***This is not an affiliate post; all opinions expressed in this article are solely our own, and not connected with Canva in any way.***
Are you dipping your toe into the ocean of social media marketing, but can’t figure out how to make your graphics look professional enough? Or, maybe you spend an inordinate amount of time trying to use free websites or apps, but are still frustrated with the loss of time, or poor results.
As entrepreneurs in the beginning stages of our business, we were overwhelmed with all we needed to do and be. How in the world can you learn all the things you need to know to run a top-notch business? Although I had some (very limited) background in photography and editing, graphic design was new to all of us. We were very nervous about this element of marketing, and then we found: Canva.
Canva is a sanity-saver, in short. Here are a few of the reasons we love it:
-
Pre-set dimensions.
Do you upload a photo to your Facebook cover, only to have it so blown out of proportion that you can’t see what it is? That is because your dimensions are off, and you can’t adjust the photo in the cover field. Unfortunately, most easy-to-use platforms come with pre-set photo areas like this. Your photo has to already be the exact size that you need, if it is going to display properly. Canva takes the headache out of sizing by coming with labeled, pre-set templets for programs like Facebook, Instagram, and many more!
A screenshot of the Canva app.
-
Stock photos.
While there are many sites you can access for stock photos, Canva cuts out the extra steps of importing photos by offering thousands of free pictures and clipart in their data base! Note, though, that not all are free. A little coin stack in the corner of some indicate their cost.
-
Design templates.
Do you struggle with the design aspect of creating posts? Canva helps here with hundreds of pre-formatted, editable designs, free for your use! Again, you have to pay for some of the more popular designs. So far, though, we have found that the free ones more than suffice.
-
Fonts galore.
This is one of my personal favorite aspects of Canva. Any font you can imagine is available for use! They also helpfully pair complementary fonts, so you can know what looks good together.
-
Web + app access.
Although it took a bit of time to get used to, the Canva app, is very user-friendly, and a breeze to use on the go. The ability to access and create your designs online or on the phone is an added plus. Forget scrolling Facebook while you wait in line at the grocery store, now you can knock out the design for a new post in a matter of minutes, from your phone!
Well, these are just a few favorite things about one of our favorite programs. Canva costs $12.95 on the monthly plan that we subscribe to, but the time it saves us and the quality product it produces makes that cost totally worth it! Let us know if you have used Canva before, and what you love about it!
Happy designing,
Caitlynn
Born a world traveler, Caitlynn has settled in Cleburne to continue doing what she loves – investing in her family and community while capturing beauty with her camera and her writing. Caitlynn also has a background in customer service, administrative support, and sales. She is married to her high school sweetheart, Ryan.
