Brand presence and digital marketing have become core elements of any marketing strategy with the advancement of the Digital Age. Tools like Canva have revolutionized the way we approach design and brand consistency.
Getting Started with Graphic Design
Graphic design is not just about making things look good; it’s about communication and making your message resonate with the audience. For beginner designers, there are three main sections to consider when creating marketing graphics: Apparent, Balance, and Consistency, collectively known as the ABC Design Principle.
Apparent:
It’s vital that you keep your message clear and apparent when designing graphics. This involves making sure your heading is clear and concise, there aren’t too many details on the graphic itself, and the call-to-action is clearly noticeable.
Balance:
Balance is about being aware of all the elements in your graphic and ensuring you distribute them appropriately. It doesn’t necessarily mean symmetry but more so about keeping your image clean, without clutter, and having a good balance amongst all your graphic elements. This keeps your designs interesting and easy to read.
Consistency:
When establishing your brand presence, it’s key to keep your visual designs consistent with your brand, otherwise you could end up with “brand drift”. You may feel bored using the same colours and fonts every time, but your audience won’t!
Understanding and applying these principles can enhance your visual assets, making your message clearer and more appealing to your audience.
An example of good vs bad use of the ABC Design principle:
Canva Brand Kits
Brand consistency is vital for building trust and recognition amongst your target audience. Canva’s Brand Kits have been designed to streamline graphic design and the creative process, making it easier for businesses to maintain a consistent brand identity across all of their digital and print media.
The Brand Kits allow users to store and manage their brand assets, including logos, colour palettes, fonts, graphic assets, icons, and imagery, and even set a brand voice, all in one accessible place. This not only saves time but also ensures that every piece of content you create aligns with your brand’s visual identity. Leveraging Canva Brand Kits makes creating branded designs much easier and smoother.
Canva: The Design Tool for Non-Designers
One of the most significant barriers to effective digital marketing and brand development has always been the need for specialized graphic design tools. Canva has created a platform for basic graphic design editing tools that are accessible to everyone, regardless of their design expertise.
Canva’s library of design tools allows you to easily create professional-looking designs with just a few clicks. From customizable templates to drag-and-drop features, Canva simplifies design, enabling small businesses and entrepreneurs to produce high-quality visuals that stand out online.
Why do Graphic Design and Canva Matter?
Graphic Design is central in any digital marketing strategy. You no longer need to be a trained and professional graphic designer, or have the need to hire professional design agencies to create basic, day-to-day graphics for your business. By embracing the ABC Design Principles, leveraging the effectiveness of Canva Brand Kits, and taking advantage of the platform’s ease of use, you’ll be able to connect with your audience in a whole new way.
Final Thoughts
In a world where visual content dominates, understanding the basics of graphic design and taking advantage of tools like Canva can help you level up your marketing, and save you time and money.
Learn more about Canva and brand development with Nine10’s Digital Marketing Bootcamp.
Nine10
Nine10 is a passionate, dedicated team of lifelong learners on a mission to help Alberta small businesses and entrepreneurs develop their brands, establish their online presence, and become self-sufficient in activating their Digital Marketing strategies. Learn, grow, and develop through their Brand, Web, Print, and Training Services. Visit nine10.ca for more information.
