.
Canva Pro Tips for Building Your Brand Kit (w/ step-by-step screenshots)
This post walks you through setting up your Canva Pro Brand Kit to save time, stay consistent, and keep your business looking polished. Uploading your logos and colors, assigning fonts and saving branded templates are easy with step-by-step instructions to help you organize all your design assets in one place. It’s the ultimate way to keep your branding cohesive and professional. Plus, I sprinkle in a few pro tips along the way to make sure you’re getting the most out of Canva Pro.
Create an email signature in Gmail using Separate Clickable Icons (freebie templates included)
In this blog post, I will show you how to take your email signature from “meh” to representing your brand like a pro. Using Canva and Gmail, I show you how to design a polished email signature complete with clickable icons for your website and social media. I break down each step, from creating your layout with a free Canva template to linking icons in Gmail, so you can create a signature that’s both on-brand and functional.
12 Free Canva Fonts, Paired for Stunning Designs
This post tackles the all-too-common struggle of font decision fatigue. I show you how to use free Canva fonts and provide you with the best combos so you can create chic designs that reflect your brand’s personality.
Questions Visitors Are Asking When Scrolling Your About Page
Your website’s About Page is more than just a quick bio. In this post, I outline five key questions your visitors subconsciously ask when they land on your About Page. By investigating your visitor's thoughts more deeply, you can improve your storytelling, visuals, and strategic content that keeps them engaged and ready to take the next step.
Local Iowa Business Owners? Binge These 6 Local Podcasts for Well-Rounded Inspiration
I love podcasts, but I love them even more when they are hyper-local-focused! This one got a lot of buzz on social media which only added to the already fun content of this blog post. I share my favorite podcasts tailored to Iowa small business owners seeking entrepreneurial stories and insights that hit close to home. Each show delivers a unique mix of advice, motivation, and community-driven strategies to help you grow your business.
As we wrap up our little stroll through Studio A’s most loved blog posts of the year, I hope you’ve found some great nuggets to help your business grow. Each of these posts was written with your Iowa business in mind. Keep pushing boundaries, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have topics you’d like to explore. I’m all ears. 🌽🌽🌽 Cheers to your journey ahead! Here’s to crushing 2025!
Your designer friend always,
The A-List is your 60-second inbox scroll for local brand and website tips, savvy small biz resources and the take-aways you need to get through this crazy thing called entrepreneurship.
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I get to use creativity everyday to help entrepreneurs focus on their passions to discovering their brand's "sweet spot" in the marketplace...and I absolutely LOVE IT!
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