Do you struggle to create effective social media posts? For most of us we have no idea where to start. We don’t know what to say and we sure don’t know how to design a post. We’re not graphic designers after all. What we are is business owners looking to get our message to stand out in a sea of posts. If this is you and you can’t afford to hire a graphic designer or social media manager, let me tell you about Canva. Using Canva will help you create the best social media posts that will attract your ideal customer.

 

What is Canva?

Canva is both a free and paid online graphic design program. It offers an impressive number of features that include templates to give you a jumpstart on creating effective social media posts as well as other types of projects such as flyers, business cards, Zoom backgrounds, and so much more.

The free program is where most of us start but if you find you are doing a lot of posting or creating flyers or signage etc. for your business you might consider upgrading to the Canva Pro for a nominal monthly charge. With that you will get expanded graphics, photos, backgrounds, and tools within the program.

 

7 Steps to Create Effective Social Media Posts

1. Have a clear picture in your mind of who your ideal customer is. When you do, you will know the words to use, the pictures that will resonate with them and the problems they have that you can solve. (Hint: One helpful feature in Canva is the search bar where you can type in a keyword that will then show you images to match.)
2. Select the proper sizing for the post. Canva has the appropriate sizing built in so you just need to start with knowing where you will use the post. Will it be a Facebook post? A Facebook Cover Photo? A flyer? A Zoom background? A Presentation? Selecting the right size will optimize the output and make it easier to read.
3. Start with a headline. What will make the reader stop scrolling and draw them into your post. Using a keyword that is tied into a pain point for your ideal customer is a good place to start. Canva offers three basic text sizes for a heading, a subheading or body copy, but you can also adjust the size up or down in the layout.
4. Choose a strong graphic that will resonate with your ideal customer and that demonstrates the purpose of your post. A strong graphic will pull a reader in when a lot of words won’t.

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Don’t fill the space with a lot of words. Make it easy to read and with white space for the eyes to rest. It is best to keep the words to the absolute minimum to get the idea across and to get the reader to some sort of action. Focus on the benefits of what you are offering and then give a Call to Action- Call, Text, Email, Come In as an example.

6. Finally end with your logo, business name and contact information.

7. Now, go back and review what you have done. Does it get the message across that you intended? Will your ideal customer see it that way as well? If not, go back and make whatever changes are needed to make it become the best social media post you can put out there.

 

So, as you can see, creating an effective social media post is not particularly hard when you start with the right tools. Tell me, have you used Canva in your business? Drop me an email at info@rhondaloweconsulting.com and share your experiences and tips. Canva is definitely an invaluable tool in my business toolbox.