You need to work on your visual branding, but you can’t afford a designer. Consider this Canva review to determine if you can do the design work yourself.
Then, you’ll be able to grow your brand and business. Read on to learn how Canva works and how you can use it as a musician.
But first, this post contains affiliate links. Check out my full disclosure policy to learn more.
Quick Canva Review
Canva is a website and mobile app that you can use to create graphics. They recently allowed you to edit videos as well. And you can edit still images like any other photo editor.
I prefer to use Canva on my laptop and to use the website version. It’s a lot easier to drag things around on my designs and place them exactly where I want to. The smaller screen makes most edits nearly impossible.
But the app is useful for downloading files directly on my phone. So if I want to share a story on Instagram, I can easily download the slides that I designed in Canva using my computer.
Free Canva Features
You can use Canva for free and access quite a lot of features. The tool gives you access to tons of templates, but you can also start with a blank design. There are social media, blog graphic, and other templates you can choose from.
Another option is to create a custom design and choose the size and shape in pixels or inches. Then, you can really customize the image you want to create.
In the editor, you can choose from dozens of fonts, and you can use the hex code to set custom colors for your document. There are also tons of graphics and stock photos and videos available.
Canva Pro Features
If you want to make the most of the tool, I’d recommend upgrading to Canva Pro. It comes with everything in the free tier. But you’ll get access to even more templates and stock media.
I love how you can create a brand kit that includes your brand colors. Then, you won’t have to worry about remembering the hex codes everytime you create a new design.
You’ll also be able to set a logo, and you can download images with a transparent background. That’s perfect for things like logos and other images that you want to display on your website.
Another excellent option is that you can change the size of a design. So you could turn a blog post graphic into an Instagram square post or vice versa.
You can pay monthly or annually for Canva Pro. And if you ever hire an assistant, you can use Canva Teams to give other people access to certain designs so that they can help you create content for your business.
Ways to Use Canva as a Musician
As you read through a Canva review, you may wonder why it’s worth using in your music business. Consider the following ways you can use Canva.
Design a Logo
I designed the HBF logo in Canva, and I’ve used it for over four years. It was super easy to create the image and download it.
Sure, you can hire a designer, and you may want to. But if you’re on a tight budget, Canva makes it super easy to create a good logo.
Create Recital Programs and Posters
When I was in college, I designed a poster to promote one of my degree recitals, and I used Canva to do it. You can add text, images, and graphics, so you can list the details of your event.
This is a great option for current music majors, performers, and even studio teachers. If you have a studio recital coming up, you can make a poster and even the recital program in Canva.
Develop eBooks and Covers
Maybe you want to start making some passive income in your music business. If you want to do that with eBooks, Canva is great. I’ve written eBooks in Google Docs, but I’ve designed the covers for them in Canva.
I’ll then download both files as PDFs and combine them on my Mac with the Preview app. Then, I’ll upload the final PDF to my website for sale. You can design covers in Google Docs or Word, but Canva has so many more options.
Make Blog Post Graphics
If you want to promote your blog on social media, I’d recommend designing a graphic. That way, it can catch readers’ eyes as they scroll. A graphic is also required for platforms like Pinterest.
When I finish writing a blog post, I’ll go into Canva to create a graphic. I usually just copy the most recent one and use it as a template. Change out the text to the title of the new post, and download it to your computer.
Prepare Social Media Posts
Speaking of social media promo, you can make Instagram posts and other content in Canva. Use the different features, from the right template to the different images and graphics.
I love how you can even connect your Canva account to your social media accounts. Then, you can publish the post right to social media. Add your caption and publish immediately (any tier) or schedule it for later (Pro only).
Do You Need Canva Pro?
Canva Pro is nice, but you don’t need it. If you want to give the Pro features a try, I’d recommend doing the free trial. Then, you can see how much of the features you actually use.
If you use them a lot, it’s worth paying for Canva Pro after your trial expires. Otherwise, you can use the free version and get similar results.
Final Thoughts
A good Canva review can help you decide if the program is for you. I love using it to design all of my social and website graphics.
Be sure to give it a try to see if you like it. Then, you can upgrade to Canva Pro to get even more features.
And if you’re looking to use Canva to create social media content, check out The Instagram Marketing & Sales Academy to ensure that content drives sales.