Original Source: https://ecommerce-platforms.com/articles/gearbubble-vs-printify

As an online seller I have tried out several print on demand platforms to streamline my business. Two that come up often are GearBubble and Printify. Both have their own features for creating and selling custom products.

GearBubble is great for jewelry and accessories, while Printify has a wider range of products to customize including apparel, home decor and phone cases. I found GearBubble’s interface more user friendly for beginners but Printify has more advanced design tools for experienced sellers.

When comparing pricing and profit margins my experience shows that costs can vary depending on the products and print providers chosen.

I would recommend checking out both options and see which one fits your business goals and target market.

Gearbubble and Printify

Gearbubble and Printify are two print on demand platforms where entrepreneurs can create and sell custom products. I’ll go over the features and capabilities of each.

What is Gearbubble?

Gearbubble is a print on demand platform that specializes in personalized jewelry and accessories. I use it to create custom necklaces, bracelets and keychains.

The platform has a user friendly design tool so it’s easy to create unique products. Gearbubble handles production, shipping and customer service so it’s easy for entrepreneurs.

One of the key features is Gearbubble’s trending products and seasonal campaigns. This can help sellers ride the current market wave.

Gearbubble integrates with popular e-commerce platforms like Shopify so order fulfillment is seamless.

What is Printify?

Printify is a print on demand service that caters to a wide range of products including apparel, home decor and accessories. I like their network of print providers across multiple countries.

They have a catalog of over 300 customizable products. This means sellers can easily add more products to their store.

Printify’s mockup generator helps create professional product images for marketing purposes. The service integrates with major e-commerce platforms like Etsy, Shopify and WooCommerce.

One of the big advantages of Printify is their pricing structure. They have tiered pricing plans including a free option for beginners.

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Products and Quality Comparison

GearBubble and Printify have different product ranges and quality levels. Let’s compare them in key areas.

Product Range

GearBubble is focused on jewelry and accessories. I found their product range includes necklaces, bracelets, rings and keychains.

They also have some apparel like t-shirts and hoodies but their catalog is more limited than Printify.

Printify has a much broader range of products. Their products include clothing, accessories, home decor and more. I’ve seen phone cases and mugs, yoga mats and wall art in their catalog.

This means sellers have more options to add to their product lines.

Material Quality

GearBubble uses high quality materials for their jewelry items. Their products are made with sterling silver or gold plated metals. For apparel they use standard cotton blends like other print on demand services.

Printify has multiple print providers so material quality can vary. I’ve seen they offer premium options like organic cotton shirts and eco-friendly materials.

Their wide network means more material options but you should research specific suppliers.

Print Quality

GearBubble’s print quality for jewelry engravings is good. Their laser engraving technology produces great designs on metal surfaces.

For apparel printing they use direct-to-garment (DTG) which is decent but not as vibrant as some specialized printers.

Printify’s print quality is dependent on the print provider chosen. I’ve seen great results from some of their partners especially those using advanced DTG or sublimation.

However quality can vary between providers. You should order samples and test different options to ensure quality is consistent across products.

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Ease of Use and Interface

GearBubble and Printify have different user experiences when it comes to their platforms. I’ll compare their design interface and overall usability so you can decide which one is best for you.

Design Interface

GearBubble’s interface is simple and easy to use. I find the dashboard clean and organized with clearly labeled sections for product creation, order management and analytics. The product designer is user friendly and I can customize items with a drag and drop interface.

Printify’s design interface is more robust with more customization options. I like the product mockups and the ability to add intricate designs. They have a lot of templates and design tools which can be overwhelming at first but more flexibility for experienced users.

User Experience

GearBubble is easy to use even for a beginner. I can set up my store and start selling products in minutes. The learning curve is minimal so it’s perfect for newbies to print on demand.

Printify’s user experience is more geared towards experienced sellers. While it has more features it may take some time to learn everything. I find the order tracking and fulfillment process smooth with detailed status updates and shipping info available.

Both platforms are mobile responsive so I can manage my store on the go. GearBubble’s mobile interface is more streamlined while Printify’s mobile is similar to their desktop version.

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Pricing and Profit Margins

GearBubble and Printify have different pricing structures and profit margins for print on demand sellers. I’ll compare their pricing models and the costs involved.

Pricing Structures

GearBubble uses a base cost plus markup model. I set my own retail prices and keep the difference as profit. Their base costs vary by product but are competitive.

For example a basic t-shirt may have a $10 base cost. If I price it at $25 my profit is $15 per sale.

Printify’s pricing model is similar but they have tiered pricing based on order volume. As I sell more my costs decrease and profits increase.

Their starter tier for t-shirts may be $12 and at higher volumes it could be $9 or less.

Cost Analysis

When comparing costs I need to factor in more than just the base product price. GearBubble includes shipping in their base cost for many products so it’s easier for me to price.

Printify has separate shipping charges which I need to factor in when pricing.

Production quality can impact costs long term. If one service has higher return rates due to quality issues it eats into profit.

I also consider platform fees. GearBubble charges 5% on external sales while Printify has no fees for their basic plan.

Integrations with e-commerce platforms may have additional costs that affect my bottom line.

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Production and Fulfillment

GearBubble and Printify have different approaches to producing and delivering custom products. Their processes affect turnaround times and shipping options for merchants.

Fulfillment Process

GearBubble produces and fulfills in-house. I’ve found this gives them more control over quality and timelines. They manufacture products on demand when orders come in.

Printify connects merchants to a network of print providers. I’ve noticed this allows for a wider product selection but introduces more variables in the fulfillment process.

Both platforms integrate with major e-commerce stores like Shopify and WooCommerce. This makes order processing and shipping easier.

Production Times

GearBubble produces orders in 3-5 business days. Their in-house approach means consistent turnaround times for most products.

Printify’s production times vary by print provider and product. In my experience most products are produced in 2-7 business days. Some providers offer rush production for an additional fee.

During peak seasons both platforms may have longer production times. It’s good to factor this into customer communication and expectations.

Shipping Options

GearBubble has standard and expedited shipping within the US. International shipping is available to select countries. Tracking is provided for all orders.

Printify’s shipping options depend on the print provider. Most offer standard and express shipping domestically and internationally. I’ve found their global network of providers can sometimes result in faster international delivery.

Both platforms allow merchants to set their own shipping rates in their store. This helps with profit margins and customer expectations.

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Integrations and Compatibility

Both GearBubble and Printify have integrations with popular e-commerce platforms and third-party apps. These connections make workflows easier and more functionality for online sellers.

E-commerce Platform Integration

GearBubble integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce and Etsy. I’ve found their Shopify app to be very user friendly and allows me to sync products and orders automatically.

Printify has more integrations including Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, eBay and Wix. Their Shopify integration is more robust with features like variant mapping and real-time inventory updates.

BigCommerce users, Printify has a native integration while GearBubble requires a third-party connector.

Third-Party App Compatibility

GearBubble’s app ecosystem is more limited. They focus on core print-on-demand features without many third-party integrations.

Printify has integrations with:

Design tools: Canva, Placeit

Marketing: Mailchimp, Klaviyo

Shipping: ShipStation, Easyship

I’ve found Printify’s Canva integration to be very useful for creating designs within their platform. Their shipping app integrations also helps with order fulfillment.

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Customer Support and Services

Both GearBubble and Printify have customer support but their approach and effectiveness are different. Let’s look at their support channels and how they handle issues.

Support Channels

I’ve found that GearBubble only has email support as their primary contact method. They aim to respond in 24-48 hours but response times can vary during peak periods.

GearBubble also has a knowledge base with articles on common topics.

Printify has more support options. I can contact them via email, live chat and phone support. Their live chat is available weekdays during business hours.

Printify’s help center is very comprehensive with guides and FAQs on many topics.

Resolution Effectiveness

In my experience GearBubble’s support team is helpful but limited channels can cause delays. Simple issues are usually resolved quickly but complex problems can take longer due to back and forth communication.

Printify’s multi-channel approach usually means faster resolutions. Their live chat is great for quick questions. I’ve found their support team to be well trained and can handle most issues efficiently. For more complex issues Printify’s escalation process seems smooth with specialized teams for specific problems.

Both platforms try to resolve customer issues but Printify’s more support options gives them an edge in effectiveness and response time.

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Market Presence and Reputation

GearBubble and Printify are established players in the print-on-demand industry. Their market presence and reputation are different in many ways that affects how they’re perceived by users and the broader e-commerce community.

User Reviews and Feedback

I’ve found that GearBubble gets mixed reviews from users. Some like the interface and product customization. Others hate the customer service and shipping delays.

Printify gets more positive feedback in my experience. Users love their network of print providers and competitive pricing. The integration with major e-commerce platforms is a big plus.

Both services get criticism for print quality inconsistencies which is common in the print-on-demand industry.

Industry Recognition

GearBubble is recognized for their focus on jewelry and accessories, they have a niche in the print-on-demand space. I’ve seen them mentioned in discussions about unique products.

Printify has more industry recognition. They’ve been featured in major business publications and have raised significant funding rounds, the investors are confident. They have partnerships with major retailers which also increased their visibility.

Both platforms have been recognized for helping small businesses and entrepreneurs in the e-commerce space.

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Pros and Cons

Gearbubble and Printify have their own advantages and disadvantages. Let’s look at the key points of each.

Gearbubble Pros

Gearbubble has a user friendly interface that simplifies the product creation process. I found their design tools easy to use so I can customize products without technical knowledge.

They have a wide range of product options including jewelry and accessories which is unique to many competitors. I like their fast shipping, 5-10 business days within the US.

Gearbubble’s built-in marketing tools is a big plus. I can create promotional campaigns and use their Facebook ad integration to reach my audience.

Printify Pros

Printify’s network of print providers is a big plus. I have access to over 90 print-on-demand facilities worldwide so I can choose the best for quality and shipping times.

Their competitive pricing structure allows me to keep higher profit margins. I can compare rates from different providers to find the best for each product.

Printify’s integration is impressive. I can connect my store to popular e-commerce platforms like Shopify, Etsy and WooCommerce easily.

Gearbubble Cons

While Gearbubble has many advantages, I’ve found some limitations. Their product catalog is diverse but smaller compared to some competitors. This limits my options for some niche markets.

Gearbubble’s pricing structure is less competitive for some products. I find that profit margins are tighter especially for lower priced products.

Their integration options are limited. I can’t connect Gearbubble to as many third-party e-commerce platforms as I can with some other alternatives.

Printify Cons

Despite its pros, Printify has some cons. They don’t have as many built-in marketing tools as Gearbubble. I often have to rely on external resources for promotion and advertising.

Quality control is not consistent across different print providers. I’ve experienced issues with product quality depending on the manufacturer I chose.

Customer support response time is slower during peak periods. I sometimes experience delays in resolving urgent issues which can affect my business.

Printify’s design tools are functional but not as advanced as some competitors. I sometimes find myself limited when trying to create more complex designs.

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Conclusion

After comparing GearBubble and Printify, I’ve made my decision. Both have their own strengths for print-on-demand business but Printify is the better choice for most sellers.

Printify’s huge product catalog and global printing network is a big plus. I like their user friendly interface and integration with major e-commerce platforms.

GearBubble excels with marketing tools and built-in sales channels. But its limited product range and fulfillment options prevents it from being #1.

For new sellers or those who want ease of use, Printify is the way to go. Their setup process is straightforward and they have helpful resources for beginners.

Established businesses may find value in GearBubble’s extra features if they match the product types available.

Pricing is competitive on both platforms but Printify has a free plan with more flexibility to start without upfront cost.

The post I Tried and Tested Gearbubble vs Printify in 2025 appeared first on Ecommerce Platforms.

Original Source: https://ecommerce-platforms.com/articles/zero-click-marketing-ecommerce

Okay, let’s get to the point: Zero click marketing is here and it’s big for eCommerce businesses.

If you’re still using old school tactics to drive traffic to your site, you’re missing the bigger picture. Over 65% of searches on Google end without anyone clicking on anything.

So why does this matter? Well, Rand Fishkin, founder of SparkToro, breaks it all down perfectly in this insightful video.

He explains, “Zero click marketing isn’t about ignoring clicks—it’s about meeting your audience where they are and delivering value without requiring a click.”

Instead of chasing website traffic, you’re fighting for visibility, trust, and engagement on platforms like Google, Amazon, Instagram, and TikTok. If your brand isn’t adapting to this shift, you’re getting left behind.

So, how do you win in a zero click world? Let me show you.

What is Zero Click Marketing?

Zero click marketing is delivering value where your audience is instead of making them come to you.

Think about Google.

Have you ever Googled something like “best running shoes” and found the answer right there in a featured snippet or product carousel?

Or maybe you’ve seen Google Shopping ads at the top of the page with star ratings and prices.

Now imagine that happening with TikTok, Instagram or even voice search on Alexa. People can discover, research and sometimes even buy your product without ever leaving these platforms.

It’s no longer about driving traffic. It’s about getting attention.

Zero Click Marketing and eCommerce Brands

Let’s get practical so you know exactly where to focus.

1. Google’s Push for Zero Click Searches

More than half of Google searches never get a click because Google is giving users instant answers through:

Featured Snippets: Quick answers at the top of the page.

People Also Ask: Related questions with dropdown answers.

Google Shopping: Product ads that show price, reviews and more without leaving the page.

📌 Related Link: Zero Click Searches and their Impact

What can you do?

Use structured data like product schema, reviews and star ratings to stand out.

Get your products on Google Shopping. Optimize your product feed with killer descriptions, competitive pricing and great images.

Rank for questions people are asking by creating FAQ-style content.

2. Social Media is the New eCommerce Storefront

Social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Facebook don’t just help people discover products anymore—they let people buy directly.

Take TikTok for example. The hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt has over 58 billion views. If your product gets featured in the trend, you can go viral and make sales without ever linking back to your site.

Instagram and Facebook take this further with Shoppable Posts and Instagram Shops. People can browse, add to cart and checkout—all in-app.

What can you do?

Use Shoppable Posts and set up an Instagram Shop.

Create TikToks that show your product in action (or better yet, get influencers to do it for you).

Use user-generated content (UGC) to make your product feel relatable and trustworthy.

📌 Related Link: How to Succeed with Social Commerce

3. Amazon: The Giant You Can’t Ignore

If you think Google is your biggest competitor, think again. 63% of product searches start on Amazon. People trust Amazon for reviews, fast shipping and ease of use.

If you’re not optimizing your Amazon listings, you’re giving sales to your competitors.

What can you do?

Optimize your Amazon listings with detailed descriptions, professional images and relevant keywords.

Use Amazon PPC Ads to increase visibility.

Monitor your reviews and maintain a high rating.

4. Voice Search is on the Rise

By 2025, 55% of households will have a smart speaker. People are asking Alexa or Google Assistant for product recommendations and this is a zero click environment.

Example: “Alexa, where can I buy organic dog food?” Alexa might recommend products based on keywords and local availability, all without needing a website.

What can you do?

Use conversational keywords in your product descriptions.

Target local keywords like “organic dog food near me”.

Optimize for long-tail phrases that match voice search queries.

Why Zero Click Marketing is a Must for Your eCommerce Business

If you’re chasing clicks, you’re not seeing the whole picture. Zero click marketing isn’t about driving traffic; it’s about making sure your brand is impossible to ignore on platforms where your customers are already active.

Here’s what that means for you:

Be everywhere: Dominate Google, Amazon, TikTok and Instagram.

Provide instant value: Use snippets, UGC and reviews to give people what they need now.

Build a relationship: Use email and SMS to touch base with customers who buy through third-party platforms.

The post Zero Click Marketing and What It Means for Your eCommerce Business appeared first on Ecommerce Platforms.

Original Source: https://ecommerce-platforms.com/print-on-demand/how-to-scale-your-print-on-demand-business

You found the best print on demand company. You’ve launched your print-on-demand store. You’ve sold a few t-shirts, mugs, or hoodies.

But now you’re stuck.

You’re thinking, How do I actually grow this thing? How do I go from $500/month to $5,000… and beyond?

Here’s the truth: Scaling a print-on-demand business isn’t about flooding your store with more designs or hoping one goes viral. It’s about getting the right systems in place, finding the right audience, and investing in what’s proven to work.

The print-on-demand market is exploding—it’s expected to hit $39.4 billion by 2030. But that growth also means more competition. The days of slapping a “funny quote” on a plain t-shirt and expecting it to sell are over.

If you want to scale your business, you need a strategy.

In this guide, I’ll show you:

How to streamline your fulfillment and operations so you’re not stuck with delays or angry customers.

What it takes to build a niche brand that stands out in a crowded market.

The paid and organic marketing strategies top POD sellers use to grow fast.

Real-world examples and stats so you know this stuff works.

No fluff. No complicated jargon. Just straight-to-the-point strategies you can start using today to scale your POD business like a pro.

Ready? Let’s dive in.

How to Scale Your Print-On-Demand Business

1. Optimize Fulfillment and Operations

If your fulfillment process is slow or inconsistent, scaling becomes impossible. Customers expect their orders to arrive on time, and they expect the product to match what they saw online. Failing here means bad reviews, refund requests, and no repeat buyers.

Start by choosing a supplier you can depend on. The big names in the print-on-demand space are Printful, Printify, and Gooten. Each has strengths, but you should test their services before committing to one. Order samples to see the print quality, packaging, and shipping times.

Suppliers with fulfillment centers near your customers can reduce delivery times. If most of your orders come from the U.S., work with a supplier that has warehouses there. If you have customers in Europe, make sure your supplier can handle that region too.

Automation can also save you hours of manual work. Integrate your store with your supplier so orders are processed instantly. Most suppliers offer integrations for Shopify, WooCommerce, or Etsy, so you don’t need to track orders manually.

Pro Tip: Use multiple suppliers to minimize risks. If one supplier fails to deliver, you can rely on another. For example, use one supplier for mugs and another for apparel.

2. Build a Strong Niche Brand

Generic designs don’t sell well anymore. If your store tries to appeal to everyone, it won’t appeal to anyone. To scale, you need to focus on a niche audience.

A niche is a specific group of people who share interests or traits. For example, dog lovers, gamers, fitness enthusiasts, or teachers. The smaller and more specific the niche, the easier it is to build a loyal customer base.

When choosing a niche, look for these signs:

People are actively searching for related products.

The group has passionate members who spend money on their interests.

You can easily create designs that speak directly to this audience.

After you pick your niche, focus on branding your store around it. Use colors, language, and designs that appeal to that specific group. Don’t just sell t-shirts—sell the feeling of being part of something.

Actionable Steps:

Research niche ideas on Pinterest or Reddit. Look at what’s trending in groups and boards.

Validate your designs with a simple test. Post a mockup on Instagram or TikTok, and ask people if they’d buy it.

Remember, your niche is your superpower. Lean into it, and don’t try to appeal to everyone.

3. Scale with Paid Ads

Paid ads allow you to bring traffic to your store quickly. But without a plan, ads can waste money fast. The key is to start small, track your results, and scale the campaigns that work.

Facebook Ads are one of the most effective platforms for POD businesses. You can target people based on their interests, behaviors, and demographics. For example, if you sell designs for dog lovers, you can target people who follow “Petco” or “Dog Lovers Club.”

Dynamic Product Ads (DPA) on Facebook are another great option. These ads show products to people who’ve already visited your store or added items to their cart. Retargeting these visitors often leads to easy sales.

TikTok Ads work well for fun and relatable products. Create user-generated content (UGC) that showcases your product in action. Use trending sounds, simple text overlays, and quick cuts to grab attention. A simple ad showing someone reacting to a funny t-shirt can outperform a polished commercial.

Google Shopping Ads target people who are actively searching for products. If someone searches “funny coffee mugs” or “best gifts for gamers,” they’re ready to buy. Listing your products on Google Shopping puts you right in front of these buyers.

Pro Tip: Start with a $20–$50 daily budget. Test multiple ad creatives and audiences. Focus on the ads that get the most clicks and sales, and scale them by increasing the budget.

4. Leverage Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is one of the fastest ways to reach niche audiences. Partnering with the right influencers can drive traffic and sales without spending a fortune.

You don’t need celebrities or people with millions of followers. Micro-influencers (10k–50k followers) often have more engaged audiences and charge less.

How to Find Influencers:

Search Instagram or TikTok using hashtags related to your niche. For example, if you sell designs for teachers, search for hashtags like #TeacherLife or #TeacherHumor.

Use tools like Upfluence or Heepsy to filter influencers by location, audience size, and niche.

Reach out with a simple pitch. Offer a free product in exchange for a post or story. If their audience responds well, you can set up a paid collaboration with a commission structure.

Example: A pet-themed store could partner with dog influencers on Instagram. The influencer posts a picture of their dog wearing your custom hoodie and shares a discount code for their followers.

5. Upsell and Cross-Sell to Increase Sales

If you’re only selling one product per order, you’re leaving money on the table. Upsells and cross-sells can boost your average order value (AOV) with very little effort.

What’s an Upsell? Offering a higher-value product or bundle after someone adds an item to their cart. For example, if someone buys a hoodie, offer them a matching mug for 20% off.

What’s a Cross-Sell? Suggesting related products to complement what they’re buying. For example, if someone buys a phone case, show them a tote bag with a matching design.

Shopify apps like Bold Upsell and ReConvert make this easy to implement. Once set up, the apps do the work for you.

Quick Tip: Run bundle deals like “Buy 2, Get 1 Free.” This not only increases order size but also encourages customers to explore more products in your store.

6. Master Organic Traffic Channels

Paid ads are great for scaling, but you should also build long-term, free traffic channels like Pinterest, blogging, and YouTube.

Pinterest is a search engine for visual content. Create pins for your designs with keywords like “funny teacher mug” or “eco-friendly gift ideas.” The more you pin, the more people will see your products.

Blogging helps your store rank on Google. Write blog posts targeting long-tail keywords. For example:

“10 Funny Coffee Mugs for Teachers”

“Best Gifts for Gamers in 2025”

YouTube is another powerful platform. Create videos showcasing your products, sharing behind-the-scenes clips, or showing how your designs are made. A 2-minute video can drive more traffic than a week of Instagram posts.

Actionable Step: Post consistently on at least one organic channel. Over time, this traffic builds up and reduces your dependency on ads.

7. Expand Your Product Line

Scaling isn’t just about selling more of the same thing. Expanding your product line can help you reach new audiences and increase your revenue.

High-margin items like all-over print hoodies, posters, or phone cases are great options. Seasonal products like Christmas sweaters or Valentine’s Day mugs can also boost sales during peak periods.

How to Find New Products:

Use Google Trends to identify what’s popular.

Ask your customers what they’d like to see next.

Keep your niche in mind when expanding. Every product should fit your brand and appeal to your audience.

Final Takeaways

Scaling a print-on-demand business takes focus, patience, and consistent effort. You don’t need to do everything at once.

Start by fixing your systems, dialing in your niche, and driving traffic with paid ads. As you grow, add upsells, explore organic channels, and test new product ideas.

Scaling is simple—but it’s not easy. Keep testing, keep improving, and don’t stop until you hit your goals.

The post How to Scale Your Print-On-Demand Business (The No-BS Way) appeared first on Ecommerce Platforms.

Original Source: https://smashingmagazine.com/2025/01/role-illustration-style-visual-storytelling/

Illustration has been used for 10,000 years. One of the first ever recorded drawings was of a hand silhouette found in Spain, that is more than 66,000 years old. Fast forward to the introduction of the internet, around 1997, illustration has gradually increased in use. Popular examples of this are Google’s daily doodles and the Red Bull energy drink, both of which use funny cartoon illustrations and animations to great effect.

Typically, illustration was done using pencils, chalk, pens, etchings, and paints. But now everything is possible — you can do both analog and digital or mixed media styles.

As an example, although photography might be the most popular method to communicate visuals, it is not automatically the best default solution. Illustration offers a wider range of styles that help companies engage and communicate with their audience. Good illustrations create a mood and bring to life ideas and concepts from the text. To put it another way, visualisation.

Good illustrations can also help give life to information in a better way than just using text, numbers, or tables.

How do we determine what kind of illustration or style would be best? How should illustration complement or echo your corporate identity? What will your main audience prefer? What about the content, what would suit and highlight the content best, and how would it work for the age range it is primarily for?

Before we dive into the examples, let’s discuss the qualities of good illustration and the importance of understanding your audience. The rubric below will help you make good choices for your audience’s benefit.

What Makes A Good Illustration

Visualises something from the content (something that does not exist or has been described but not visualised).
Must be aesthetically pleasing, interesting, and stimulating to look at (needs to have qualities and harmonies between colour, elements, proportions, and subject matter).
Must have a feel, mood, dramatic edge, or attitude (needs to create a feeling and describe or bring to life an environment).
The illustration should enhance and bring to life what is described in text and word form.
Explains or unpacks what is written in any surrounding text and makes it come to life in an unusual and useful way (the illustration should complement and illuminate the content so readers better understand the content).

Just look at what we are more often than not presented with.

The importance of knowing about different audiences

It is really important to know and consider different audiences. Not all of us are the same and have the same physical, cognitive, education, or resources. Our writing, designs, and illustrations need to take into account users’ make-up and capabilities.

There are some common categories of audiences:

Child,
Teenager,
Middle-aged,
Ageing,
Prefer a certain style (goth, retro, modern, old fashioned, sporty, branded).

Below are interesting examples of illustrations, in no particular order, that show how different styles communicate and echo different qualities and affect mood and tone.

Watercolour

Good for formal, classy, and sophisticated imagery that also lends itself to imaginative expression. It is a great example of texture and light that delivers a really humane and personal feel that you would not get automatically by using software.

Strengths

Feeling, emotion, and sense of depth and texture.

Drawing With Real-life objects

A great option for highly abstract concepts and compositions with a funny, unusual, and unreal aspect. You can do some really striking and clever stuff with this style to engage readers in your content.

Strengths

Conceptual play.

Surreal Photomontage

Perfect for abstract hybrid illustration and photo illustration with a surreal fantasy aspect. This is a great example of merging different imagery together to create a really dramatic, scary, and visually arresting new image that fits the musician’s work as well.

Strengths

Conceptual mixing and merging, leading to new unseen imagery.

Cartoon

Well-suited for showing fun or humorous aspects, creating concepts with loads of wit and cleverness. New messages and forms of communication can be created with this style.

Strengths

Conceptual.

Cartoon With Block Colour

Works well for showing fun, quirky, or humorous aspects and concepts, often with loads of wit and cleverness. The simplicity of style can be quite good for people who struggle with more advanced imagery concepts, making it quite accessible.

Strengths

Simplicity and unclutteredness.

Clean Vector

Designed for clean and clear illustrations that are all-encompassing and durable. Due to the nature of this illustration style, it works quite well for a wide range of people as it is not overly stylistic in one direction or another.

Strengths

Realism, conceptual, and widely pleasing.

Textured Vintage Clean Vector

Best suited for imagining rustic imagery, echoing a vintage feel. This a great example of how texture and non-cleanliness can create and enhance the feeling of the imagery; it is very Western and old-fashioned, perfect for the core meaning of the illustration.

Strengths

Aged feeling and rough impression.

Pictogram

Highly effective for clean, legible, quickly recognizable imagery and concepts, especially at small sizes as well. It is no surprise that many pictograms are to be seen in quick viewing environments such as airports and show imagery that has to work for a wide range of people.

Strengths

Legibility, speed of comprehension (accessibility).

Abstract Geometric

A great option for visually attractive and abstract imagery and concepts. This style lends itself to much customising and experimentation from the illustrator, giving some really cool and visually striking results.

Strengths

Visual stimulation and curiosity.

Lithography Etching

Ideal for imagery that has an old, historic, and traditional feel. Has a great feel achieved through sketchy markings, etchings, and a greyscale colour palette. You would not automatically get this from software, but given the right context or maybe an unusual juxtaposed context (like the clash against a modern, clean, fashionable corporate identity), it could work really well.

Strengths

Realism and old tradition.

3D gradient

It serves as a great choice for highly realistic illustration with a friendly, widely accessible character element. This style is not overly stylistic and lends itself to being accepted by a wider range of people.

Strengths

Widely acceptable and appropriate.

Sci-fi Comic Book And Pop Art

It’s especially useful for high-impact, bright, animated, and colourful concepts. Some really cool, almost animated graphic communication can be created with this style, which can also be put to much humorous use. The boldness and in-your-face style promote visual engagement.

Strengths

Animation.

Tatoo

Well-suited for bold block-coloured silhouettes and imagery. It is so bold and impactful, and there is still loads of detail there, creating a really cool and sharp illustration. The illustration works well in black and white and would be further enhanced with colour.

Strengths

Directness and clarity.

Pencil

Perfect for humane, detailed imagery with plenty of feeling and character. The sketchy style highlights unusual details and lends itself to an imaginative feeling and imagery.

Strengths

Humane and detailed imaginative feeling.

Gradient

Especially useful for highly imaginative and fantasy imagery. By using gradients and a light-to-dark color palette, the imagery really has depth and says, ‘Take me away on a journey.’

Strengths

Fantasy (through depth of colour) and clean feeling.

Charcoal

It makes an excellent option for giving illustration a humane and tangible feel, with echoes of old historical illustrations. The murky black-and-white illustration really has an atmosphere to it.

Strengths

Humane and detailed feeling.

Woodcut

It offers great value for block silhouette imagery that has presence, sharpness, and impact. Is colour even needed? The black against the light background goes a long way to communicating the imagery.

Strengths

Striking and clear.

Fashion

A great option for imagery that has motion and flare to it, with a slight feminine feel. No wonder this style of illustration is used for fashion illustrations, great for expressing lines and colours with motion, and has a real fashion runway flare.

Strengths

Motion and expressive flare.

Caricature

Ideal for humorous imagery and illustration with a graphic edge and clarity. The layering of light and dark elements really creates an illustration with depth, perfect for playing with the detail of the character, not something you would automatically get from a clean vector illustration. It has received more thought and attention than clean vector illustration typically does.

Strengths

Detail and humour.

Paint

It serves as a great choice for traditional romantic imagery that has loads of detail, texture, and depth of feeling. The rose flowers are a good example of this illustration style because they have so much detail and colour shades.

Strengths

Tradition and emotions.

Chalk

Well-suited for highly sketchy imagery to make something an idea or working concept. The white lines against the black background have an almost animated effect and give the illustrations real movement and life. This style is a good example of using pure lines in illustration but to great effect.

Strengths

Hand-realised and animation.

Illustration Sample Card

How To Start Doing Illustration

There are plenty of options, such as using pencils, chalk, pens, etchings, and paints, then possibly scanning in. You can also use software like Illustrator, Photoshop, Procreate, Corel Painter, Sketch, Inkscape, or Figma. But no matter what tools you choose, there’s one essential ingredient you’ll always need, and that is a mind and vision for illustration.

Recommended Resources

Association of Illustrators
“20 Best Illustration Agents In The UK, And The Awesome Illustrators They Represent,” Tom May
It’s Nice That
Behance Illustration

Original Source: https://smashingmagazine.com/2025/01/solo-development-learning-to-let-go-of-perfection/

As expected from anyone who has ever tried building anything solo, my goal was not to build an app but the app — the one app that’s so good you wonder how you ever survived without it. I had everything in place: wireframes, a to-do list, project structure — you name it. Then I started building. Just not the product. I started with the landing page for it, which took me four days, and I hadn’t even touched the app’s core features yet. The idea itself was so good I had to start marketing it right away!

I found myself making every detail perfect: every color, shadow, gradient, font size, margin, and padding had to be spot on. I don’t even want to say how long the logo took.

Spoiler:
No one cares about your logo.

Why did I get so stuck on something that was never even part of the core app I wanted so badly to build? Why wasn’t I nagging myself to move on when I clearly needed to?

The reality of solo development is that there is no one to tell you when to stop or simply say, “Yo, this is good enough! Move on.“ Most users don’t care whether a login button is yellow or green. What they want (and need) is a button that works and solves their problem when clicking it.

Test Early And Often
Unnecessary tweaks, indecisive UI decisions, and perfectionism are the core reasons I spend more time on things than necessary.

Like most solo developers, I also started with the hope of pushing out builds with the efficiency of a large-scale team. But it is easier said than done.

When building solo, you start coding, then you maybe notice a design flaw, and you switch to fixing it, then a bug appears, and you try fixing that, and voilà — the day is gone. There comes a time when it hits you that, “You know what? It’s time to build messy.” That’s when good intentions of project and product management go out the window, and that’s when I find myself working by the seat of my pants rather than plowing forward with defined goals and actionable tasks that are based on good UI/UX principles, like storyboards, user personas, and basic prioritization.

This realization is something you have to experience to grasp fully. The trick I’ve learned is to focus on getting something out there for people to see and then work on actual feedback. In other words,

It’s more important to get the idea out there and iterate on it than reaching for perfection right out of the gate.

Because guess what? Even if you have the greatest app idea in the world, you’re never going to make it perfect until you start receiving feedback on it. You’re no mind reader — as much as we all want to be one — and some insights (often the most relevant) can only be received through real user feedback and analytics. Sure, your early assumptions may be correct, but how do you know until you ship them and start evaluating them?

Nowadays, I like to tell others (and myself) to work from hypotheses instead of absolutes. Make an assertion, describe how you intend to test it, and then ship it. With that, you can gather relevant insights that you can use to get closer to perfection — whatever that is.

Strength In Recognizing Weakness

Let’s be real: Building a full application on your own is not an easy feat. I’d say it’s like trying to build a house by yourself; it seems doable, but the reality is that it takes a lot more hands than the ones you have to make it happen. And not only to make it happen but to make it happen well.

There’s only so much one person can do, and admitting your strengths and weaknesses up-front will serve you well by avoiding the trap that you can do it all alone.

I once attempted to build a project management app alone. I knew it might be difficult, but I was confident. Within a few days, this “simple” project grew legs and expanded with new features like team collaboration, analytics, time tracking, and custom reports being added, many of which I was super excited to make.

Building a full app takes a lot of time. Think about it; you’re doing the work of a team all alone without any help. There’s no one to provide you with design assets, content, or back-end development. No stakeholder to “swoop and poop” on your ideas (which might be a good thing). Every decision, every line of code, and every design element is 100% on you alone.

It is technically possible to build a full-featured app solo, but when you think about it, there’s a reason why the concept of MVP exists. Take Instagram, for example; it wasn’t launched with reels, stories, creator’s insights, and so on. It started with one simple thing: photo sharing.

All I’m trying to say is start small, launch, and let users guide the evolution of the product. And if you can recruit more hands to help, that would be even better. Just remember to leverage your strengths and reinforce your weaknesses by leaning on other people’s strengths.

Yes, Think Like an MVP

The concept of a minimum viable product (MVP) has always been fascinating to me. In its simplest form, it means building the basic version of your idea that technically works and getting it in front of users. Yes, this is such a straightforward and widely distributed tip, but it’s still one of the hardest principles for solo developers to follow, particularly for me.

I mentioned earlier that my “genius” app idea grew legs. And lots of them. I had more ideas than I knew what to do with, and I hadn’t even written a reasonable amount of code! Sure, this app could be enhanced to support face ID, dark mode, advanced security, real-time results, and a bunch of other features. But all these could take months of development for an app that you’re not even certain users want.

I’ve learned to ask myself: “What would this project look like if it was easy to build?”. It’s so surreal how the answer almost always aligns with what users want. If you can distill your grand idea into a single indispensable idea that does one or two things extremely well, I think you’ll find — as I have — that the final result is laser-focused on solving real user problems.

Ship the simplest version first. Dark mode can wait. All you need is a well-defined idea, a hypothesis to test, and a functional prototype to validate that hypothesis; anything else is probably noise.

Handle Imperfection Gracefully

You may have heard about the “Ship it Fast” approach to development and instantly recognize the parallels between it and what I’ve discussed so far. In a sense, “Ship it Fast” is ultimately another way of describing an MVP: get the idea out fast and iterate on it just as quickly.

Some might disagree with the ship-fast approach and consider it reckless and unprofessional, which is understandable because, as developers, we care deeply about the quality of our work. However,

The ship-fast mentality is not to ignore quality but to push something out ASAP and learn from real user experiences. Ship it now — perfect it later.

That’s why I like to tell other developers that shipping an MVP is the safest, most professional way to approach development. It forces you to stay in scope and on task without succumbing to your whimsies. I even go so far as to make myself swear an “Oath of Focus” at the start of every project.

I, Vayo, hereby solemnly swear (with one hand on this design blueprint) to make no changes, no additions, and no extra features until this app is fully built in all its MVP glory. I pledge to avoid the temptations of endless tweaking and the thoughts of “just one more feature.”

Only when a completed prototype is achieved will I consider any new features, enhancements, or tweaks.

Signed,
Vayo, Keeper of the MVP

Remember, there’s no one there to hold you accountable when you develop on your own. Taking a brief moment to pause and accepting that my first version won’t be flawless helps put me in the right headspace early in the project.

Prioritize What Matters

I have noticed that no matter what I build, there’s always going to be bugs. Always. If Google still has bugs in the Google Notes app, trust me, then it’s fine for a solo developer to accept that bugs will always be a part of any project.

Look at flaky tests. For instance, you could run a test over 1,000 times and get all greens, and then the next day, you run the same test, an error shows. It’s just the nature of software development. And for the case of endlessly adding features, it never ends either. There’s always going to be a new feature that you’re excited about. The challenge is to curb some of that enthusiasm and shelve it responsibly for a later time when it makes sense to work on it.

I’ve learned to categorize bugs and features into two types: intrusive and non-intrusive. Intrusive are those things that prevent projects from functioning properly until fixed, like crashes and serious errors. The non-intrusive items are silent ones. Sure, they should be fixed, but the product will work just fine and won’t prevent users from getting value if they aren’t addressed right away.

You may want to categorize your bugs and features in other ways, and I’ve seen plenty of other examples, including:

High value, low value;
High effort, low effort;
High-cost, low-cost;
Need to have, nice to have.

I’ve even seen developers and teams use these categorizations to create some fancy priority “score” that considers each category. Whatever it is that helps you stay focused and on-task is going to be the right approach for you more than what specific category you use.

Live With Your Stack

Here’s a classic conundrum in development circles:

Should I use React? Or NextJS? Or wait, how about Vue? I heard it’s more optimized. But hold on, I read that React Redux is dead and that Zustand is the new hot tool.

And just like that, you’ve spent an entire day thinking about nothing but the tech stack you’re using to build the darn thing.

We all know that an average user could care less about the tech stack under the hood. Go ahead and ask your mom what tech stack WhatsApp is built on, and let me know what she says. Most times, it’s just us who obsesses about tech stacks, and that usually only happens when we’re asked to check under the hood.

I have come to accept that there will always be new tech stacks released every single day with the promise of 50% performance and 10% less code. That new tool might scale better, but do I actually have a scaling problem with my current number of zero users? Probably not.

My advice:

Pick the tools you work with best and stick to those tools until they start working against you.

There’s no use fighting something early if something you already know and use gets the job done. Basically, don’t prematurely optimize or constantly chase the latest shiny object.

Do Design Before The First Line of Code

I know lots of solo developers out there suck at design, and I’m probably among the top 50. My design process has traditionally been to open VS Code, create a new project, and start building the idea in whatever way comes to mind. No design assets, comps, or wireframes to work with — just pure, unstructured improvisation. That’s not a good idea, and it’s a habit I’m actively trying to break.

These days, I make sure to have a blueprint of what I’m building before I start writing code. Once I have that, I make sure to follow through and not change anything to respect my “Oath of Focus.”

I like how many teams call comps and wireframes “project artifacts.” They are pieces of evidence that provide a source of truth for how something looks and works. You might be the sort of person who works better with sets of requirements, and that’s totally fine. But having some sort of documentation that you can point back to in your work is like having a turn-by-turn navigation on a long road trip — it’s indispensable for getting where you need to go.

And what if you’re like me and don’t pride yourself on being the best designer? That’s another opportunity to admit your weaknesses up-front and recruit help from someone with those strengths. That way, you can articulate the goal and focus on what you’re good at.

Give Yourself Timelines

Personally, without deadlines, I’m almost unstoppable at procrastinating. I’ve started setting time limits when building any project, as it helps with procrastination and makes sure something is pushed out at a specified time. Although this won’t work without accountability, I feel the two work hand in hand.

I set a 2–3 week deadline to build a project. And no matter what, as soon as that time is up, I must post or share the work in its current state on my socials. Because of this, I’m not in my comfort zone anymore because I won’t want to share a half-baked project with the public; I’m conditioned to work faster and get it all done. It’s interesting to see the length of time you can go if you can trick your brain.

I realize that this is an extreme constraint, and it may not work for you. I’m just the kind of person who needs to know what my boundaries are. Setting deadlines and respecting them makes me a more disciplined developer. More than that, it makes me work efficiently because I stop overthinking things when I know I have a fixed amount of time, and that leads to faster builds.

Conclusion

The best and worst thing about solo development is the “solo” part. There’s a lot of freedom in working alone, and that freedom can be inspiring. However, all that freedom can be intoxicating, and if left unchecked, it becomes a debilitating hindrance to productivity and progress. That’s a good reason why solo development isn’t for everyone. Some folks will respond a lot better to a team environment.

But if you are a solo developer, then I hope my personal experiences are helpful to you. I’ve had to look hard at myself in the mirror many days to come to realize that I am not a perfect developer who can build the “perfect” app alone. It takes planning, discipline, and humility to make anything, especially the right app that does exactly the right thing.

Ideas are cheap and easy, but stepping out of our freedom and adding our own constraints based on progress over perfection is the secret sauce that keeps us moving and spending our time on those essential things.

Further Reading On SmashingMag

“What’s The Perfect Design Process?,” Vitaly Friedman
“Design Under Constraints: Challenges, Opportunities, And Practical Strategies,” Paul Boag
“Improving The Double Diamond Design Process,” Andy Budd
“Unexpected Learnings From Coding Artwork Every Day For Five Years,” Saskia Freeke