Using Canva to Create Beautiful Free & Low Cost Website and Print Graphics: Review of the Platform

Hi, friend! Times sure have changed. I grew up in the '80s. I remember when only people who made the big bucks were able to advertise their businesses. It cost thousands to have company brochures printed up, and thousands more to get access to a mailing list and have print ads made up to send out to your prospects.

I worked in corporate advertising in the '90s. It cost thousands more to hire professional photographers, graphic designers and copywriters to work up a creative ad campaign for your company that would drive results. (Yes, this can still be the case if you're a giant corporation with a massive advertising budget).

Here's something that blows my mind. With each decade, it gets easier and cheaper to manage your own advertising, or to pay mere dollars to hire someone with minimal skills to do it for you. We have the internet now. Everything is right there at your fingertips.

I recently discovered Canva.com. This is a website where you can quickly and easily design your own print and online marketing materials. They have a free option which is definitely high value. You get a LOT of design options and templates to customize. If you really want to get into the finer details, there's a paid upgrade. But it's totally up to you if you decide to use it!

Now that there's so much pressure to be seen on all the different online platforms, you want a tool that's both low cost and simple to use. You also don't want to spend hours struggling with trying to create custom graphic files that are sized to work with different platforms.

Canva does this for you, and all you need to know is how to get around the web and social media.

In Canva, you can log into your account and start creating a logo for your company immediately. Just go right to the Design area and start flipping through their various templates. Assuming you're not super picky, you're sure to be satisfied by what you see there. Click on a design that you like, and access the template. You get to use their editing tool to customize the design with your own company message and images.

Here are some ideas of what you can do with Canva's software.

1. Create a logo for your company.
2. Create a top header for your blog.
3. Create a banner for your company Facebook page.
4. Create social media graphics to announce your company events and launches.
5. Create flyers to print or share on social media and your blog.
6. Create PDF downloads to share as an opt-in gift to grow your list.
7. Create Ebooks and turn into clickable PDFs so you can place your affiliate links in if you'd like to make passive income.
8. Create a product handout.
9. Create info graphics to share on social media.
10. Create an ebook cover.
11. …much more!

Here's what types of skills you should already have in order to use Canva with ease.

1. You should know how to upload and download files to and from your computer.
2. You should have basic understanding of image editing programs.
3. You should know how to add links to a document.
4. You should know how to upload image files to social media.
5. You should know how to copy and paste text.
6. You should know how to style text and change paragraph treatments.

If you've ever sat there for hours getting frustrated not knowing how to make an image fit into your social media header, or looked at your logo knowing you'd love to change it but can't afford to pay a designer… rest assured. Canva is there to make your DIY online business, blogging and social sharing life super simple, affordable and fun.

FYI, Canva is a must-have program if you want to turn the PLR that you purchase from Wordfeeder into attractive, high quality designed materials that your readers will love. Design projects that would cost you thousands and take months to complete can be done and ready to upload to your social accounts, website and email newsletter in a single night, or a couple of days at best.

What are you waiting for?

Try out Canva's free design templates now.

They're fabulous, and will take your content marketing to the next level.

Dina at Wordfeeder PLR