Blog

Why Having a Facebook Page Doesn’t Make You a Social Media Expert

May 17, 2017 | Digital Content

In my time as a social media manager, I’ve encountered a lot of people who think they could do my job simply because they have a Facebook or Twitter account. I have been on social media since the early days of MySpace. I was on Facebook back when you had to have an...

Anatomy of a Good Blog Post

Apr 17, 2017 | Digital Content, Inbound Marketing

Blogs are part of the lifeblood of inbound marketing. They not only help you create useful content for your readers, but they also help build your reputation as an authoritative source for information in your field. However, just because you blog doesn’t mean...

Get GIF-Y With it: Considerations for Using Animated GIFS in Media

Mar 29, 2017 | Creative, Digital Content

As marketers, we know we need to stay on-trend. To speak to younger generations, we have to use their language. One of the newest and most well-known languages of Gen Z and millennials is the animated GIF. It’s no secret that video content is some of the most consumed...

4 Ways to Create Newsletters People Actually Read

Mar 24, 2017 | Inbound Marketing

Your business might be the perfect candidate for email newsletters. And, you might be smart to begin sending one out. Email marketing is a cost-efficient way to drive leads to your site, and sending a newsletter can help you build relationships with customers....

Blue Star Roundup: Our 9 Favorite Brands and why They Work

Mar 17, 2017 | Branding

Branding is difficult, and it can be hard to make your company’s voice heard in a sea of competition. That’s why the team at Blue Star Design’s come together to give you our favorite brands and why we think they work. Each one of the brands listed has a unique...

Get on Trend: Why You Need Video Content on Your Blog

Mar 15, 2017 | Digital Content

Videos can do things words can never do: Show a smile lighting up a child’s face. Capture a snowboarder careening down a slope. Freeze a gymnast sticking a landing. So why don’t more company blogs have video content? There are plenty of so-called reasons for avoiding...

Three Great Resources to Learn More About Design Software

Mar 10, 2017 | Creative

At Blue Star Design, we use Adobe Creative Cloud applications to create everything from app avatars and email graphics to ads, brochures, and trade show booths. Click here to see our portfolio. Some of our favorite design applications include InDesign (for page...

Crop Where it Counts

Mar 8, 2017 | Creative

The one change request I always seem to get from clients is to “stop chopping the tops off people’s heads.” Now that sounds pretty gruesome and violent. But I am not a savage (a pirate maybe, but definitely not a savage). And I’m really not doing any chopping — I am...

7 Email Marketing Tips You Might Not Think of

Mar 3, 2017 | Inbound Marketing

There’s a science to creating the perfect email. From the subject to the footer, your email needs to engage recipients and prevent them from pressing delete. After all, as soon as they’re bored, they will delete a marketing email. You have to captivate your audience...

So You Write a Blog!….That Nobody Reads

Jan 11, 2017 | Digital Content

If you have a business blog, that’s a step in the right direction. Blogging isn’t just a cornerstone of the “inbound marketing methodology.” It is also a way to keep your website looking professional, tell your readers new updates about your business, and stay in...

7 Essentials of Healthcare Content Marketing to Get You Started

Nov 30, 2016 | Digital Content, Healthcare

So your mind’s made up: You’re convinced that content marketing can strengthen your healthcare business. So what’s next? For starters, take a minute and reflect on what you’re getting yourself into. You’re going to need more money, more people, more decisions and more...

How to USE Design-driven Blogging to Supercharge Your Blog

Nov 28, 2016 | Creative, Digital Content

You wrote a blog that is 1,000 words – perfect length – great job! You were careful to use keywords in your headline, first paragraph, and URL. Very nice! Your page title is spot-on at 65 characters. You have links to previous content. You threw in some easy-to-digest...