The Design Imposter

Is SEO a scam? No, it’s just a lot more complex than blogging and keywords.  In this episode, Jessica Valis and Monique Jenkins, discuss SEO with Edan Ben-Atar and dive into what makes SEO challenging: the advent of AI and Google’s secret weapon: Reddit! Edan highlights the evolving nature of Google's algorithms, which increasingly prioritize organic content over AI-generated material. This shift signifies a move away from conventional SEO strategies where content creation and blog posting were central to improving search rankings. Now, Google's algorithms are designed to recognize and promote content that exhibits genuine human engagement and creativity, aiming to enhance the user experience by ensuring the content they encounter is both original and relevant. They also delve into the strategic partnership between Google and Reddit, portraying Reddit as a powerful tool in SEO. Unlike transient social media posts whose relevance diminishes within hours, Reddit threads retain their significance over a longer period due to the platform's structure and the enduring nature of the discussions that unfold. This characteristic makes Reddit an invaluable asset for SEO as content remains accessible and relevant, continually driving traffic and engagement in a way that traditional social media platforms cannot match. Lastly, the podcast covered the influence of additional search engines and business directories like Yelp and the Better Business Bureau. The discussion emphasized the commercial aspect of these platforms, where businesses must invest financially to enhance their visibility. Payment on these sites can prioritize high-rated reviews and increase the frequency of a business’s appearance in search results. This pay-to-play model underscores the competitive landscape of online visibility, where spending can significantly influence a business's online reputation and searchability. Edan is the owner of WebLime & Limey.io, specializing in WordPress and Shopify development. Want to learn more about a topic? hello@designimposterpodcast.com designimposterpodcast.com Follow Us on LinkedIn Follow Us on Instagram Follow Us on TikTok Learn about our agency: The Creative Circle Collective. #designimposter #impostersyndrome #seo #websitedevelopment #marketing #reddit #google #agency #entrepreneurship #ai #paytoplay #optimization #socialmedia

Do you feel stuck in your career? Looking for ways to advance? Wondering if a masters degree in publishing, design, marketing or writing will take you to that next level? Join Jesica Valis and Monique Jenkins as they reunite with former classmates from the University of Baltimore and delve into their journeys before, during, and after pursuing a Master of Arts in Integrated Design. The conversation kicks off with their decision to return to school and the allure of the Masters in Publications Design/Integrated Design program. Each guest shares personal anecdotes about their favorite classes and the profound impact these courses had on shaping their careers. The hosts and guests discuss how the curriculum focuses on visual communication: graphic design, web design, and professional writing and explore how this multidisciplinary approach has equipped them with skills to excel in design, marketing, and management roles in their current careers. Listeners gain insights into the practical applications of what the graduates learned, emphasizing the importance of integrating design principles with professional writing and research to thrive across multiple platforms. The discussion also touches on the ongoing impact of their education on their creative processes and professional strategies, offering valuable lessons for current and prospective students. This episode not only celebrates the successes of its guests but also touches on the feelings of imposter syndrome when making career-changing moves and how they feel now. It serves as an inspirational guide for anyone considering advancing their education and career in the ever-evolving world of design and communication. Meet Our Guests on LinkedIn  • Don Whelan  • Shannon McKenna  • Tracey Hirsch Learn more about the UB Integrated Design program. Want to learn more about a topic?  • hello@designimposterpodcast.com  • designimposterpodcast.com  • Follow Us on LinkedIn  • Follow Us on Instagram Learn about our agency: The Creative Circle Collective. #designimposter #impostersyndrome #gradschool #ubalt #masters #design #designers #websitedesign #creatives #marketing #printdesign

In the vast expanse of corporate landscapes, where do designers find their place? This episode of "The Design Imposter," hosted by Monique Jenkins and Jessica Valis, ventures into the heart of large organizations to uncover the challenges and opportunities that await creative professionals. From the nuances of corporate culture to the dynamics of large-scale collaboration, we delve deep into what it means to be a designer amidst the giants of industry. Join Monique and Jessica as they explore the intricate balance between creativity and conformity, and the paths designers can take to thrive in environments that often seem daunting. Our discussion covers crucial topics such as navigating corporate culture, leveraging teamwork for innovative design solutions, and carving out a career path that leads to growth and fulfillment within the sprawling structures of big organizations. Whether you're a UI/UX enthusiast, a graphic design expert, or a branding specialist, "Designing Within Giants" offers insights and stories that resonate with the experiences of creatives navigating the corporate world. We'll also tackle listener questions, providing real-world advice and reflections on making your mark as a designer in a big organization. Tune in to "The Design Imposter" for an episode that empowers, enlightens, and encourages designers to harness their unique talents in the service of creating impactful work, no matter the size of the stage on which they perform. Because in the world of design, it's not just about fitting into the corporate mold—it's about reshaping it with your creativity, guided by the insights and experiences of Monique and Jessica. Want to learn more about a topic? hello@designimposterpodcast.com designimposterpodcast.com Follow Us on LinkedIn Follow Us on Instagram Learn about our agency: The Creative Circle Collective. #designimposter #impostersyndrome #empowerment #websitedesign #creatives #designtips #designers #agency #entrepreneurship #womenintech

You just signed your first client and are ready to cash in that check! But wait! Have you covered all your expenses as an agency owner or freelancer? In this episode of The Design Imposter Podcast, Jessica Valis and Monique Jenkins break down some of the basic and unexpected costs associated with being your own boss. From simple $10/m subscriptions to several thousand dollar a year services, create a running list of your business expenses. Doing so will help you determine how much to charge your clients so you don’t go belly up. These monthly services go beyond Adobe Creative Suite, including business insurance, lawyer fees, accounting and bookkeeping, marketing tools, and paying employees and contractors. And don’t forget those emergency situations that are beyond your capability and require 3rd party assistance. Grab a pen and paper (or Excel) as we guide you through programs we use and help you keep track of where the money is going. Want to learn more about a topic? hello@designimposterpodcast.com designimposterpodcast.com Follow Us on LinkedIn Follow Us on Instagram Learn about our newest enterprise: The Creative Circle Collective. #designimposter #impostersyndrome #moneymanagement #profitfirst #bills #subscriptions #empowerment #websitedesign #creatives #designtips #designers #agency#freelance #entrepreneurship #womenintech

Have you thought of starting your own podcast? Join co-hosts Jessica Valis & Monique Jenkins as they discuss podcasting with the producer of the Design Imposter Podcast—Evan Dvorkin from Your Social Gathering. Evan shares stories about his journey into podcasting and a few insights into the world of podcast hosting and marketing. Want to learn more about a topic? hello@designimposterpodcast.com designimposterpodcast.com Follow Us on LinkedIn Follow Us on Instagram Learn about our agency: The Creative Circle Collective. #designimposter #impostersyndrome #empowerment #websitedesign #creatives #designtips #designers #agency #entrepreneurship #womenintech

Have you had entrepreneurship on the brain? On this episode of the Design Imposter, Jessica and Monique discuss corporate work culture, feeling validated in your work, and acknowledging the budding entrepreneur within. Their discussions include knowing when it's time to quit and key steps like building community support, having a financial plan, developing an exit strategy, setting realistic goals and more. Other takeaways are understanding indicators of a toxic work environment, giving yourself grace during the transition, leveraging connections, and focusing on creating reader value not just original ideas. Learn how to recognize the potential of being your own boss, how to prepare to break away from your “traditional career,” and launch into leadership and BYOB. You don’t need to be a designer to appreciate the duo’s insights and vulnerabilities.  For those contemplating the switch, tune in! Episode References The Daily — The Hybrid Worker Malaise Patriot — Simple Payroll YNAP.com — You Need a Budget Action Items Analyze current job for growth opportunities, value alignment and signs of toxic culture over next month Research legal structures, accounting needs and payroll options for future business venture Make list of key personal and professional contacts to engage as community support system Develop tentative quarterly growth targets for first 2 years of entrepreneurship Pick 2 target reader communities and analyze values, concerns and objections Click here for the full transcription of this episode. Want to learn more about a topic? hello@designimposterpodcast.com designimposterpodcast.com Follow Us on LinkedIn Follow Us on Instagram Learn about our newest enterprise: The Creative Circle Collective. #designimposter #impostersyndrome #empowerment #websitedesign #creatives #designtips #designers #agency #entrepreneurship #womenintech

This invaluable episode focuses on the importance of learning to say 'no' to maintain work-life balance, avoid overcommitting, and ensure high quality output. Key topics cover setting boundaries, mental health impacts, client fit evaluation, alternatives like referrals, family prioritization, transition costs of switching tasks, and getting comfortable declining requests. Takeaways emphasize that saying 'no' means saying 'yes' to something more important, improves effectiveness via focus, and prevents burnout. Action items target analyzing reasons behind 'no,' tracking reactions after declining, researching target communities, and aiming for value over originality. Action Items Analyze reasons behind declining requests and commitments over the next month Track reactions after saying no to events, projects, or asks to evaluate impacts Research target client communities more deeply to understand values and assumptions Aim to produce quality work over quantity by saying no when overloaded Want to learn more about a topic? hello@designimposterpodcast.com designimposterpodcast.com Follow Us on LinkedIn Follow Us on Instagram Learn about our newest enterprise: The Creative Circle Collective. #designimposter #impostersyndrome #empowerment #websitedesign #creatives #designtips #designers #agency #entrepreneurship #womenintech Click here to read the transcript.  

Join us on "The Design Imposter" as hosts Monique Jenkins and Jessica Valis chat with two awesome UX leaders, Bri-anna Lewis and Kellie Porter, about what it's like to be in charge of design at big companies. They'll talk about how they make sure everyone works well together, how they keep their design teams happy and creative, and what they do when things change at work. You'll hear cool stories and get tips on how to lead a design team and make a big impact with your ideas. Whether you love design, want to be a leader, or are just curious about working in a big company, this episode has something for you. So, tune in and get ready to be inspired to lead and create! Want to learn more about a topic? hello@designimposterpodcast.com designimposterpodcast.com Follow Us on LinkedIn Follow Us on Instagram Learn about our newest enterprise: The Creative Circle Collective. #designimposter #impostersyndrome #empowerment #websitedesign #creatives #designtips #designers #agency #entrepreneurship #womenintech #UX #UI

Feeling uninspired, unmotivated, or like a total imposter when it comes to your current design assignment? In this episode, Monique & Jessica discuss the signs of burnout and get vulnerable with their own stories, struggles, and failures. They share methods to overcome burnout, like taking breaks, traveling, or simply asking for help.   Recognize burnout signs like exhaustion, cynicism, and imposter syndrome; contributors share personal stories of burnout triggers ranging from major life events to simple lack of inspiration. They outline holistic coping strategies from boundaries and self-care to community support and changing scenery.  Action Items Recognize subtle early warning signs like cynicism before reaching exhaustion stage of burnout Implement self-care routines that provide mental space - exercise, gardening, meditation etc. Seek community support through groups understanding creative roles and burnout issues When uninspired, change scenery or project rather than forcing output Want to learn more about a topic? hello@designimposterpodcast.com designimposterpodcast.com Follow Us on LinkedIn Follow Us on Instagram Learn about our newest enterprise: The Creative Circle Collective. #designimposter #impostersyndrome #empowerment #websitedesign #creatives #designtips #designers #agency #entrepreneurship #womenintech Click here for the full episode transcript.

Have you added business goals to your list of New Year’s resolutions? In this episode of the Design Imposter, Monique and Jessica reveal their personal and professional goals for the new year.  From hitting more listeners and increasing marketing for the podcast to setting income goals for the Creative Circle Company, they reassure listeners that it’s ok to set large financial goals and incorporate family time into your busy schedule.    Want to learn more about a topic? hello@designimposterpodcast.com designimposterpodcast.com Follow Us on LinkedIn Follow Us on Instagram Learn about our newest enterprise: The Creative Circle Collective. #designimposter #impostersyndrome #empowerment #websitedesign #creatives #designtips #designers #agency #entrepreneurship #womenintech #UX #UI  

It’s the moment of truth—the design reveal! But the client hates it! How do you handle the criticism and feedback on your design? Join co-hosts Monique and Jessica on The Design Imposter Podcast for an insightful discussion on handling client feedback.  In this episode, we delve into the complexities of dealing with clients who are not satisfied with a design.  Learn how to differentiate between constructive criticism and personal taste, negotiate design changes while maintaining professional integrity, and when it's necessary to stand your ground on design elements.  This conversation offers valuable strategies for effective communication and understanding in the challenging yet rewarding world of design.  Tune in for an episode that’s as educational as it is relatable for designers navigating client relationships. Action Items Present clients with multiple design options Ask clarifying questions to understand dislikes Compromise on some elements while sticking to core design principles Educate clients on best practices and when requests might detract from effectiveness Don't include designs you're not proud of in portfolio Free Brand Analysis Questionnaire Example Want to learn more about a topic? hello@designimposterpodcast.com designimposterpodcast.com Follow Us on LinkedIn Follow Us on Instagram Learn about our newest enterprise: The Creative Circle Collective. #designimposter #impostersyndrome #empowerment #websitedesign #creatives #designtips #designers #agency #entrepreneurship #womenintech Click here for the full episode transcript.

Feel undervalued by your clients? Join us on The Design Imposter Podcast for a crucial discussion on recognizing when a client or project might not be the right fit.  In this episode, we explore the early warning signs, from unclear goals to disrespect for your expertise.  We delve into communication breakdowns, such as lack of responsiveness or overbearing behavior, and financial red flags like haggling over prices or delayed payments. Learn how to spot these issues early and trust your instincts to avoid potential headaches. Tune in for invaluable insights to help navigate the challenges of client relationships in the design world.   Want to learn more about a topic? Email us at hello@designimposterpodcast.com designimposterpodcast.com   Follow Us on LinkedIn Follow Us on Instagram   #designimposter #impostersyndrome #empowerment #websitedesign #designtips #designers #agency  

Discover the art of defining a niche in our latest episode of The Design Imposter Podcast. We delve into the essential steps of identifying strengths, researching the market, aligning with audience needs, and refining your idea. This episode not only guides you through the process of niche development but also gives an inside look into how The Creative Circle Company established its unique position. By focusing on empowering small businesses and non-profits through effective UI/UX design, marketing, and SEO, we illustrate how to create a niche that resonates deeply with your community. Tune in for invaluable insights and a compelling case study demonstrating the power of a well-defined niche in the design and branding industry.   Want to learn more about a topic? Email us at hello@designimposterpodcast.com designimposterpodcast.com   Follow Us on LinkedIn Follow Us on Instagram   #designimposter #impostersyndrome #empowerment #websitedesign #designtips #designers #agency

Not sure where to look for designer Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals? Prep your wallet as Monique and Jessica divulge their not-so-secret design must-haves.  Whether a graphic designer, website or UX designer, or aspiring entrepreneur and agency owner, here are resources they’ve snagged along their journey. From software discounts to office supply bargains and courses, here are a few of their business tools in their shopping carts. LogoPackage Adobe Figma Elementor Astra Pro My Fonts Hardware 3 Axis Phone Gimbal Courses LinkedIn Mastery with Wendy Maynard Books Profit First NEW to us! AdCreative   Want to learn more about a topic? Email us at hello@designimposterpodcast.com designimposterpodcast.com   Follow Us on LinkedIn Follow Us on Instagram   #designimposter #impostersyndrome #empowerment #websitedesign #designtips #designers #agency

Nervous to send that next big proposal? On this episode of the Design Imposter podcast, hosts, Monique and Jessica, discuss their proposal building strategies. They explore various programs for building templates and their unique applications. From Adobe and Google to all-in-one CRMs, and they’ll share the pros and cons of these platforms. If you’re a new designer, you’ll definitely want to tune in to see how you can create a winning proposal. We also encourage you to send over a draft of your proposal! We’d love to see your unique set up. Want to learn more about a topic? Email us at hello@designimposterpodcast.com designimposterpodcast.com   Follow Us on LinkedIn Follow Us on Instagram   #designimposter #impostersyndrome #empowerment #websitedesign #designtips #designers #agency

Starting a business and don't have the capital to splurge on a designer or marketing agency? We've got a few tricks and tips to keep your business brand professional without spending hundreds (or thousands) of dollars on a designer or designer programs like Adobe. Choose company name and purchase domain Set up professional company email accounts on new domain Take headshots for team and edit with PFP Maker Add headshots to Hubspot email signatures Select Canva templates for social channels Customize templates with brand colors and fonts Appoint team member as brand ambassador Create brand guidelines document Make templates for stationery, presentations, etc. Define target audience and brand voice Review all materials to ensure consistent messaging and tone Remember: A brand is a product, service or concept that is publicly distinguished from other products, services or concepts so that it can be easily communicated and marketed. A brand is how a company differentiates itself from your brand. Branding is the process of creating and disseminating the brand name, its qualities and personality. It's the feel a product or service gives you without having the product in your hand. And it's not your logo.    → Jessica's File Extension Cheat Sheet   Want to learn more about a topic? Email us at hello@designimposterpodcast.com designimposterpodcast.com   Follow Us on LinkedIn Follow Us on Instagram   #designimposter #harforddesigns #jkinscreative #podcastlaunch #impostersyndrome #empowerment #websitedesign #brand #branding #marketing #design  

Looking for design shortcuts to make life easier while using Chrome? Jessica and Monique are back to spill the tea on Chrome extensions that will revolutionize the way you work! Loom for Asynchronous Video Tutorials UX Check for Heuristic Analysis Tango for Interactive Instructions Identifying Fonts with WhatFont and FontNinja QuillBot for Rewriting and Optimizing Content Grabbing Color Palettes with ColorZilla Full Page Screenshots with GoFullPage Downloading SVG Assets with SVG Grabber   Want to learn more about a topic? Email us at hello@designimposterpodcast.com designimposterpodcast.com   Follow Us on LinkedIn Follow Us on Instagram   #designimposter #harforddesigns #jkinscreative #podcastlaunch #impostersyndrome #empowerment #websitedesign #ux #chrome #musthave #designtips #designers #agency     Transcription:    Jessica Valis: Hello Imposters, and welcome to another episode of the Design Imposter podcast. Today, you're going to want to hone in and take some notes because we are sharing our secret weapons, our must -have Chrome extensions. Monique Jenkins: Yes, Chrome extensions can make everything so much easier and more convenient and we wanna share some of our favorites so that you can use them in your business or in your life. Jessica Valis: Yeah, I use the combination both business and life, but they kind of all coincide because everything I do on my computer is for my business. So I remember the last time I did anything for fun on my computer. That's what a phone sport is. Monique Jenkins: I just watched Netflix on my computer the other day because I couldn't get the TV to work and I was like forget it I'll just use the computer. So I did something fun with my computer Jessica Valis: I think the last time I did something fun with my computer, I was building an IKEA kitchen. And you could only do it on a desktop. So I was just, you know, just pretending I had to have a me moment. Jessica Valis: Well, let's jump in. My clients, associates, and subcontractors love this one. It is called Loom. L -O -O -M. And I use it for quick video tutorials or just video check-ins.  Jessica Valis: So essentially, you click this extension and you can be on any screen. You tell it where you want to record your video. And you essentially just do like a video walkthrough and you can explain different things. If I have a client and I want to explain how to make an update on their website, then I can show them the ste-by -step instructions on how to do it and walk them through. Or if I want to share with them how to edit a Google Drive or make a change in something or explain a design that I've created, I just record the Loom and then it creates a link which is really convenient and you can delete them when you're done. I think you get like 25 or 75, which is a big difference, Loom videos and then it's free, which is awesome. Then after a while, I just go back through and delete them, which is pretty cool. I also use it for like if I have an intern or something and I want to show them how to do something or an associate or a subcontractor, it's just overall like a great tool for tutorials and just like checking in. Monique Jenkins: Yeah, I love Loom. I use it all the time with developers and project managers. I use it specifically to tell them that the design isn't right. I'm like, this button ain't working. This don't look good on mobile. But yeah, so testing platforms, specifically when I'm testing out design after I've already passed over a wire for the engineers, I go through NQA everything and I use Loom to let them know like, hey, this button isn't exactly right or I'm getting some weird configurations or things are slowly loading or whatever the case is, I am able to use Loom to show them exactly what I'm talking about. I think sometimes it's a little difficult to describe when you're writing out what the problem is, but because they can see exactly what I'm seeing on my screen, our engineers are able to tag a specific action or something inside of an interface so they can go back and look exactly at the action that I took. And be able to dissect what exactly is going wrong and to figure out stats on how many times this is going wrong with different audience segment and things like that. So I absolutely loves Loom. And I also used it at a company when I went on maternity leave. I created a bunch of Loom videos about file structures and how the design assets needed to be labeled and stuff like that to pass off to the designers that I was leaving behind because they were relatively new to our organization. And just being able to explain where things are located, team structures, all of that jazz in a much more friendly way than just giving them a block of text, I really, really fell in that it was helpful for them. And I think they found it to be helpful too. I still wrote 14 pages of content, but I also included video snippets for all of the respective sections. And that was helpful for me. And now I use it as like training. So you bring a new person in, I can use this 15 page maternity doc that I set up for training. Jessica Valis: I completely agree. There's a difference between sending somebody instructions with screenshots in an email versus having it live and showing them exactly where you're clicking, what you're doing, demonstrating that, "no, this actually doesn't work."" Or look at this, this is where it goes and redirects to." So when they can see it live versus you just saying, "Oh, it doesn't work," I think it makes a huge difference. Jessica Valis: And I think it's great that you were able to use it for maternity leave. I know that for Wells Fargo, this would be completely blocked. And there's a lot of places that'll be like, "No, you can't have Chrome extensions." But if you are an agency owner or a freelancer, this is definitely a tool that you need to have on your computer. Jessica Valis: What about you? What's a must have tool? Monique Jenkins: I think for me, a top one would be UX Check. It is a Chrome extension that you use to pinpoint usability issues through heuristic valuation. If you don't know what a heuristic valuation is, it's a technique aimed at uncovering design flaws within a user interface. It ensures that your system is user -friendly. There are ten principles of Jacob Nelson's laws. You essentially go through in this Chrome extension and label things that are not correct. For example, if you click a button and there's no action, you can use this Chrome extension to highlight the button that doesn't have any action. You can label one of the ten rules that it's breaking. You can write a little bit of content about it. You can also select the severity of how it breaks the rule. Maybe you have a severity one for a type that isn't correct. Maybe they missed a block of type and it's a different font or something like that. You'd have a severity 10 if you clicked a button and it didn't go anywhere because the user is waiting and they don't understand what's happening. I use that all the time when I'm initially starting out with a client and running through their website to make sure of the things that I'm missing or things that aren't user -friendly as we're going through a project. I can start to say these are all of the problems that I've seen so far. A heuristic valuation is your own valuation. It's you going through and doing all of the QA work on a site that you haven't touched yet. Jessica Valis: I was just going to say this is a great quality control tool. Even if you're not in UX, if you're just a web developer or a website designer just running this plugin and then say, "Oh shoot, I forgot to format this text" or like you said the buttons and this sounds great. Jessica Valis: I did not have this installed, but while we were talking, I went ahead and installed it. So, I'll have to give my review as a non-UX designer. Monique Jenkins: Yeah, it's really good because I use it as a checklist. I'm like, "oh Monique, don't forget that, you know, this button doesn't work. Don't forget that these links don't work. Don't forget that. Da -da -da -da -da -da." I mean, after you finish like doing, you know, all of your critique of this specific site, you're able to download it as a Word doc and then how we just go through and check it off. Yeah, it's super awesome. Oh, that sounds... Jessica Valis: Yeah, that sounds great, especially if you have some associates or interns or somebody else who can go through like this definitely alleviates a lot of time. Now, can you put this in mobile view as well and do it? Monique Jenkins: Yes. So if you use your InSpec tool, I think you can put it in Mobile View and do it as well. You can't do it natively in the application. But given a shot, I always get two people to go through a QA because you're going to find different things. You're going to focus on different things, just depending on what your specialty is. And then you can combine your list together and then you have a cumulative list of all the things that are incorrect about the site. Jessica Valis: Another must have extension for me that is a perfect learning tool for clients is Tango. And it is a step -by -step written instruction guide.   Jessica Valis If I have a client who is maybe working on a newsletter and they don't know how to format their newsletter or which newsletter to pick, then I can turn on the Tango extension, go log into their Mail Chimp or wherever they have their newsletters, and then I can show them, like, "I click this, then you click this, and then I do that."  And in place of a video, it's just another form of learning.  Jessica Valis: Tango goes in and it records and writes out the action that you did. So it'll say, click login, and then it'll take a picture of the login screen. If you write in text, it will take a picture of the text that you write in. So if you're giving like a prompt or something. And I also use this too for if I'm giving instructions for, "hey, I ne

Keep your opinions to yourself! The role of politics in business. Join Jessica Valis & Monique Jenkins in this thought-provoking episode as we dive deep into the world of posting political views on your business social media accounts. Social media has become a powerful platform for self-expression and political discourse. But is it a double-edged sword? We explore the impact of sharing your political beliefs online, like the potential pitfalls like heated debates and alienating friends and followers. We’ll discuss valuable insights into effective communication, navigating online echo chambers, and maintaining respectful online interactions. Whether you're a seasoned social media user or just dipping your toes into the political discourse online, this episode offers essential guidance on how to engage thoughtfully in today's digital political landscape.   Want to learn more about a topic? Email us at hello@designimposterpodcast.com designimposterpodcast.com   Follow Us on LinkedIn Follow Us on Instagram   Transcription: Jessica Valis Welcome to another episode of Design Imposter. Today we're discussing one of those touchy subjects that should be avoided at family dinners and in business. Politics. We're approaching election season and regardless of whether you vote red or blue, everyone's got an opinion about the economy, government spending, immigration, education, social reforms, the Supreme Court, the list goes on and on. The question is, where do you draw the line and how has politics informed your decisions when it comes to running your business? Monique Jenkins: Before we dive in, Jessica and I want to share some exciting news about our design agencies. Jessica Valis: We've said in the past that it took us over a year to finally launch our podcast and now we're taking it one step further. We're launching a joint design agency to offer our clients the complete package. Monique Jenkins: Yes. So we made this decision. We actually talked about it like a year ago when we initially started talking about the podcast. And at the time, I will say I was like, nah. But not because I didn't want to, but because you're so much more on the ball than I am. I was like, I'm going to fail her and I'll have to be doing that. I can't be ruining friendships out here. So I think I was a little bit hesitant because I'm like, I like, I know that you're going to hold me accountable. And at the time, you know, accountability didn't want that. So we are finally going to be launching this, this dual business and I'm super excited about it. I think that we both have incredible strengths in our respective areas. UX's minds, design is Jessica's and we're both effective at that. I'm also really good at sales apparently. Oh yeah. Jessica's so bad. Jessica Valis: She's the closer. Monique Jenkins: Yeah, I'm like, give us the money. Monique Jenkins: Um, yeah, I don't like those numbers. Uh, yeah, I'm, I'm apparently really good at talking to people again. Kudos to Brian on that one. Cause he made that happen. Um, but yeah, uh, we, we wanted to let you guys know that we're going to be joining our businesses and we're super excited and we're going to walk you guys through our journey with us about, you know, how to start a business and all the things in between. Jessica Valis: Yeah, we figured out, in addition to the accountability, it's just easier to join our efforts and divide and conquer because we work with each other all the time anyway. So it might just be best to just be under one umbrella. And we decided we're still gonna have our own agencies. J .K .in's Creative and Rupert Designs are still gonna be in existence for our current and existing clients. But going forward, we can just build a stronger empire together. Monique Jenkins: So if you guys have names for a business that you think are suitable, we are compiling a list right now, and the list has like 50 names on it. So if you got something, you should email us, what's our podcast email? It's like Design Imposter Podcast at Gmail or something like that. You should message us and be like, hey, I got the perfect name for you. Because my husband keeps giving me what I would think are stupid and ridiculous names, but he thinks that they're absolutely. And ivory design. I hate him. I really hate him. Yeah. I really, really hate him a lot. Actually, correction to our email address is designimposterponbean .com. So, you know, we'll put it in the link as well. But if you have naming ideas, you should show them to us. And then we'll trademark them. And never give you credit for it again. Jessica Valis: I've been trying to do like a play on words or a couple of weeks ago when I was in England, they just very witty with like the names of their restaurants and pubs. And there was this one, I was in Oxford and there was one place restaurant. It was called like the Slugging Cabbage. And I was like, dang, they're earthy. You know, that's all organic. But I mean, like, so I'm like, what can I, obviously we're not Slugging Cabbage, but I'm like, okay, what we do? That's like, I don't know, organic and natural. But I was like, I don't know, witty. It's difficult. So we have a, when did we say like we have to pick a name by the end of the year? We can do it or end of October or something. Monique Jenkins: So come with me, I'd bring the EA game here and help us name this new venture that we're going to start. Jessica Valis: All right, but back to politics. I'm not gonna lie, when it comes to my personal life, I am very much involved in investigative politics from voting in local level elections to following statewide policies or Supreme Court decisions going to protests. I think understanding the decisions and actions of our government is critical, especially when you consider all the continuous civil wars and dictatorships around the world, we're lucky to have a democracy. And I believe it's our responsibility to participate with so many others are fighting for what we already have. I don't know, I'm just always involved with it. Every morning I wake up, I listen to the daily, I just need to be involved. Or if I'm like folding my bed and putting away laundry, I'll say, Alexa, what's the news today? And I just watched her like perk up. The yellow ring like, oh, what were you trying to say? But just like eating little tidbits is important to me. So how much of a role does politics play in your life, Monique? Monique Jenkins: less of a role than at least a year. So I will say story time. The first time that I really paid attention to politics was probably when President Obama got elected. My mom and dad were super happy that we had a candidate who was African -American, who was running. And they took us to this like campaign office. And I was young, a crazy young, probably 18 or so. Jessica Valis: You were 18 because I remember going to a convention where Obama was speaking in Baltimore. Monique Jenkins: But I went to the campaign office and I was like super happy and like super excited about this like opportunity And I was so happy because I was like all the first president that I'm gonna be able to vote for is black And I'm so happy and this is gonna be amazing and the people at the campaign office like she's so excited They were like hey take these banners and go outside. So I was on if you are familiar with Maryland. I was on route 40 Weaving a banner and getting honks of support and some very lovely people said some very Unlovely things to me as I was standing outside weaving this banner which just empowers me Let me tell you something you saying something negative about me. I'm gonna go ten times harder So we were good, but that was the first time I remember politics playing a role in my life And I will say I'm not the Jessica of the world Like I'd normally participate in the presidential elections, but I don't often do all of the others But I should and I want to I just really be like Let's see what the president and do and they'll never do what they say they're gonna do But I do try to make sure that I'm at least Adept to the things that are happening in my local government in some respects and now I try to make sure that I participate in Elections on a local level because I didn't do that before Jessica Valis: Yeah, I started traveling international when I was 18 years old, sophomore in, or no, I was probably 19, sophomore in high school or sophomore in college. And when I went to England, oh, huge difference, you know, English. But when I was over there, I realized that their news is so much more global than ours. Like, America is very America focused when it comes to our news, it has to be a huge natural disaster that killed like at least 100 ,000 people for to make the American news system. So that was kind of what sparked my interest is that like, so many other countries were interested in what was going on in the rest of the world. And just as I listened, I became more aware of everything. But back to politics and business, I've noticed this a lot on social media platforms like LinkedIn. And I've been, you know, I peruse profiles before I connect. And you can definitely go through LinkedIn and just go add connect, repeat, add connect, you know, then repeat the process over and over to increase your numbers. But there is value in actually seeing what kind of content someone posts online. Let's address the elephant or donkey in the room. I'm liberal. And my core pillars stand on the foundation of education, communication, and social justice and diversity. If I find that any content I see online or hear a person opposes my core values, I'm going to avoid that connection or remove it. I've been on some profiles who like, I had connected like a mass bulk connect. And then I was like, let me go back and like backtrack and see if I can connect with this person like through their comments and whatnot. And if I'm on a profile and every other post is like support our troops with an American

Join Monique, a seasoned UX designer, as she reveals her top three UX tips gained over the course of her career. Jessica, co-host, who often feels like a UX impostor, is all ears and eager to bridge the gap in her own design process. They go into detail on why knowing your audience is critical, why simplicity and consistency are your greatest friends, and why feedback is the hidden hero of UX design.   This episode is a gold mine for anybody trying to reinforce their UX foundation, as it includes Monique's go-to techniques for performing user research, establishing user personas, and offering concrete advice that you can put into practice right now. Monique and Jessica's lively exchange provides real-world examples, tangible advice, and a new perspective on how a solid UX strategy can make or break your digital products.   Want to learn more about a topic? Email us at hello@designimposterpodcast.com designimposterpodcast.com   Follow Us on LinkedIn Follow Us on Instagram   #designimposter #harforddesigns #jkinscreative #podcastlaunch #impostersyndrome #empowerment #websitedesign #ux #userresearch #usertesting #websitedevelopment #bestpractices #askapro   Transcription:    Monique Jenkins Welcome to the Design Imposter podcast. In today's episode, we'll talk about my top three UX tips, things that I've used throughout my career and while I've been working with clients to help me navigate how to design for our ideal users. Jessica Valis: This episode is definitely going to be a learning experience, especially for me. I definitely feel like a UX imposter and I don't know as much as I should about it. And it's probably that critical step I'm missing in my design process that would give me more confidence with my pricing strategy, just more confidence talking to clients. So this will be an episode for me too. So let's dive in. Monique, what UX tips do you have for us? Monique Jenkins: So tip number one is I think that you should always start your projects by understanding who you're designing for. I think that this is wildly underestimated and I can't emphasize enough why you should start with knowing who your ideal user is. So a while back, I think I can't remember what episode it was, but I'd made a comment that I called my million dollar design mistake. So that's the story that our audience should be familiar with. And the lesson that I learned in that is that you can't effectively build sites or any digital product without having a deep understanding of who your users are. Jessica Valis: You definitely need to know who your audience is before you start the design. You can't design for everyone. And actually, that's a huge red flag for designers when a client says, I'm designing for anybody or my client is everybody. So once clients can express who their target market is, what are some ways we can learn more about their perspective audience? Monique Jenkins: Well, it all starts with user research. One of the first things that I do is I conduct interviews. So interviews with people who have already used your site or interviews with people who are new to your site. I run usability tests, I send out surveys. So like NPS score surveys where you're trying to find out from your customer, you know, the experience that they've had with your business, those are all good ways of collecting additional like feedback from someone. So whatever it takes for you to get into the mind of your users is incredibly valuable. And once you've gathered all of that valuable insight, you should be creating user personas. You should be creating journey maps. So how are people navigating through your site? Where are the pain points that they're experiencing? How can you alleviate those things? Where are good friction points? So sometimes, you know, we talk a lot about, you know, ineffective design and, you know, how you can lose a person, but there are also good friction points. Maybe you don't want a specific type of client or a specific audience member and you want to be able to filter those people out. How do you do that using effective design? Doing all of those things, creating personas, journey maps, those are tools that are super helpful because they allow you to visualize your users' needs and expectations. And it's incredibly valuable when you're talking to clients because they get to see who their client is and it's great for them to be able to correlate that back to who a user is. So the argument that I would have to, hey, I like blue, let's use blue, is, hey, your audience is, you know, more holistically men and men have color blindness. So you don't want to use a color that would be hard for them to engage with because they're not a part of your core audience segment. So that's a good, you know, that creates good conversation between you and your client and the executives that you have kind of monitoring projects as you go through. They also, again, help guide design decisions. They make sure you're not just designing for yourself, but for people who are actually using your product. And let's get real for a moment. CEOs and executives will always tell you who they think is losing their site. And by and large, they do not have the data to back that up. They are building their site for this hypothetical person, ideal client that you're dealing with. And you can't trust that data and you can't trust those sentiments. You really have to figure out who they're missing and their target demographic can be completely different than who they think it is. Jessica Valis: When you say build user personas, is this kind of like, you know, writing down, oh, John Smith, he's a 35 year old man, he lives by himself, he has no children, he has a dog. Like, is that what you need by building user personas? Monique Jenkins: Yeah, so a user persona is a semi -fictional character created to represent different type of customers that are using a company's products or services. So you're exactly right. We are building a site for a 34 year old. It just personalized. So these things can be very generic. Oh, our audience segment is a 60 year old white male, da, da, da, da. That's helpful context, but it's not everything. Getting specific into our audience is a 56 year old Caucasian male named Brad, who has three grandchildren and is married to Betty and they've been married for 15 years. Betty likes to bake and Brad likes sports cars or whatever the case is. Those specifics will help you to navigate what imagery, what content is the best for that audience segment. Because then you get a lot more detailed in what you're building out versus this generic mysterious figure that you really don't have context for. Jessica Valis: Yeah, in my design questionnaire that I do, I ask all these really random questions like, what does your ideal client do on the weekend? Do they have, well, kind of describe their house? Like, do they have a fence? Do they garden? Do they do this? And when I go through this exercise with the clients, I'm sure they're like, why does this matter? But again, it's building that persona and understanding the values. Like, if your client on the weekends, they go to church and then they volunteer a weekend versus somebody who goes on hikes and or versus somebody who goes, they do all their shopping over the weekend. Like, those are three different types of people. So, yeah, I always build it out. And I also read somewhere or I was doing, maybe I was doing a course and they said, think of your favorite client, building user persona as if that's them. So I, I always think of that when I anything I do, I'm like, oh, this is my ideal client. And that ideal client, well, actually, that client comes back and quotes the stuff that I put online. Because I'm like, I'm talking directly to him and everybody like him. So that's pretty cool. Okay, so for those who have never done UX before, what are some of the tools or like platforms you use to conduct your research? Because I wouldn't even know where to begin. So Monique Jenkins: So to get started and UX, there are a couple of different tools that you're going to use. One is if you want to send out surveys and things like that, you can use something like type form, Google Forms that you can push out to your audience and you're gathering a bunch of quantitative data. For qualitative data, you can use platforms like Suzy. You could use suzeretesting .com. You can just reach out to people across Facebook, whatever platforms, Reddit, whatever you have, and ask them if you can do a moderated test with them. So a moderated user test is you actually sit down and you interview the person. So you come up with a script, you have questions that you want to ask about a design or some context and you have that conversation with the person. Moderated tests are really good at helping you to pull out information that you probably wouldn't normally get from someone because someone can make a question in a user testing environment like, I like this design. What do you like about it? Is it the colors? Is it the placement? Is it the size of the text or the font? You need to draw that out of the person that you're actually talking to. Unmoderated test is very similar. You can use a user testing platform to do this, but it's you write out the script in a format and a person just takes the test online. There is no person, you can't draw that additional context and information out of them, but those are helpful too when you don't have time to actually sit down and physically do user testing. It is cumbersome. Tests typically last 30, 45 minutes an hour. There are tests that last two hours and you offer an incentive to your audience for taking a test. So that could be a $25 gift card. That could be $250 depending on your subject area. And all of these platforms allow you to put in your personas or demographics that your audience that you want to tap. So you can use that for user testing as well. There's some other platforms. F

Have you invested in a website only for it to sit dead in the water, generating zero leads?   In this episode of Design Imposter, hosts Jessica Valis and Monique Jenkins delve into the critical topic of recognizing when it's time to revamp your website to boost lead generation. As business owners, it's vital to ensure your website is a powerful tool for attracting potential clients. Join them as they explore five key signs for a website upgrade. Website Speed: The hosts highlight the importance of a fast-loading website. Slow load times can deter visitors, leading to lost opportunities. Functionality: Ensuring that your website is easy to navigate and provides users with the content they need is essential. Monique introduces the concept of card sorting as a way to improve user experience. Clear Call to Action: A clear and compelling call to action guides users on the next steps they should take. Jessica and Monique discuss the best practices for effective calls to action. Overall Design: Visual aesthetics matter. A well-designed website not only looks appealing but also instills trust and confidence in potential clients. Conversion and Leads: The ultimate goal of your website is to generate leads. Jessica and Monique emphasize the importance of a website's role in lead generation and share insights on maximizing its effectiveness. Throughout the episode, they stress the significance of designing a website with the user in mind, not just the business owner's preferences. A well-designed website can bridge the gap between professionalism and personalization, ultimately leading to increased leads and business success. If you’ve spent money on a website but aren’t seeing results, you’ll definitely want to take notes (and reach out of a consultation).   Want to learn more about a topic? Email us at hello@designimposterpodcast.com designimposterpodcast.com   Follow Us on LinkedIn Follow Us on Instagram   #designimposter #harforddesigns #jkinscreative #podcastlaunch #impostersyndrome #empowerment #websitedesign #ux #redesign #branding #leadgen   Transcription:  Monique Jenkins: Welcome to the Design Imposter Podcast, where we unravel the enigmatic realm of imposter syndrome. My name's Monique Jenkins. Jessica Valis: I'm Jessica Valis. We're two agency owners who've boldly faced the reality of imposter syndrome. Monique Jenkins: We'll share relatable stories and practical insights that empower designers and business owners just like you. Jessica Valis: Together, we'll help you conquer self-doubt and unleash your true potential. Get ready to unveil your true brilliance. Welcome to Design Imposter. Jessica Valis: Welcome to another episode of Design Imposter. I'm Jessica Valis, and on today's episode, Monique and I will discuss five signs that it's time for your business to upgrade your website. Monique Jenkins: There are way more than five signs, but we'll start with the basics. Jessica Valis: All right, because of course, you guys should know at this point, Monique and I, we specialize in the website design, UX experience of everything. So if any of these tick your box, then it's probably time. Jessica Valis: The first one is your website takes ages to load. Google consumer insights found that 53% of mobile site visitors leave a page. It takes longer than three seconds to load and mobile and website conversion drops by almost four and a half percent with each second of load time that goes by. Jessica Valis: So that's a lot of clicks away if your site is just not pulling up immediately. Monique Jenkins: Agreed. I think part of the user experience is sometimes as simple as how long a page takes to load and knowing something as simple as how long it takes a page to load can help you create a better inexperience for your user. Jessica Valis: Yeah, there's certain ways that there's like a couple key indicators right from the get go. The first one is probably your image sizes. If you're uploading an image in its original form, like you took a picture on your phone and you upload it just like that, it's gonna be way, way, way too big. Jessica Valis: And that's gonna slow down the site speed. So a really simple easy hack is just to open Canva, have something sized to the screen and just drag and drop that picture in there and then download it in the right format. Jessica Valis: The other thing you can do to speed up with the website speed in images is to enable .webp, which is the web format of a photo. So it's no longer a JPEG. And this will take the file size down from like 100 kilobytes down to like 10 kilobytes. Jessica Valis: So this is like standard on all my sites now. So that definitely decreases the time. But there's also implications of slow speed with Google and SEO. And that's Google who penalizes you if it takes a long time for your site to load. Jessica Valis: And it just bumps you down in the ranking. So if somebody's searching for your website and Google sees that it's taking a long time to load, then you're just gonna go down. And there's different third party sites you can use to check your website speed. Jessica Valis: One that I use a lot is just legit called pagespeed .web .dev. You put your URL in and it'll tell you the site speed on your mobile versus your desktop. And then it'll specifically tell you what is slowing your site down. Monique Jenkins: Yeah, I think that, so certainly check your images and make sure, because I think that's a problem that a lot of sites deal with is that they're uploading, you know, 300 DPI images as opposed to 72, which is standard for web at least. Monique Jenkins: And it really does slow down your website and people do very much leave your site if it takes a long time. So I think something that I've done for past projects that are in like application funnels or something like that is I use the extra four or five seconds of time on mobile to relay information that someone needs to know. Monique Jenkins: So if you are filling out an application to refinance your mortgage, it might take a few seconds to like pull back offers. And in those seconds, I use information, I use that time to tell customers like how we generate offers or why we're gonna present the offers that we're gonna present to you. Monique Jenkins: So sometimes it's about being very strategic. That's a point in your application funnel that there's a vested interest on the part of your client. So they might not be willing to leave in that specific space because they have a little bit more to like not lose, but they have a little bit more stake in the game. Monique Jenkins: But on your actual like .com site, yeah, you got four or five seconds. Jessica Valis: Yeah, I mean, there's a difference between me going to kayak .com. That's my go -to for flights and saying, hold tight while we find the lowest prices. I'll hold tight for those lowest prices. If it takes you like 30 seconds to find me a flight to Europe for $600, but I can get those flights in one second and it's a thousand, I will wait those 30 seconds. Jessica Valis: Yeah, I will do that. So it really also depends on what the client is getting in return, like you said. But if you're just a standard .com site and you're like, oh, come over here and buy my services, it's pretty standard, then people will be like, no, it's just too. Monique Jenkins: I think clients are really surprised by those numbers to find out that people leave sites so quickly. Jessica Valis: I mean, just, I mean, think of your own patients level though. You know, I mean, I don't think I generally run into this too often anymore where I'm like, I need information right now. I'm going to click away. Jessica Valis: I'm going to click away. But there are some people who are like that. And those might be the clients that need the service right away. Monique Jenkins: Those people are me. I need it right now. You got some, so I need some kidding. I feel like, I won't speak for everyone, but I feel like it is a good majority of people just because the society in which we live, everything is very instantaneous. Monique Jenkins: You can access information at the tip of your fingers. And when it takes someone along, takes the website a long time to do something. And even the way that we think about customer service or like we want our food hot, we want it fast, and we want to be gone. Monique Jenkins: And we just sometimes don't want interactions. Like everybody wants everything right this second. I think that's a pattern of behavior across almost all the things that we do right now is that I should have it right this second, especially with Amazon packages. Monique Jenkins: Let me tell you something. Every time I view, when they're like, we can get you your package by 7 a .m., I'm like, pst, pst. No, of course you should be able to do my package at 7 a .m. Jessica Valis: I'm not thinking of... I'm over here like, oh, do the least number of packages so I can be, you know, economically friendly or economically friendly. Monique Jenkins: I'm not at least a couple of backstages girl. I'm like, nope, give me that today, right? Just send it. I'll figure out the rest of that stuff later. But like, something as simple, I do think that we are very instantaneous society and we'd like things like very quickly or right now. Monique Jenkins: And Emily's one of those people who was like, why is it so long for the site to load? They must have had a bad designer. These images aren't programmed right. The engineer did a code efficiently. Like I'm thinking of all the scenarios, like as a business owner, as to why it's taking me so long to get the information from this site. Monique Jenkins: Yeah, it's not the website. Sometimes it's your internet connection and like you're in a funky place or whatever the case is. But I'm very much alike. Give it to me now, person. Jessica Valis: I have a couple clients where they'll be like, they'll call me and be like, Jessica, it's not loading. It's not loading. And I'm li