Using Canva for Content Creation:
A Game-Changer for Small Businesses
At our organization, we have streamlined our content creation process by using Canva. Over the past two years, we have shifted exclusively to Canva after experimenting with various other applications, aiming to save time and maximize efficiency. In the last year alone, we have created over 2,000 designs in Canva, and we continue to add more every day. Our mission is to freely share our knowledge and expertise across different social networks, supporting local small businesses in their growth and outreach efforts.
Why Canva?
Canva has emerged as a powerful tool for small businesses to create content. Over the past few years, Canva has continuously enhanced its features, providing both free and paid versions that cater to different levels of content creation needs. The free version is an excellent choice for individuals or small businesses with minimal content creation needs. However, to maximize efficiency and create content for various social networks regularly, we recommend using the paid version.
Through our own testing, we have found that the paid version offers significant advantages for businesses, allowing them to achieve professional results with ease. For those who want to learn more, we offer free business networking events where we share insights about Canva, social networks, and more. We aim to help you understand your options, avoid common pitfalls, and maximize your social media presence.
The Challenge for Small Businesses
Many small businesses struggle with understanding how to effectively use their social media profiles. They often question which networks to use, why their reach and engagement are low, and how to improve their social media strategy. As people grow tired of personal use on their preferred networks, they look for alternatives better suited to their interests and needs. Businesses that are not comfortable creating video content regularly are missing out on significant opportunities. This is where Canva can help fill the gap, enabling businesses to create engaging content for various networks.
Creating Video Content with Canva
Video content has become essential on many social networks. Platforms like YouTube and TikTok primarily focus on video, meaning that businesses not utilizing these channels are missing out. Canva offers tools to create short video content using animated text, images, and music, allowing businesses to produce high-quality videos without needing to appear on camera or record voiceovers.
With Canva, you can create short videos (1080 x 1920) ideal for platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Threads, LinkedIn, Tumblr, and Reddit. Additionally, Canva allows the creation of longer, full-sized videos (1920 x 1080) suitable for YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Threads, LinkedIn, Tumblr, and Reddit.
Understanding Video Dimensions
Different platforms have varying requirements for video dimensions. Short video content, for example, is designed for smartphone use, with platforms like TikTok only supporting videos in 1080 x 1920 dimensions. Other platforms, like Facebook and Instagram, have introduced Stories and Reels to take advantage of these vertical dimensions, which are prioritized differently in their algorithms.
Facebook Stories, for instance, are ideal for time-sensitive content as they are prominently featured for about 24 hours. Instagram Stories can be grouped to highlight content on a profile, while Reels begin to decline in algorithmic ranking after 24 hours. YouTube offers both "Shorts" for quick content and full-sized videos, each optimized differently within the platform's algorithm to maximize reach.
Instagram also supports square video content, and Canva provides tools to create these. However, we have found that using a mix of images, Reels, and Stories achieves similar reach and engagement, making additional square video content less critical unless specific to Instagram’s focus.
Maximizing Canva’s Potential
Canva also allows for basic editing of video content shot on a camera or smartphone. This can be a quick way to create branded content that enhances brand awareness. With a growing selection of frames and elements, Canva makes it easy to experiment and develop unique, eye-catching content. The Pro (paid) version offers a vast library of video content that can be used without copyright concerns, further expanding the creative possibilities.
While there are other apps similar to Canva, our experience has shown that Canva remains a leader in content creation for small businesses and even large-scale corporate use. Its continuous updates and improvements ensure it stays ahead of the competition, providing more benefits to its users.
Final Thoughts
We hope this overview provides useful insights into the power of Canva for content creation. We are excited to share more tips and strategies through our free networking events, helping you leverage social media to its fullest potential.
Join us and learn how you can make the most of your digital presence!
LIFE - Love Is For Everyone!
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I was one of the founding members of the LIFE Rally Oshawa, where we met every Sunday at Memorial Park to provide free food, clothing, and other necessities. This initiative continued until the pandemic began. During this time, I also started working on Just Oshawa and the LIFE Community Project. When the pandemic started, the LIFE Community Project became my full-time focus, providing over 250 meals a day, eventually tapering down to about 125 meals daily.
Throughout all these years, I have been testing, researching, and developing what has become the foundation of what you see today. My experiences, including a stroke and open-heart surgery over the last few years, taught me invaluable lessons and helped clarify my path forward. It has been a challenging journey, filled with learning experiences that were necessary to fulfill my dream of fostering more love and compassion in the world.