Using Canva to create thumb-stopping marketing graphics

You could be the most skilled marketer, but without the right tools in your toolkit, it’s nearly impossible to effectively market a business or product. At it’s core, marketing is visually-driven and good visuals can help elevate your brand’s message. To own a piece of the engagement pie, it’s critical to focus on visual content strategies, making it a key ingredient of your marketing strategy. Not a graphic designer? You don’t have to be as long as you equip yourself with a design program that works for you.

“Visual marketing does not just sell a product or service – it sells an experience around your business.” – Rebekah Radice.

I’m not a graphic designer by default

I often think back to the beginning of my career when I didn’t know how to make good looking marketing images. I mostly relied on graphic designers to make visuals for me because I didn’t have the right tools or know the extent of the various programs that were out there. I never knew where to find free stock photos, cool fonts, or generally even where to start when building a graphic to use in my daily marketing efforts. They don’t teach you this kind of stuff in college…at least they didn’t in my communications program. In my opinion, the basics of graphic design really should be a college course for marketing professionals because a lot of us with digital and social media careers make our own graphics.

Using Canva as a marketing tool

Alas, I feel like I hit the jackpot when I discovered Canva. Canva is a simple-to-use online design platform that makes it fun and easy to create professional-looking visuals quickly. You don’t have to be highly skilled in graphic design to figure out how to use Canva. From social media images, brochures, and flyers to business cards, presentations, and so much more, Canva literally has everything you need to make thumb-stopping graphics. I love that Canva has built in templates and sizes are already set up for the accurate dimensions for the type of graphic you’re making. Having the right sizes made is one less step you have to worry about. Especially when “time is money”. According to it’s website, Canva has 250,000+ free templates, 100+ design types (social media posts, presentations, letters, and more), plus hundreds of thousands of free photos and graphics.

Upgrade to Canva Pro

Canva is free to use, but if you upgrade to Canva Pro you will unlock a lot more features and options. Trust me, it’s definitely worth the money. As a bonus with Canva Pro, you can easily resize your graphics without having to start from scratch each time. The paid version also allows you to link your social media accounts and post your marketing images directly from the platform. A marketer’s dream come true. If you use Canva Pro while collaborating, you can keep your brand’s look consistent by uploading logos, fonts, and setting specific colors as a template. Another major benefit is that multiple people in your organization can work on a design or document in real-time, making collaboration convenient and efficient. 

Canva hacks and tricks

I love finding new hacks and tricks to make using Canva even better. You can find quick and informative hacks on social media platforms like TikTok.

https://www.tiktok.com/@socialmethodstudio/video/6997771180975328518?is_from_webapp=v1

https://www.tiktok.com/@socialmethodstudio/video/7006291651408727302?is_from_webapp=v1

@rebellenutrition

CANVA PART 22! #canva #canvatips #canvahack @canva #digitalart

♬ Mermaids – DEAMN

What are you waiting for?

Canva is a free marketing tool that you need in your back pocket. If you can, upgrade to Canva Pro and I guarantee you’ll love the results. Happy designing!

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Is your brand utilizing social media? It might seem like a trivial question to ask considering that we’re in 2021, but you would be surprised just how many companies I have connected with that have not fully embraced the power of social media marketing. I’ve heard so many times, “we’re on Facebook but we really don’t post much” or “why do we need to be on Instagram – isn’t that just to post pictures?”

Without question, social media should be a must-have in your digital marketing toolkit. The beauty of social media is that it allows you to instantly connect with your audience. No more waiting on consumers to see your print ad or pass by that billboard on the interstate of their daily commute. Many businesses and even personal brands fear social media because they lack a strategic social media plan. But, it’s time to invest in developing a plan that’s right for your business. Big or small, businesses can cost-effectively use social media.

Here are 6 main reasons on why your brand should embrace social media:

1. You’re in charge of telling your brand’s story. Would you want the people of the internet talking about your company on your behalf or would you rather take charge and own your brand? Be the voice. Connect with your audience and better understand their needs by having an active presence on social media. Tell your own story in your unique way. Your audience will appreciate you for that.
2. Build and foster lasting relationships with your audience. You would be amazed at what little it takes for a consumer to feel connected to your brand on social media. A simple like or comment back to your audience can be greatly impactful. If consumers feel like a brand cares about them, which you should care because they are the lifeline of what keeps your business or brand going, they will continue coming back to you and the word-of-mouth marketing that comes from it can make or break you.
3. Brand awareness is much higher when you’re on social media. Think about it. All the popular brands are omnipresent, and you remember them, don’t you? With competition in every arena being fierce, you have to make people aware of your brand so that you’re not lost in the shuffle of brands vying for customer’s attention. It doesn’t matter how big your company is – you still need to make sure you’re relevant and that starts with social media.
4. Increase traffic and sales. If your brand’s goal is increasing website traffic, a good place to start is with social media. Facebook leads the way in helping your brand with referral traffic, but other platforms like Instagram are making it even easier for consumers to purchase goods directly from social media. Organic and paid social media posts are critical in increasing inbound traffic and its relatively painless and easy to do.
5. Improved brand loyalty. A happy and satisfied consumer is one who will continue to do business with you over and over. Through social media marketing, brands have the opportunity to build brand affinity and loyalty. If your brand is not on social media, your competitors probably are and doing whatever it takes to lure your consumers away.
6. Social media marketing is cost effective. Yes, you can 100% be active on social media and never pay a dime in advertising costs. But, if you have a budget, advertising on social media can maximize your ROI on reaching and acquiring consumers. With a minimal budget, you can reach lookalike audiences with similar demographics to your typical consumer.

It can be challenging to keep up with all the social media platforms and emerging trends, but the risk is definitely worth the reward when it comes to social media. Let social media be the platform where your brand can let its personality shine while also driving business results.

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With so many unique and innovative ways to communicate with consumers, some brands have questioned whether ‘old-fashioned’ email marketing is still a viable tool to reach audiences effectively. Is email marketing dead? Just ask Google. Research indicates that approximately 191.4 billion emails are sent and received each day worldwide, but does this equate to a successful ROI (Return on Investment)? Absolutely! Despite repeated pronouncements of its demise, quality sales opportunities and leads can be generated through email marketing, as long as you’re doing it right.

So how do you create a successful email marketing campaign? Follow these tips to improve efficiency and ensure you are optimizing email marketing effectively.

8 Tips to Creating a Successful Email Marketing Campaign

• Your subject headline must be compelling and enticing so that readers will want to open your email
• Create interesting and engaging content to grab the reader’s attention
• Optimize emails for viewing on multiple platforms, including mobile, desktop, and web mail
• Have an eye-catching design, but don’t overdo it with images. Too many graphics will sound off the spam alerts (So much for all of that work you just created.) *Facepalm*
• Establish a preference center where users can adjust their email options
• Provide discounts, offers, or special promotions for consumers
• Proofread…proofreed….proofread <— enough said!
• Include a call-to-action on every email. What do you want the reader to do? Forward the email, make a purchase or donate, opt-in, or something else? Decide your CTA first before creating your campaign.

What’s In It for Me?

Still not convinced that email marketing is right for your brand? Email marketing has been proven effective for millions of brands across the world.  In fact, an estimated 68% of brands consider email marketing as an effective way to communicate with consumers. Furthermore, the average return on email marketing investments is equivalent to approximately $44 for every dollar spent. With 91% of consumers checking their email at least once per day, incorporating email marketing into your strategic plan is a no brainer. Master the perfect email cocktail by incorporating the tips above and adding your own secret ingredients for success.

Your Message in Motion: The Power of Video Advertising

We live in a world with constant change and short attention spans thanks to technology, social media, and busy schedules. In fact, while writing this blog post I checked my social media sites, watched a movie, stared off into outer space, read some emails, and checked social media again. I know I’m not alone in my behavior pattern; you’ve probably done the same thing day in and day out. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. In 2000, the average attention span of the modern consumer was 12 seconds, and now in 2014 it’s down to a mere 8 seconds. The average attention span of a goldfish is 9 seconds. How’s that for comparison? Needless to say, it is beyond imperative that you’re able to communicate quickly with your audience.

With leading video marketing platforms including YouTube, Vine, Instagram, Snapchat and Vimeo, marketers can leverage short video advertisements to help generate leads, engage customers, and humanize their message(s) to appeal to a larger audience. Pictures may be worth a thousand words, but well-produced and creative videos can be worth a lot of dollars. *Cha-Ching*

Which Platform Is Right For Your Brand?

Every brand and its messaging are vastly different so it really depends on which video-sharing platform fits your goals and budget. To help you weed through the process, here is a breakdown of each platform.

Vine

• 6-second limit increases the need for creativity
• Brand Vines are shared 4 times more than other videos
• Creating and submitting Vine videos is available via mobile devices only
• No charge to use the video app

YouTube

• Video length is a standard maximum of 15-minutes; but you can extend to unlimited. However, you don’t want to go over three minutes for video advertising
• Helps boost SEO. Read more about increasing your brand’s SEO efforts
• Large, massive audience of potential consumers who are looking at your brand
• No charge to use the video app

Instagram

•  15-second limit
• 59% of the world’s top brands are now active on Instagram
• Cannot upload an Instagram video from a desktop computer (app only)
• No charge to use the video app

Snapchat

• 10-second limit
• Like Instagram, Snapchat videos cannot created from a desktop computer
• Ability to create unique offers (discounts, specials, promos) for VIP consumer
• No charge to use the video app

Vimeo

•  Like YouTube, the length of your Vimeo video can be as long as you would like, but you don’t want to go over three minutes for video advertising
• Although affordable, brands must pay to host videos that promote products/services
• No advertisements are played on your Vimeo video (bonus!)

 

What Does Your Digital Footprint Say About You?

What happens online…stays online! Although your online activity appears to be seemingly private, it is near impossible to achieve total privacy. Every website or digital platform you visit leaves behind a trail (footprint) of data and personal information. Think of it as a trail of bread crumbs that navigates directly to you. This data is transmitted from emails that you send, various social media platforms, company websites, blogs, and any information you submit online. Every status update published on Facebook, every Tweet posted on Twitter, every Pin pinned on Pinterest and every photo shared on Instagram contributes to your digital footprint. The more time that an individual or brand spends on social networking websites, the larger your digital footprint will be. Just because you hit that delete button does not mean that the data was permanently deleted.  So do you know what your online activity say about you?

How Does Your Digital Footprint Affect You?

Only 3% of people perform a search on themselves regularly, and almost three-quarters have only searched for themselves once or twice. It is imperative for your reputation, and perhaps subconscious, to ensure that you know what is being said about you or a brand as well as what you’ve said put out there for the world to see about yourself. If you’re not careful, your actions on the Internet can speak on your behalf well before you’ve even met a potential college admissions counselor, employer, manager, client, or customer. Often times clients have been lost or people have missed a job opportunity due to a poor digital footprint. To build a digital footprint that really helps to positively influence people’s opinions about you or your business, all online activity should be strategically aligned.

7 Suggestions To Help Ensure Positive Digital Footprint

1. Be authentic in everything you do online
2. Make sure your actions and content are credible and trustworthy
3. Regularly perform an Internet search to see what has been published about you or your brand
4. Create social media accounts and make sure the profiles are accurate, maintained, and up-to-date
5. Make sure your privacy settings are set to private, unless you’re a public brand
6. Avoid sharing overly personal or confidential information online
7. Follow the Golden Rule: if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all

Increase Your Rank: Using SEO to Optimize Your Website

With most things in life, many of us often strive to be the best we can be, and as the saying goes,“if you’re not first, you’re last.” This mentality is not only practiced by individuals, but the majority of companies often lead by this example, especially when it concerns website traffic.

When using a website to promote products and/or services, it’s important that the efforts to maximize a company’s Internet presence are executed to its full potential. From Google, Bing, and Yahoo! to Ask.com and AOL, there are a variety of search engines that consumers use to research products and services. The higher a website appears in Internet search results, the more likely potential consumers will visit your page. So, how do you reach the top, or at least the first page of search results? SEO, of course!

What Is SEO?

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization and is the process of getting web traffic from the “free,” “organic,” “editorial” or “natural” search results on search engines.  SEO allows a larger number of consumers to locate a company’s website, providing both the consumer and the company with the results they are looking for on the web. To gain a better understanding of SEO, check out the 3-minute SEO overview video below.

Where to Start

First and foremost, it is essential to have great web content. Not just content that was thrown together for the sake of getting a website up and running, but unique content that will interest consumers and make your company stand out in the sea of competitors. Then, a great place to begin concentrating SEO efforts should take place before the website is built. Although SEO can be added following the website development, it is much easier to create a foundation based on an SEO-ready platform.

SEO Strategies

With Google alone, there are 3.5 billion searches per day and 1.2 trillion searches per year worldwide. These statistics alone are proof of why you need an SEO strategy. Strategies to consider include the following:

• Develop quality content
• Have an easy-to-navigate website
• Optimize links with strong keywords
• Add keywords to meta tags and meta descriptions
• Review analytics and reporting to see where improvements can be made

Ready, set, SEO!

Generating Buzz With Visual Content Marketing

Just 10 to 15 years ago we would have never imagined that traditional marketing would be old news…just like yesterday’s stale newspaper that’s currently collecting dust on your front doorstep. Today, we’ve catapulted into a digital world where the majority of content and media efforts are executed online via the Web and social media. Nowadays, it’s practically impossible to avoid marketing messages online. Are you marketing online? Most likely you’re nodding in agreement, and if you’re not then it’s time to get your creative juices flowing and crank out some powerful, out-of-the-box visual content marketing! So long to the days where text alone will engage consumer’s attention! Visuals are so intriguing that an estimated 40% of consumers will be more likely to respond to a marketing message that contains visual information rather than plain text.

Defining Visual Content Marketing

Visual content marketing provides valuable information, but what exactly is visual content marketing?

Visual content marketing gathers the different forms of content marketing based on visual elements.

 Examples of Visual Content Marketing

• Infographics
• Videos
• Memes
• Animations
• Presentations
• Photographs
• GIFs

Advantages of Visual Content Marketing

In today’s digital environment, timing and relevancy are critical factors of a well-planned visual content marketing strategy. Likewise, it is even more important that content is delivered at the right time to the right audience. Consumers are becoming increasingly immune to marketing and advertising messages, especially those that are not relevant to their wants and needs. Mis-marketed content leads some consumers to develop an unfavorable attitude toward the company or take some kind of action to limit the messaging.

Visual content marketing helps increase engagement and brand awareness as well as affords a company the ability to amplify its revenue and overall sales growth. Visual content also plays a significant role on social media. Attractive content on social media tends to be easier to digest and more share-able. The more eyes on your product, the more likely they consumers are to visit your website and make purchases!

There’s An App for That

Nowadays there is an app for just about everything you can imagine, and if it hasn’t been created, chances are it will be. This is especially beneficial for marketers who are constantly trying to reach their audiences with as many media as possible. Because most of us are usually in arm’s reach of at least one electronic device, app creators have taken notice and developed apps that available on various smart phones and tablets.

Apps have revolutionized the way the modern marketer uses mobile marketing to reach consumers…making it an easier, faster, more accessible, and affordable strategy. Generally, consumers are spending more time on their apps than ever before. In fact, new data from Nielsen shows that U.S. Android and iPhone users age 18 and over spend 65% more time each month using apps than they did just two years ago. Further data indicate consumers used approximately 26.8 apps per month in 2013, a slight increase from 2012, and 2011. Although the average number of apps used is not growing at an exponential rate, it is showing no signs of slowing down. So, if you’re not using apps to promote your business, why not??

 

The beauty of apps is that your marketing message is always with the consumer, likely tucked away in their pockets or handbags. Having the ability to market on the go enables businesses to use apps to send coupons, discounts, and promotions to highly targeted consumers as well as offer a channel to order products, make secure purchases, and track orders. With apps there’s no more need to worry about coupons that were left at home, the trouble over lost receipts, or misplacing your gold level rewards card…which you took pride in racking up those extra points during last Saturday’s blowout sale. Shhh…your secret is safe with me! 

Taking the time to develop a well-done app can make all the difference in your business. It’s an easy way to generate extra revenue, and keep that constant line of open communication with your consumers.

Using Pinterest to Reach Your Target Market

When I first heard about Pinterest years ago, I can remember thinking, “What is the point of this?  Why would there be a need for a website/app to bookmark some of your favorite things when you can simply search for them using the Internet?” Then, I decided to give it a try and it was all over from there. Hook, line, and sinker. I quickly became obsessed, pinning recipes, fashion ideas, home decor tips, and more.  I was part of the 70 million Pinterest addicts *ahem* users.

So, for those who are not familiar with Pinterest, here’s a quick overview. Pinterest, an emerging social media, is a virtual pin-board where users are able to search, organize, and share a variety of ideas.  Pinterest is no longer used merely for personal use, it has now evolved to business use with approximately 500,000 business accounts. Marketers have discovered the power of Pinterest to optimize their brand and generate traffic to their websites.  In fact, in 2012, Sony published data that indicated that Pinterest attributed to driving 2.5 times more traffic to its homepage.  More traffic to your website equals more money! More revenue for the company could increase the chances you could get a pay raise or some other incentive. Score!

So, now that social media sites are playing a role in search engine optimization (SEO), it is important to consider integrating Pinterest into the company’s social media or marketing strategy and set aside some time each week for pinning.  Not putting enough time into Pinterest won’t help the company climb the search ranks, so if it’s a tool you want to use, make sure you are making the most of it.

Although Pinterest can be fun and addicting for personal use, businesses should carefully consider the type of content they are sharing before mindlessly clicking the pin button. Lastly, in order to be the most effective with Pinterest, consider the following 10 elements when pinning:

1. Optimize your Pinterest name, boards and pins for Pinterest search
2. Pin content that is interesting and relevant
3. Provide link backs to company website, only if the pin is from your website
4. Personalize captions under the pin’s description
5. Include hashtags and keywords in the pin’s description
6. Make sure you share a variety of pins, including videos, photos, and articles
7. Don’t neglect your profile. Edit the About Me section to briefly describe your company
8. Take the time to engage with other users by repinning and making comments on pins
9. If you want to use your personal Pinterest account for business, be sure to convert your personal Page to a business page
10. Follow other businesses’ boards and see the types of content they pin

Check out this interesting infographic – it’s a great example of the many infographics that are often shared on Pinterest. Happy pinning!