Permanent link for Canva 101: Creating social media graphics on June 10, 2024

Written by Jaiah Jones

Canva has become one of the most well-known and widely used graphic design programs, especially when creating social media content. While it is very user-friendly, it can be overwhelming if you’re using it for the first time. Here are a few tips on how to use Canva effectively.

 

How to Navigate Canva 
When you go to Canva's website, you will arrive at the home page. Canva offers plenty of pre-sized options that are optimal for different situations. Whether you’re looking to create an Instagram story, an X (Twitter) post, or any other social media content, you’ll be prompted with a vast selection of pre-sized templates. Alternatively, you can search for templates in the search bar, or size your post from scratch by clicking ‘Create a design’ > ‘Custom size’. 

 

Making your Design 
Once you’ve made your selection, you can get started with creating your post! 

To save you time and energy, Canva has created thousands of graphic templates that you can start with and adjust as needed. Many contain text and graphic elements that you can change the size, color, and location of (or remove them altogether) Note that some templates are behind a paywall for Canva Pro. 

 

Customization
While it’s not required for all posts on GVSU-affiliated social media channels, if you want to make a post that aligns with GVSU branding, you can find approved color codes and suggested fonts here on Grand Valley’s Identity webpage. While Canva’s endless amount of colors, fonts, graphic elements and templates are helpful, it can also feel overwhelming if you’re a beginner, so sticking to GVSU branding, colors and fonts that you’ve used before in other social media posts, or holding tight to a Canva template can save you time and energy.

While you’re creating your graphics, it can be tempting to get carried away and go crazy with lots of colors, lots of text, or adding elements that might make your graphic hard to read. More than anything, it’s important that you prioritize accessibility in your graphics. Social media accessibility can look like a lot of different things, but the basics are:

• Ensure there is enough contrast between your background color and your font so that it is easy to read.
• Make sure your font can be easily read on a standard phone screen.
• Be sure your graphic isn’t too text-heavy. Someone with visual impairments may rely on a screen reader to interpret your graphics, and this technology may not pick up on text in your graphics or images. Text in graphics should be kept to a ‘headline’ and, at most, one or two short sentences. All must-know information should be included in the caption.

 

Now you're done!
While Canva does offer even more options with their premium membership, for most situations, a simple free account will cover what you need. If you’re looking to expand your Canva knowledge even further, the site offers a variety of instructional videos on their YouTube page. Lastly, if you’re looking for more personalized help with social media content creation or ensuring your content is accessible, email our social media team at [email protected] to set up a consultation.

Categories: best practices
Posted by Sarah Dudinetz on Permanent link for Canva 101: Creating social media graphics on June 10, 2024.