When is the right time to use Canva? Let’s break it down…
There has been a lot of discussion about Canva in the graphic design community recently. As a graphic designer with over 20 years experience, here’s my take.
Canva is accessible to lots of people (especially with their free version) so it is a valuable tool for non-designers who want to create their own marketing material and graphics. Assembling layouts in Canva can also allow for more hands on deck on a project.
But, don’t get carried away with their free templates and graphics – these are available to Canva’s millions of users.
Do you really want to blend in or do you want to stand out?
If you have access to a graphic designer ask them to create some unique graphics and template elements that you can use in Canva to create your own marketing materials or social media graphics.
Your custom graphics + the ease and accessibility of Canva = the sweet spot for creating content and layouts for your brand!
Should you design your logo in Canva?
That’s a big no!
If you designed your logo in Canva, here’s why that may be hurting your brand:
- You don’t own the assets you used
- You can’t trademark your logo
- Your logo won’t be a vector file, meaning it can’t scale to larger sizes without losing quality
- Your logo won’t be based on brand strategy
- Your logo won’t be unique to your business
- You may be influenced by shiny object syndrome and using all the trends instead of creating a thoughtful logo that resonates with your audience
Your logo is an important part of your brand identity and it needs to stand out for the right reasons.
Ditch the Canva logo and try this instead
Maybe:
- You don’t have access to professional tools
- You can’t draw
- You don’t have the budget for a professional logo
What should you do?
Why not start with something more simple like a wordmark? A wordmark is a logo that is text-only. Buy a premium font and check out the licensing agreement to make sure you’re allowed to use it as a logo. Use it for your business name, choose a colour to fits with your brand, and you are all set.
Your wordmark will be a step up from a Canva logo and show that you are a professional who is taking their brand seriously.
