Canva Templates vs. Custom Design: What's Best for Your Business?"

Let’s Be Honest;

Most people love a good DIY Social Media Graphic or Template.

I actually started my coaching business this way.

I always had an eye for design and it honestly came easily to me

- plus I didn’t have the money to invest in a designer at the time

But - as business grew, so did my need for more time.

In today's digital age, small businesses and creators often find themselves juggling multiple tasks, including marketing efforts. With limited resources and budgets, finding efficient ways to create eye-catching graphics for your marketing campaigns is crucial. Enter Canva, a popular online graphic design tool that offers a plethora of templates and features to help streamline the design process.

Okay, so is going the DIY route the best choice for your small business marketing needs?

Let's explore the options:

Pros of DIY Canva Graphics & Templates:

1. Cost-Effective: Canva's free version provides access to a wide range of templates, graphics, and tools, making it an affordable option for small businesses with tight budgets.

2. Ease of Use: Canva's user-friendly interface and drag-and-drop functionality make it accessible to users with little to no design experience. You can quickly customize templates to match your brand's style and messaging.

3. Time-Saving: Creating graphics with Canva is much faster than starting from scratch or hiring a designer. With pre-designed templates, you can simply plug in your content and make minor adjustments, saving valuable time that can be allocated to other aspects of your business.

4. Variety of Templates: Canva offers a vast library of templates for various marketing materials, including social media posts, flyers, presentations, and more. This variety allows you to maintain consistency across different platforms while catering to specific campaign needs.

Cons of DIY Canva Graphics & Templates:

1. There are only so many templates: While Canva templates are customizable, there are many other people using them too - why does this matter? If you only use their templates, your content will start to look a lot like everyone else’s. This isn’t ideal if you want to stand out from the masses.

2. User Error: Not everyone is a Designer. And that’s okay! But this can result in errors and low-quality graphics that reduce your brand’s credibility. may not fully align with your brand identity.

3. Quality Concerns: While Canva offers a wide selection of templates, not all of them are of the same quality. Using overly generic or amateurish designs could detract from your brand's professionalism and credibility.

4. Design + Creativity Limitations: Canva has a TON of elements and designs, but if you aren’t a Canva Pro, it can be really hard to find them and figure them all out. Even as a seasoned Designer and Canva pro I still lean on other design platforms to pull a graphic together.

Custom Branded Templates vs. Pre-Loaded Canva Templates:

Hiring a designer to craft custom branded templates offers several advantages over using pre-loaded Canva templates. Custom templates ensure that your graphics are tailored specifically to your brand's aesthetic and messaging, enhancing brand recognition and professionalism. Additionally, having a batch of professionally designed templates and a brand kit loaded into your Canva suite combines the benefits of DIY convenience with the quality of custom branding.

Saving Time – Your Most Valuable Asset:

As a small business or creator, time is one of your most valuable assets. If you’re spending more than a few minutes putting together each post - that’s too much time. Having custom, pre-designed templates for your small business can significantly reduce the time spent on design tasks, allowing you to focus on core business activities such as product development, customer service, and marketing strategy.

In conclusion, while DIY Canva graphics and templates offer cost-effectiveness & ease of use they come with limitations in customization, branding options, and sometimes, quality.

Depending on your business's needs and resources, striking a balance between DIY design and professional branded designs could be the key to creating impactful marketing graphics that resonate with your audience.

The Solution? Pre-Designed, Custom Branded Templates.

Ready to start saving time & money? Let me take that design stress off of your plate with my custom branded templates + branding kits!