5 Canva Tips Every Business Owner Should Know (But You Might Not!)

Jacqui Naunton // White Deer
7 Jun 2024

In the bustling world of business, visual design plays a crucial role in attracting and retaining customers. Canva has emerged as a game-changer for business owners who desire to craft stunning graphics effortlessly. Whether you're new to Canva or a seasoned user, this tutorial will introduce you to five essential tips that can streamline your design process and elevate your brand's visuals. Dive into these handpicked pointers to harness the full potential of Canva and make your business stand out.

1. Explore Canva's Magic Studio Features

Canva's Magic Studio is a treasure trove of tools designed to make your design process seamless and fun.

  • Background Remover: Easily subtracts the backdrop from your images, a handy feature when you need to isolate a subject.
  • Magic Expand: Provides additional space around your design elements. This can be particularly useful if parts of your image are cut off.
  • Magic Grab: A more advanced form of background removal, it fills in the space behind the removed subject using AI.
  • Grab Text and Magic Edit/Eraser: Explore these to creatively manipulate your graphics.

Taking time to familiarise yourself with these features can be incredibly useful for various design needs.

2. Handy Shortcuts to Speed Up Your Workflow

Efficiency is key, and knowing shortcuts can dramatically increase your productivity. Here are a few to remember:

  • Press R to insert a rectangle, which can be resized and styled with borders and rounded corners.
  • Press C to insert a circle. This flexible shape allows adjustments to border weight and colours.
  • Use L for a line and customise it with different endpoints, colours, and bends for a dynamic look.

These shortcuts can save you significant time, especially when designing multiple elements.

3. Text Box Tips and Tricks

Working with text requires precision and flexibility. Here are essential tips:

  • Individual Colour Changes: You can change the colour of specific words within a text box to highlight parts of your message.
  • Uppercase Toggle: Convert your text to all caps without needing to retype, offering a quick way to adjust text presentation.
  • Bullet and Number Points: Easily list information for clarity and emphasis.
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Don't overlook the spacing options to ensure your text looks professional and is easily readable.

4. Organise with Folders

Keeping your Canva projects organized is fundamental for efficiency:

  • If you have Canva Pro, utilise the brand kit for easy access to your colours and logos.
  • Use folders to store elements, designs, and more. Right-click an element and add it to a folder to save time searching for it later.

This organisation helps maintain consistency across your designs and saves time.

5. Use Copy Style Effectively

The Copy Style feature is a powerful tool for maintaining consistency:

  • Apply the style of one text box, image, or shape to another with a few clicks—ideal for repetitive tasks across multiple graphics.

This feature ensures uniformity and saves you the hassle of manually replicating styles.

Bonus Tip: Leverage Version History

Mistakes happen, and Canva's Version History is a saviour:

  • If you're using Canva Pro, you can access previous versions of your design, allowing you to restore or duplicate past iterations. This can recover lost work and experiment without fear.

Understanding and using Version History can prevent many hassles and give peace of mind during the design process.

Embark on a journey to transform your business visuals using these insightful Canva tips. Incorporate them into your design routine and watch your graphics—as well as your business—flourish creatively and strategically. Whether it's enhancing photos, styling text, or organizing your workspace, these tools are here to support your unique brand expression. Happy designing!

Jacqui Naunton // White Deer