Creating Consistent Marketing Graphics in Canva

Aug 20

Can I be honest? Even as a brand designer, with my own brand identity, I struggle with creating consistent marketing graphics in Canva for my blog, Pinterest, Instagram, you name it! Every now and then I start second guessing what I'm using. There are so many templates to choose from, and sometimes the fonts or colors in them are awfully tempting…

Suddenly I’ve started straying off-brand by using any and all templates that look nice to me. Next thing you know, my Instagram feed is all over the place vision-wise, and none of my graphics on Pinterest or Facebook are recognizable as, well, mine!

If this sounds like you, trust me, I get it.

The comparison trap is so easy to fall into, and if you don’t already have a strong brand identity, it’s all too simple to start going off track.

Why is this important? As a business, one of your goals is building something called brand loyalty. This is huge, since brand loyalty is what leads your customers to recommend you, spend more/repeat purchases or projects, and forgive mistakes (Zinrelo). Trust and emotional connection are important factors in building loyalty (Capital One), and one big way you can establish trust and emotional connection is by being consistent with your graphics. That means using the same fonts, colors, and logos over and over.

Need more practical help? Here are a few tips for creating consistent marketing graphics in Canva!

Create a folder in Canva where you keep all of your brand assets. Logos, colors, fonts, icons - they all live in this folder now for easy reach when creating a new graphic.
If you have Canva Pro (I highly recommend this if you're using Canva on the regular, it's $12.99/mo), you can create a Brand Kit. This allows you to upload all of your brand colors, fonts, and logos. Then when you are using a template or creating your own, all of your brand assets are in one place for easy designing!
Start organizing your templates. Canva allows you to make folders for your templates! If you find yourself using the same one/s over and over for a specific platform (Pinterest or Facebook), then create a folder for that platform's graphics. No more scrolling back through all your designs!
Stay diligent, stick to your specific brand assets. This will help in the long run, I promise. By using the same colors and fonts and logos over and over, you are building brand awareness and loyalty.

If you've been reading this post and thinking to yourself, "I actually don't have a brand identity or any of these assets she's talking about", then it might be time to invest in a brand designer. A professional brand designer can help you create a beautiful, strategic brand for your business that you can turn to again and again. Having a complete and cohesive brand identity in your toolbox is key to growing as a business, building that all-important brand loyalty, and establishing trust with your customers or clients.

Intimidated by the cost of one of those brand designs? Ask about payment plans! I always offer several payment plans in my proposals, to work with a variety of budgets, and I know other designers do this as well.

I hope this post helped you feel more confident when it comes to designing consistent graphics! Commitment to consistency is so important, and I can’t wait to hear how your brand grows.