How to Customize Canva Templates for Your Brand (design tutorial and checklist)
As Canva template designers, we've spent countless hours perfecting the templates that we create for small business owners to use to create content more efficiently. Since Canva has a user-friendly interface it truly is a go-to resource for businesses, bloggers, and creatives alike.
And the magic happens when you take Canva templates and make them uniquely yours, specific to your business and to your brand. And there is a specific process that you should take when customizing Canva templates. And we want to walk you through our tried-and-true design checklist for customizing Canva templates, ensuring your graphics not only look professional but also align perfectly with your brand identity.
Why Customizing Templates Matters
Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of template customization, let's talk about why it's so crucial. In a world where visual content reigns supreme, standing out is more important than ever. Using templates straight out of the box might save you time, but it won't do you any favors in the long run.
Your audience craves authenticity, and generic designs simply won't cut it. By customizing templates, you're not just creating graphics; you're crafting a visual identity that resonates with your audience and reinforces your brand.Now, let's break down the process into four essential steps that will transform your Canva creations from good to great.
Step One: Customize All Elements
The first step in our design checklist is arguably the most important and time-consuming. It's where the real transformation begins. Let's break this down into sub-sections to ensure we cover all bases:
Replacing and Adjusting the Background of your Design
Your background sets the tone for your entire design. No matter what template you are customizing for social media, the background is your canvas. Here's what you need to do:
If the template uses a solid color, consider whether it aligns with your brand palette, and change the color if necessary. Don't be afraid to experiment with gradients or textures to add depth.
For templates with background images or videos, replace them with high-quality visuals that reflect your brand's aesthetic, if what is provided in the template doesn't fit. Remember, consistency is key in building brand recognition.
Swapping Out Stock Images with Branded Photos
Stock photos are a great starting point, but they can make your design feel impersonal. This is where you should lean into branded photography, or at least find stock images that fit your brand aesthetic. Here's how to fix that:
Replace generic stock photos with your own high-quality images. This could include product shots, team photos, or behind-the-scenes glimpses of your business.
If you must use stock photos, choose ones that align closely with your brand's style and message. Avoid overused images that your audience has seen a thousand times before.
Changing out Visual Elements, Logos, and Illustrations
Design elements like icons, shapes, and illustrations play a crucial role in conveying your message visually. Sometimes templates will come with visual elements that don't quite fit your vibe, and there are a few things that you may want to swap around. Here's what to consider:
Evaluate each design element critically. Does it contribute to your message, or is it just taking up space?
Replace generic elements with ones that reflect your brand's personality. For instance, if you're a tech company, swap out hand-drawn icons for sleek, minimalist ones.
Consider creating custom elements that are unique to your brand. This could be as simple as using your logo in creative ways throughout the design.
Or if the element simply doesn't fit with your branding, you can also just delete it and not replace it with anything
Adding in Your Brand Fonts and Typography
Typography is a powerful tool in design. The right fonts can make or break your visual. Here's how to nail it:
Replace default fonts with ones that align with your brand guidelines. If you don't have brand guidelines, now's the time to establish them!
Ensure readability by choosing clear, legible fonts for body text.
Use decorative fonts sparingly, and only for headlines or accent text.
Maintain consistency in your font choices across all your designs to strengthen brand recognition.
Branded Color Palettes and Color Coordination
Colors evoke emotions and can significantly impact how your audience perceives your message. And you may have worked with a graphic designer or brand strategist to establish a color palette to suit your brand or your business. You should implement your brand strategy even when using Canva templates. Here's what to do:
Adjust the colors of text, icons, and other elements to match your brand's color palette.
Use your primary brand color for important elements you want to highlight.
Implement secondary colors to create contrast and visual interest.
By meticulously customizing these elements, you're not just changing the look of a template; you're infusing it with your brand's DNA. This step alone can transform a generic design into something that truly represents your business or personal brand.
Step Two: Spell Check Like Your Life Depends On It
In the world of design, content is king, but typos are the jesters that can make your brand look foolish. No matter how visually stunning your design is, a single spelling mistake can undermine your professionalism and credibility. Here's how to ensure your content is as polished as your design:
Review All of the Text and Copy in Canva First
Utilize Canva's built-in AI spell check feature. It's a good starting point but shouldn't be your only line of defense.
Read through your text slowly and carefully, word by word. It's easy for our brains to autocorrect mistakes when we're reading quickly.
Pay special attention to commonly misspelled words and homophones (e.g., their/there/they're, your/you're).
Review Your Design Prior to Posting
After downloading your design, view it on a different device. A change in format can help you spot errors you might have missed on screen.
Read your text out loud. This can help you catch awkward phrasing or missing words that your eyes might skip over.
While spell check is crucial, don't forget about grammar and punctuation:
Check for proper capitalization, especially in titles and headings.
Ensure consistent use of punctuation marks.
Verify that your sentences are complete and make sense.
Remember, spell check tools aren't infallible. They might miss contextual errors or proper nouns. That's why human proofreading is irreplaceable. By dedicating time to thorough proofreading, you're safeguarding your brand's reputation and ensuring that your message comes across clearly and professionally.
Step Three: Check Contrast for Visual Clarity
In the world of design, contrast isn't just about aesthetics; it's about accessibility and user experience. Proper contrast ensures that your content is easily readable and that important elements stand out. Let's dive into why contrast matters and how to get it right:
The Science of Contrast in Your Digital Designs
Contrast in design refers to the difference in visual properties that makes an object distinguishable from other objects and the background. When it comes to text and background, contrast is crucial for readability. Here's why:
High contrast makes text easier to read, reducing eye strain for your audience.
Proper contrast ensures that your content is accessible to people with visual impairments.
Good contrast can guide the viewer's eye to important information, improving the overall effectiveness of your design.
How to Check and Improve Contrast in Your Designs
There are 2 different methods that you can consider when checking and improving the contrast when customizing your Canva templates.
The Squint Test: Squint your eyes while looking at your design. If elements blur together, you need more contrast. This quick test can help you identify areas where contrast might be lacking.
Use Contrast Checking Tools: While Canva doesn't have a built-in contrast checker, you can use online tools like WebAIM's Contrast Checker or Coolors' Contrast Checker to evaluate your overall brand palette and how well those colors work together. These tools can help you determine if your color combinations meet accessibility standards.
Proper contrast is a powerful tool that goes beyond mere aesthetics; it fundamentally enhances the functionality and impact of your design. This attention to detail not only improves the overall look of your design but also makes it more inclusive and accessible to a wider range of viewers, including those with visual impairments.
Step Four: Test Readability for Maximum Engagement
In our mobile-first world, ensuring your designs are readable on small screens is no longer optional—it's essential. This final step in our checklist is often overlooked, but it can make or break the success of your visual content.
Consider these statistics:
Over 50% of global web traffic comes from mobile devices.
Social media platforms, like Instagram, are most often accessed on smartphones.
Many people check their emails primarily on mobile devices.
Given these trends, if your design isn't readable on a small screen, you're potentially losing more than half of your audience's attention. So here's how to test your design's readability:
Zoom Out to 30%: In Canva, use the zoom function to reduce your design to about 30% of its original size. This simulates how your design might appear on a smartphone screen.
Conduct a Readability Check: Can you easily read all the text? Are important design elements still visible and distinguishable? Does the overall layout make sense at this size?
Consider Various Screen Sizes: Remember that smartphones come in different sizes, so what looks good on your device might not work on all screens. Make sure that your design will fit multiple different devices
This is one of the most crucial aspects of customizing your Canva templates, so there are a few common mistakes that we see people make. But, the good thing is, they are all relatively easy to fix. Let's chat through some:
Number One: Text Size
Issue: Text that's too small becomes illegible on mobile devices.
Solution: Increase font sizes, particularly for body text. A good rule of thumb is to use at least 20pt for body text.
Number Two: Font Choices
Issue: Decorative or script fonts can be hard to read when scaled down.
Solution: Opt for clear, sans-serif fonts for better readability on small screens.
Number Three: Cluttered Layouts
Issue: Too many elements can create visual noise on a small screen.
Solution: Simplify your design. Focus on one main message or call-to-action per graphic.
Number Four: Color Contrast
Issue: Poor contrast becomes more pronounced on smaller screens.
Solution: Revisit your color choices to ensure strong contrast, especially for text elements.
Number Five: Complex Imagery
Issue: Detailed images or infographics might lose clarity when scaled down.
Solution: Simplify complex graphics or consider creating separate, mobile-optimized versions.
By prioritizing readability, you're not just making your designs look good; you're ensuring they perform well across all devices. This attention to detail can significantly boost engagement rates and the overall effectiveness of your visual content.
Elevating Your Canva Designs to New Heights
As we wrap up this comprehensive guide to customizing Canva templates, let's recap the key steps that will transform your designs from ordinary to extraordinary:
Customize All Elements: Infuse your brand's DNA into every aspect of the design.
Spell Check Rigorously: Ensure your content is as polished as your visuals.
Check Contrast: Make your designs accessible and visually appealing.
Test Readability: Guarantee your message shines through on all devices.
Remember, the goal isn't just to create beautiful designs; it's to create effective visual communication that resonates with your audience and drives engagement. By following this checklist, you're not just using Canva—you're mastering it.
As you apply these steps to your design process, you'll find that your creativity flourishes within the framework of best practices. Your designs will not only look more professional but will also perform better, helping you achieve your marketing and communication goals.
And while this is a design process that ANYONE can follow no matter what Canva templates you decide to customize for their brand... we have done a lot of the heavy lifting for your with the templates inside of our Canva template membership, Your Template Club.
With our templates, we keep all of these design processes and theories in mind, so you can quickly and easily customize and fine tune them for your brand!
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Manu Muraro is the founder of Your Social Team, an Instagram training membership and template shop that help social media managers and Instagram-savvy small business owners to grow engagement and sales using Instagram and content marketing, without the overwhelm. Born and raised in Brazil, Manu moved to the U.S. in 2000 right out of college to work for Cartoon Network, where she made an award winning career in creative and strategy. In 2021, Manu started Your Template Club, a Canva template subscription service to help social media professionals and Canva-savvy business owners to create content that performs on Instagram, add more Instagram features into their strategy, such as Instagram Lives and Reels, and save time.