Digital Creation Tips Vol. 1

You can count on The Chronicle to keep you informed about tips, dos, don'ts, and other strategies for digital content creation. Gathered from Vocal Media, these articles are free to enjoy, but support their creators with "reads". So, take your time scrolling the page, and if the content spoke to you, consider passing on the article or leaving them a tip. It's a tough world out there for content creators. We're #bettertogether. To improve SEO for all, we urge you to start hashtagging. For example: #creatorsofvocal; #poetsofvocal; #chroniclecreators ; #bevocal. Let's make 2022 the year Vocal overtakes Quora ;)

Using Images

Honesty is everything, and that goes double for using other people's content. Think we won't know when you claim a stock image is yours? Yeah...we all do. One right click and Google reverse search is incredibly easy. So be honest, and use images that belong to you. If you need something you can't make yourself, check out these handy sites included in this article.

"I took the risk that many website owners foolishly take, thinking that they would never be dinged. That they would never be caught.

Well, I wasn’t so lucky and now it’s time to pay the piper. It was a dumb mistake and I sincerely regret it.

I wound up negotiating down the fine, but in the end I still had to pay $500."

Designing a Logo

Do you really need one if you're "just an author"? Yes. In our opinion, you do. Think about it: your brain functions on remembering images. Make a memorable icon and you're much more likely to be remembered. Plus, you can use the logo to signify parts of your brand. For example, the birdwing logo The Chronicle uses stems partially from Les' book, Owl in a Towel. It's also a great metaphor for sending our work out into the world, letting our words take flight off the page.

"Logos are usually the first piece of branding that a potential customer sees. They're also one of the branding components that often make the biggest impression on people. And if rightly aligned with the brand, they stay the longest. The importance of a logo is that today, it’s not just a mere mark of identity but also tells a lot about a brand, including what it does and stands for. If your design can make people connect with your logo, they’ll be more inclined to invest their time or money in your business, products or services."

Effective Instagramming

Instagram is a fundamental when it comes to utilizing images for social media marketing. Not only should you aim to crop your images for Instagram dimensions (1080 x 1080 is the option we use often), but you should also consider your timing and tags. This article has a great summary to get you rethinking your Instagram use in 2022.

"There are 1,3 billion users of Instagram now. The service of photo and video content is among the top social networks in the world. Instagram brings money to brands and bloggers. It was the most effective platform for influencer marketing in 2020 and 2021. Bloggers earn up to $ 10,000 per ad post. Brands increase their audience, loyalty and sales — 90% of Instagram users subscribe to commercial accounts."

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Message the Editors: Les, James or Caroline, and let them know what you are thinking about. Address: [email protected] or through Messenger on our Facebook page.

Important Note: While we love the brand that gives our creations a place in the world, The Vocal Creators Chronicle is an independent publication. We are NOT Vocal Media, and we neither represent them nor answer questions on their behalf. All direct Vocal inquires should be directed to their support staff, starting here: SUPPORT. You may also find relevant information through their resources section, which can be found here: RESOURCES.

About our content: According to Vocal, anyone can publish on their platform. They moderate every story to ensure it complies with their Community Guidelines. However, they do not fact-check every story. Furthermore, the views and opinions expressed in the stories of the columnists and the editors of The Vocal Creators Chronicle are those of the individual Creators and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Vocal nor The Vocal Creators Chronicle. The Chronicle does not accept liability for the personal opinions of or use of advice of any of the columnists or editors. All advice is considered to be undertaken solely at the reader's discretion. Non-original content submitted by columnists is expected to be used in accordance with its source licensing agreements. The Chronicle does not accept personal liability for the use of content included by its columnists.

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First published February 1, 2021 by The Vocal Creators Chronicle.