This summer I was welcomed by the team at Rock & Bloom as a design intern. Fresh out of school as a Graphic Communications grad, this was the most amazing experience I could have asked for.
Since this was my first gig in the design world, I didn’t have many expectations at the start. My main hope was to learn more about my craft, but Rock & Bloom totally exceeded that.
Always sharing, always learning
The entire crew was so open, always sharing what they know and making me feel right at home. They’re always ready to help you out with any questions you have, and they genuinely want you to grasp the reason behind the ‘why’ in terms of how we do things. They’re also really on the ball, aiming for top-notch quality in every project while staying on track.
Work-life balance for the win
Making sure I’m prioritizing a good work-life balance was new to me. I’ve never had coworkers who genuinely care more about their people than about the next job on the list. The team at Rock & Bloom always has your back and are always wanting to help you out. Their consistent support and flexibility creates such a supportive environment.
A place to be who you are
In addition to excelling in their roles, every member of the Rock & Bloom team are genuinely wonderful individuals. I found myself laughing harder at our numerous Slack channels than I ever thought possible, whether it’s the high-stress debates over where to have lunch or the impeccable GIF responses.
The team that plays together, stays together
Another awesome aspect of Rock & Bloom is their homecoming week. Homecoming week is an entire week packed with good food, good times, and yeah, a bit of work too. Every employee (even the remote ones in Toronto and Vancouver) gather in-office to play games and bond as a team. It got pretty heated with a competitive Jeopardy game and multiple rounds of ‘Heads Up’ that somehow morphed into a full-blown sing-along. I can’t express how fun it was to work with these people.
I wouldn’t have changed anything about my time here at Rock & Bloom. I learned so much from an amazing group of people.
As a content strategist I often get asked what it is I actually do. Content strategists, copywriters, or content writers, are tasked with creating compelling and engaging written content that helps educate, inspire and inform readers. In short – we write nice things.
Content writing is often used to promote a product, service, or brand. It is done in a variety of mediums, including print, radio, television and web. Depending on the medium you’re writing for, the tone of your content will be very different. In this journal, we’re going to focus on writing for a website.
Follow our top tips to create effective, engaging and impactful website content.
Don’t bury the lead
In other words, put the most important information at the top. People judge websites much like they judge books. If they don’t see or read something they like on the first page they aren’t going to go much deeper. Your audience should understand who you are or what you do from the first few lines of text.
Basic isn’t boring
A good rule of thumb when writing for the web is to write as if your audience has an eighth grade reading level. This is not an insult to your audience – it simply means that using common language is the best way to explain complex ideas or themes. Avoid jargon, steer clear of technical terms, and don’t use abbreviations or acronyms unless you intend to explain their meaning.
Be more findable than Waldo
Web copywriting is unique in that it needs to cater to both humans and robots (aka. search engines). If the robots can’t find you, your audience doesn’t stand a chance. Using common, relevant keywords is a great way to ensure that Google can find you, and that your audience can too. Try using a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tool to find relevant keywords to your topic. Ensure you are using them throughout your content in a way that is organic, natural and easy to read.
Shorter is sweeter
When you’re writing an article or blog post, you get to be a bit more free with your word count. Writing for the web, however, requires copy to be concise and to-the-point. Choose short paragraphs over long blocks of text and make the most out of your words by using effective taglines and descriptive headings. Speaking of headings…
Headings are your road map
Headings allow readers to navigate and make sense of content. Headings can be fun and attention-grabbing, but ultimately they should describe the content that is to follow. The strongest headings are able to stand on their own and be understood out of context.
Your audience loves lists
Scrap the long paragraphs for lists or bullet points. Readers tend to scan pages, and keeping content in smaller bite-sized chunks allows for better digestion.
Links have a time and a place
Links are a great way to connect your reader to relevant information. When used moderately they improve the user experience. Try to keep people on your page, rather than sending them to Google for a quick search. With that said, don’t go overboard either. Links work best when used as part of a sentence, so avoid the dreaded “click here.”
A is for Active
Writing using active voice is far more effective than using passive voice. Active voice is strong and persuasive, and it keeps readers flowing through content. Use calls to action to guide your readers where you want them to go.
Your brand knows best
You know your brand better than anyone; it has its own personality and its own traits. To stand out, use your unique brand voice and tone in your copy. If your tone is playful and fun, don’t be afraid to drop a pun or use witty copy. If your tone is heartfelt, don’t shy away from tugging at the ol’ heartstrings. If your tone is serious, keep it polished and direct.
When in doubt, hire a content strategist
I’m probably a little biased because this is my job, but I cannot stress the importance of paying people fairly to own the roles they are good at. Yes, content writing can be outsourced. Yes, it can be done on the fly by another department. Yes, it can be done by an AI tool like ChatGPT. But I guarantee you that half-assing your content strategy will not get you the same results as if you were to invest in a designated content role. These experts work hard to understand their craft and move the needle to get results. Again, probably a little biased, but also right.
Rock & Bloom celebrated its 11th birthday this past July and it’s still got us thinking about the early days. We’ve come a long way from the baby business owners, designers, developers, copywriters, and marketers we used to be. After more than a decade in the biz, we’re older and wiser. Or at the very least, we’ve learned what not to do.
Here are just a few of the lessons we’ve learned over the years.
I’ve gone on record stating that if I didn’t have my dream job working for Rock & Bloom, I would venture into the world of professional organizing. And I’m not the only one. For as many bakers and artists our team bears, we have just as many organizational wizards. Maybe one day we’ll launch our own version of The Home Edit, but in the meantime I’m here to pass on a few pearls of home organizational wisdom.
Label everything
And I mean everything. Items in the pantry? Label ‘em. Fridge? Label ‘em. Bathroom, laundry room, closets? Label ‘em. Labeling serves two purposes. Firstly, it keeps things in a designated spot, allowing you to locate things with ease. Instead of just throwing things in a cupboard willy nilly, you’ll be more purposeful about where you place your items. Secondly, labeling looks clean, uniform, and just darn pretty.
Say goodbye to boxes and packaging
Unnecessary boxes and packaging are one of the biggest thieves of usable cupboard space. This is especially noticeable in the kitchen. Storing cereal and pasta in clear containers will help you get the most out of your space, while also allowing you to see when you’re getting low on something. After all, nothing’s more aggravating than grabbing a box of crackers to find that it’s just crumbs at the bottom.
Save time with clear containers
For items that you’re storing – things like Christmas decorations, seasonal items, winter clothing, etc. I recommend using clear storage containers. This allows you to stack containers in your closet or garage, and see what’s in them without having to take down and dig through each one. It’s not the prettiest organization solution, but it’s a huge timesaver.
Use small containers to keep drawers tidy
It’s very easy for a drawer to lose its purpose and quickly become a “junk drawer”. But let me tell you from experience that even junk drawers can be organized. If you’re on a budget, places like Dollarama or The Dollar Tree carry great little containers and trays that will work perfectly. Start by cleaning everything out of the drawer you’re organizing, throwing away anything that’s expired, and donating or selling anything that never gets used. Once you have a clean drawer you can start putting the containers in where you want them. Try to keep each container as its own zone. For example, in our bathroom drawer I have one container for toothbrushes and toothpaste, one for combs and brushes, one for eye care supplies, and one for deodorant. Everything has a place and it keeps the drawer from looking like a stressful mess.
Maximize fridge space
Maximize your fridge space with, you guessed it, containers. Labelled containers look nice, but more importantly I’ve found that they increase the use of fridge space. Like a lot of people, my toxic trait is buying a bunch of groceries and then having to throw them out weeks later, because half of my items got pushed to the back of the fridge and I couldn’t see them. Not only do containers help you keep things in zones (dairy, fruits, veggies, snacks, leftovers, etc), but they also allow you to use the full length of your fridge, easily pulling out the containers to see what’s at the back. No more moldy spring mix!
Use turntables for spices
My partner likes to cook and thus we have an alarming amount of spices. I hated opening the cupboard and knocking over half opened bags of oregano, as I rummage to find the popcorn seasoning. Enter the turntable. I started by pouring all of my spices into matching glass containers, labelling them (of course), and then situating them face out on a turntable that I picked up from Dollarama (if you can find this , it’s a great cost-effective dupe to the Home Edit one). Now I can find any spice faster than you can say “you spin me right round, baby, right round”.
Store tall boots with pool noodles
Whether you’re dealing with a walk-in closet situation or a tiny front hall cubby, storing your shoes is often a game of Tetris. One of my biggest annoyances is trying to store tall boots; the slides flop over, creating creases and also taking up more space than needed. A quick little trick is to grab a pool noodle and cut it into pieces (keep them a bit shorter than the length of the boot) and then put inside the boot to hold it up! Don’t have a pool noodle handy? I used sheets of square construction paper, rolled them, and taped them to my desired width. Easy peasy!
Organize your sock drawer with cubes
This one is for those who can’t stand to open their top dresser drawer and see a mix of mismatched socks, underwear, and probably a few pieces of lint and loose change. Luckily, it doesn’t have to be this way. I purchased a couple of sock storage cubes on Amazon and it has given me so much more space in my drawer! I started by getting rid of any socks or underwear with holes or rips, and any socks that didn’t have a sole mate (see what I did there?). Next, I rolled all of my socks and underwear and put them in the cubes (for thin socks, I would put two pairs in each). And that’s it!
“How many people can brag about having a perfectly organized sock drawer?”
Roll towels and face cloths
Organization is all about maximizing the amount of space you have. This is especially true if you live in a small house or apartment and don’t have a lot of storage or cupboard space. Storing towels can be particularly tricky as they are bulky and take up a lot of room. I’ve found that folding towels in half lengthwise and then rolling them has been the most effective way to store them. I have very narrow open shelves, and this way I’m able to fit them on the shelf and stack them in a way that looks visually appealing. I do the same thing with my face cloths; rolling them and then storing in a decorative basket.
DIY a rolling wrapping paper cart
If you love gift-giving, or perhaps just want to make holidays less stressful, then a wrapping paper cart is a must. I used one of those three-tiered rolling carts (found at Michaels, Canadian Tire, etc.) and designated each tier a different purpose. The bottom stores gift bags, the middle stores gift tags, cards, and bows, and the top is where I store my scissors, tape, markers, and tissue paper. Lastly I zip tied a small, narrow bin to the bottom side of the cart, and then glued a paper towel rod to the top. This keeps my wrapping paper in place and the rod doubles as a place to hang spools of ribbon. Now simply roll the cart to wherever you do your gift wrapping. Voila!
Maybe you love organizing; or maybe you hate it, but your new year’s resolution was to finally get your home in order. Either way, I hope these simple tips will help you get started!
I’ve been working at Rock & Bloom for nearly a year now, and I still vividly remember my first week, when I learned of “pouts & tendies.” (For the record, that’s ‘pouts’ like ‘poots’, not ‘pouts’ like ‘sad face’).
We were all in the office together playing some Jackbox games and ‘pouts & tendies’ was dropped multiple times. Now, I consider myself as close to “down with the kids” as a 30-something woman can get. While I might not TikTok, I think Twitter keeps me up to date with most of the goings-on in the world, and yet, I still didn’t know what pouts & tendies were. Being the new person, I found the courage in myself to ask, what exactly is pouts & tendies? And the answer was simple. Poutine & chicken tenders – a beloved dish at Rock & Bloom (that is best eaten at Park Cafe, but be warned you might need asiesta after a lunch that heavy). This was my first exposure to what I can only describe as the “food wars” culture within our team.
We are a group of very passionate individuals.
Whether it be related to our specific roles or our clients, we get down to business. And the same can be said about our opinions on food. I can’t count the number of times that I’ve been in a meeting and come out to see the #random Slack channel on fire. 80+ messages. The panic sets in. What did I miss? And then once I’ve scrolled back far enough, I realize that someone mentioned that they had the best shawarma of their life over the weekend. Calamity ensues. And by the end of it, I have a list of new restaurants and dishes I need to try.
So you may be asking, what’s your point?
Rock & Bloom loves food and can argue about it – a lot – big deal? I for one cherish these moments. In the year that I’ve been working here, we’ve still largely been working remotely (thanks, Covid) and yet, not a moment has passed where I haven’t felt like part of the team or connected to my colleagues. While these food discussions might seem mundane, they are a huge part of what makes Rock & Bloom such an amazing place to work. Sometimes those Slack discussions can sidetrack your day by 15 or 20 minutes, but they’re such a joy when they happen because of the connectedness it fosters. It makes working remotely seem far less remote.
From our Instagram brackets about the worst Christmas chocolate to our heated discussions about rotisserie chicken on homemade pizza, Rock & Bloom at its core is a group of unique individuals who are filled to the brim with passion.
I saw a headline on Twitter that was to the effect of, “Is having fun at work really a good idea?”
It made me laugh because I don’t know when the disconnect happened. How having fun at work could possibly be a bad thing? There are certainly companies out there who think good office culture is having beers on Fridays and a ping pong table in the office, and I can tell you from experience that that is not enough. Our food opinions might be quirky, but it encompasses the culture that we try to foster.
At my last role, I had bought into the mindset of climbing the corporate ladder – and I wanted to be on top. But over time, I realized that my goals and values had shifted and that they no longer aligned with where I was working. I came to terms with the fact that I was really good at my job, but I didn’t really enjoy it. When I interviewed at Rock & Bloom, we got talking about the future and I was asked where I saw myself in five years. I said, “Had you asked me last year, I would have said partner at an agency. But I realize now that where I want to be is doing kick-ass work with kick-ass people. That’s it.” And here I am, not even a year later, and that is exactly what I’m doing.
The team at Rock & Bloom is small but mighty.
We bring the same level of passion to ‘pouts & tendies’ as we do to our client work. Rock & Bloom puts people first, and when you do that the result is magical – and I consider myself so lucky to be a part of that magic.
