Why you should use Canva to create gorgeous social media content for your trades-based business

Why you should use Canva to create gorgeous social media content for your trades-based business

Written by Emma Sloan, Social Media Manager and Content Writer

 

Visuals: the bread-and-butter of any business’s social media. But why are they important? And how can you, as a trades-based business, use Canva to maximize your visual content without breaking the bank?

Why should you invest in visuals for your social media?

In today’s high-density, highly competitive market, the pressure to produce high-quality and relevant content has never been more intense. Visuals have, in fact, been proven as the #1 most effective marketing resource – and the stats that back that are staggering. Facts such as how the human brain processes images 60,000 times faster than text, as well as how 80% of people remember what they see vs. only 20% of what they read, are only the tip of the ice burg as to why visuals are so key. If you can convince your users to stay on your page for half a minute, they are statistically more likely to stay on your page for far longer and develop a genuine interest in your brand.

As a business owner, you’re tasked with the challenge of not only keeping up with your competition but outshining them. Hashtags, prime posting times, blog posts chocked full of keywords—none of those will slice through the clutter as quickly or effectively as strong visuals will.

What is Canva?

Now that we’ve re-established why you should care about the visuals you are producing, let’s move on to the heart of the matter: Canva.

For those who are unfamiliar, Canva is a graphic design tool website that utilizes a drag-and-drop format to make creating visuals accessible to even design novices. Through providing access to millions of photographs, templates, graphics, and fonts, Canva has became one of the most highly-ranked tools for both print and web design.

Take this Instagram graphic as an example:

With the font, design, and layout already pre-decided, creators can easily tweak both the words and formatting to suit their every marketing need in mere minutes.

Need an infographic for your website, a logo, or a header for your website or blog? Canva’s got you covered. Check out some of these ideas, then go build your own.

In short, colourful, personable, and attention-grabbing visuals can be yours. Connection can’t be overstated when talking about content marketing, and what establishes a connection quicker than fresh visuals that your customers can’t bear to scroll past?

Famous examples

Which companies spring to mind when you hear the words “great visuals”? There are lists upon lists of compilations, but here are three of our personal famous favourites:

Nike

A bold, triadic colour scheme; candidness; and clear, naturalistic product placement—it’s easy to see how Nike’s visuals ensnare their customers’ attention with ease.

Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola’s emphasis on composition and atmosphere rather than text, eye-catching contrasting colours, and playing into current trends (such as the resurgence of ‘60s in 2018, which is harkened to here via her hoop earrings, jumpsuit, and strong overall bohemian vibe) proves that even simple illustrations have the power to be a force to reckon with in the realm of content marketing.

Whole Foods

Don’t underestimate the power of photography—marketing powerhouse Whole Foods proves time and time that high-resolution product shots can and will continue to be one of the most popular visuals on the market.

The bottom line?

Whether it’s photographs, art, or font-based graphics, any trades-based business can create gorgeous social media content in the blink of an eye with the use of Canva. Visuals can be as personal and unique as your brand is— and in this highly competitive market, that originality is what is going to raise your content marketing above the rest of the noise.  

How to use Canva?

Here are a few resources with tips and tricks to get the most out of your Canva experience:

Make an impact with stunning visuals

Build a Better Website

Build a Better Website

Build a Better Website: How to Structure Your Web Content

Written by Emma Sloan, Social Media Manager and Content Writer

Your webpage is often the first experience your prospective customers will have with your business, and there are some core components that will help them understand why you’re the best business for their current need. If your site is missing these components, you might be making it harder for your prospects to choose you. So let’s fix that.

Today, we’re breaking down the core structural components of a good webpage (the USP, the hero shot, the benefits, the social proof, and the CTA) to understand why they are essential.

USP

Your unique selling proposition (or USP for short) is the jumping-off point for any marketing campaign. It creates clear expectations straight off the bat and can be broken down into four main elements: the main headline, the supporting headline, the reinforcement statement, and the closing headline. You should have your USP figured out before making any decisions about your website, so this message can be sprinkled throughout the site for maximum effect.

Your USP is the short and sweet statement that you use to describe your business. It needs to convey what you do, who you do it for, and why you’re the right choice for your target audience at this particular time.

Domino Pizza’s made a huge splash in the pizza industry with this classic USP:  “You get fresh, hot pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less—or it’s free.” This message tells their audience (people who are hungry) that they can eat a pizza (what they do) probably faster than they could make it themselves (how they’re better than the alternatives.) They’re not saying they’re the cheapest or best pizza in town – heck, they’re not even saying that the pizza is good – but they’ll get it to you so you can get it in you, fast. And it worked. While their messaging has evolved over the years, this USP is often used as an example of how to do it right.

When you create your USP, brevity and clarity cannot be overstated. Make your USP something you can tell your grandma so she can easily understand what you do, and you’ll be on the right track.

Hero

Your hero shot – the image at the top of each page, should ‘sell the hell out of your product’ (according to unbounce.com, an excellent resource to learn how to market your business). The hero is typically a product shot or video that demonstrates how your product or your service works, so your prospects can visualize themselves using it. It’s key to both capturing your client’s attention and creating a great user experience. From the moment the person lands on your page, they’ll have a solid idea of what you’re offering. For maximum utility, aim for a photo or video that shows the product in its context of use; customers want to see the product or service in action to get a glimpse into exactly what they’ll be buying.

The Benefits

After the USP and hero shot, a potential client will be drawn to the question “How will this product or service benefit me?” Your job is to quickly and concisely outline the top benefits and feature descriptions of your product or service. Features are what you do, but the benefits are what they do for your customers. If you’re a plumber, you might snake a drain, but the benefit is that they don’t have to worry that the water will stay in the sink after they pull the plug.

Don’t make a laundry list of benefits, but be sure to identify the main ones that your prospect might be having. Plumbers might have something like ‘we unclog your drains.’ Electricians might have ‘we keep your lights on.’ At Time2GetOnline.com, we take care of your website, so you don’t have to.

The Social Proof

Photo by Fancycrave on Unsplash

Social proof is the single most powerful and persuasive tool you have in your online toolbox. Through the words of people who have bought, used, or participated in what you are offering, potential customers will be subconsciously affirmed of your quality and reliability.

Key elements of social proofs are statistics (such as how many happy clients your business has had), personal testimonials, how well-received your business is on social media, trust seals, awards, and customer reviews.

CTA

The call-to-action—or CTA for short— is your single most important conversion tool. Since the key to having potential clients interact with it, its design, placement on the page, and wording all need to be user-friendly. Make it simple, make it clear, and place it prominently. There should be no confusion as to what you want the reader to do.

Stay away from CTAs that simply read “Click” or “Submit” – they don’t work because they’re too passive. Instead, try something like “Claim your $100 coupon today”, “Click here for your free consultation,” and “Book your complimentary first appointment today.” Experiment with your CTAs to find the ones that work best for your target audience.

Contact Us

The Contact Us part of your website is simple but essential. For people who know about your business, it’s often the first thing they’re looking for. For new customers, it’s the first step towards hiring you.

The contact page needs to be easy to find (usually right in the navigation menu) and provides little more than your name, contact info, and address. If you have a storefront location, you can include a map to help people find you faster.

While it’s vital to have a smart USP, strong hero, straightforward services, effective social proof, clear CTA, and an easy-to-find Contact Us page, it’s important to remember that your site isn’t carved in stone. You can start with the basics and build from there. Listen to your customers to find out what they’re saying about your business, and then incorporate that into your messaging. Build your website as you build your brand – finding what works to make stronger connections with your customers, then refining that to make it easier, better, and faster.

Contact us for a free site audit to find out if your site structure is hitting the mark. We’ll let you know what you’re doing right and where you can make improvements.

 

Your website should work as hard as you do. We can make that happen.