What is Canva?

Introduction

Canva is an app that allows you to create exciting and eye-catching visuals that can be used for a variety of projects.

Canva helps you utilise graphic design, even if you don’t come from a graphic design background. Marketing, PR, and all other professionals can make social media posts from the well thought out templates that Canva provides.

So, we know how useful the Canva design software is, but how does it really work?

Objectives

What projects can you use Canva for?
Different kinds of Canva
How to access Canva
Why choose Canva?

What projects can you use Canva for?

Canva is a versatile platform, but what projects can you use Canva for?

Social Media Content:

Create posts, stories, banners, and ads that are compatible for all social media sites.
Design thumbnails and channel art for YouTube.
Create animated graphics and short clips.

Professional Uses:

Create flyers, brochures, and posters.
Design unique business cards.
Make infographics and presentations.
Design impressive CVs, professionally-styled reports, and proposals.

Branding:

Create blog banners and visuals that fit your brand's style.
Make website mock-ups.
Design a logo that will draw the attention of your audience.

Personal Use:

Design T-shirts, mugs, and bags.
Create fun invitations, RSVPs, and save-the-dates.
Personalised wall art and greeting cards.
Make fun and coordinated calendars, planners, and checklists.

Different kinds of Canva

Canva offers four different versions of their software, let’s discuss what they can offer you and what the Canva pricing looks like.

Canva:

Access to free templates, stock images, and graphics
Basic design tools like drag-and-drop or text editing
Customisable fonts, colours, and images
Basic animations for text

Canva Pro:

Premium templates with millions of options
Store your brand colours, logos, and fonts to use across your designs
Resize for different platforms with magic resize
Export designs with transparent backgrounds, and also in different formats
£100/year, one person subscription

Canva Teams:

Work with your team in real time to collaborate on designs and comment on projects
Set brand guidelines to be used across all platforms and designs
Organise your designs into team folders for easy access
Control who can view, edit, and comment on designs with customisable controls
£90/year per person, minimum of three people required

Canva Enterprise:

Manage brand assets and templates for company-wide consistency
Access to the full Canva library of photos and videos
Centralised management control allows you to create admins for different projects
Approval workflows and team templates allow for smoother collaboration
Book a demo through the Canva website to find out how much Canva Enterprise would cost for your team

How to Access Canva

Canva is available for iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac. It is compatible with mobiles, tablets, and desktops!

Why choose Canva

Canva is a very versatile design tool. You can create so many different things all in one place. The mobile app is handy for those creating on the go, and the desktop or tablet option are great for more indepth designs.

Canva is one of the best design tools for beginners due to its user-friendly set up and how accessible it is. The templates make it easy to visualise your design and can guide you in new directions with ease.

Utilising Canva for professional designs can give you broader design options and greater opportunity for collaboration than other graphic design tools for teams.

Conclusion

Canva is one of the best graphic design tools for both beginners and casual designers, there are many free templates that can produce designs of different kinds; fun, professional, or unique.

For those looking to create more professional designs, Canva Pro is the way to go. However, if you want a design software for teams, then Canva Teams or Canva Enterprise would be a better fit for you.

Canva is a versatile design tool that is accessible to everyone, from beginners to professionals, and works seamlessly across both mobile and desktop platforms. With a variety of pricing options, Canva can work for anyone who wants an easy and affordable way to enhance their design skills. Ready to take your designs to the next level? Book a Canva course with our expert instructors, and discover what Canva can do for you!

by Josie Daniel | 08 Jan 25