If you speak to a designer about Canva, it is likely that they will not have a nice word for it. The creative industry sees Canva as a threat. However, I would like to make a difference between moving things in Canva with no design experience versus using well-templated designs.
You can easily tell when a social tile has been done in Canva when the user has just used its templates and elements because they lack specific brand application. The font is wrong, the colours don’t match, and the photography and imagery style is all over the place.
However, and actually, Canva has a place in the creative industry.
– Really? – said my designer friend.
Autonomy for small businesses
As brand designers, we can design and implement templates in Canva. This way, the business owner can do mundane things like social media or presentations without needing a designer or, worse, DIY it.
Keep the brand consistency
Having designed templates and training for the business, you can then ensure consistency and coherence in the brand.
Working with small businesses and startups
Our work with TERN (The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network) has brought us to use Canva with pride, giving us access to entrepreneurs (like Nayab or Trees against poverty) to become self-sufficient in the first years of their journey. Keeping their brands strong.
I think Canva is not as much a threat but a potential help to keep our work and continue doing what we do well. Adding value to the business and always being helpful.
