<p>As a marketer (not a graphic designer) who has spent countless hours designing social media posts, presentations, posters, and even the occasional video, I’ve always been on the lookout for tools that simplify the design process without compromising on quality. Photoshop and Adobe are expensive tools that do require you to spend time learning and experimenting with all the features. Time I have not really had. However,  when I discovered Canva, a free graphic design tool for beginners, it completely transformed how I approach content creation. </p><p>If like me, you&#39;re looking for a cost-effective solution to step up your branding game, Canva is the ultimate resource for beginners.</p><h3><b>The Game-Changer for Small Businesses</b></h3><p>When I first started in marketing, I remember spending hours on complex design software, struggling to create visually appealing content. The learning curve was steep, the software expensive, and the process was incredibly daunting. That’s why discovering Canva felt like striking gold. With its simple interface,  library of free templates, and easy-to-use drag-and-drop functionality, Canva eliminates so many technical hurdles that come with traditional graphic design tools.</p><p>For small business owners, especially those without a design background, Canva offers a lifeline. Need to create an eye-catching social media post to promote a sale? Canva has pre-sized templates for every platform, from Instagram to Facebook. Planning to pitch a new idea to a client? Canva’s presentation designs rival those of professional agencies!</p><h3><b>Why Canva Works for Beginners</b></h3><ol><li><p><b>Ease of Use</b>
Canva’s user-friendly design means you don’t need to be a tech wizard to create stunning visuals. Its drag-and-drop interface allows you to add images, text, and design elements effortlessly. For instance, I recently worked with the CEO of an entertainments app, who needed help designing product promotion graphics for their Instagram page. Using Canva, we were able to create vibrant, professional posts in minutes, without design experience.</p></li><li><p><b>Free Resources</b>
As a small business owner, budgeting is crucial. Canva’s free version offers thousands of templates, stock images, and fonts, ensuring you can create professional-quality designs without spending a penny.</p><p>However, for those looking to explore advanced options, Canva Pro is a worthwhile investment. For just a small monthly fee (approx £13) you gain access to premium templates, an expansive library of stock videos, the ability to resize designs with a single click, and even a background remover tool (which has proved rather handy!)</p></li><li><p><b>Versatility</b>
From logos and videos to posters and business cards, Canva supports a wide range of formats. As a marketer, I’ve used Canva to create everything from Instagram stories to animated promotional videos, without ever needing another tool. You can also design printable materials like flyers, brochures, and business cards. Canva’s high-resolution download options make it ideal if you need to create physical marketing materials on a budget.</p></li><li><p><b>Collaboration Made Easy</b>
Canva’s collaborative features allow teams to work together seamlessly. This has been a lifesaver for me when working on campaigns with remote colleagues. For example, my team recently used Canva’s shared design functionality to brainstorm ideas for a new product launch. Each team member added their suggestions and edits directly to the design, making it easy to finalise the project in record time.</p></li><li><p><b>Access to Tutorials and Tips</b>
Canva also offers built-in tutorials and design tips, making it the perfect starting point for beginners. It’s like having a personal design coach at your fingertips. If you’re not sure how to make your designs pop, Canva’s blog and YouTube channel are packed with advice on branding, social media trends, and design principles.</p></li></ol><h3><b>Why I Use Canva as a Marketer</b></h3><p>One of my most memorable Canva success stories came when I was tasked with designing a last-minute social media campaign. The deadline was tight, and I didn’t have access to our usual graphic designer. Using Canva, I whipped up a professional-looking series of posts in under an hour. The campaign went live on time, performed exceptionally well, and impressed both the client and my team.</p><p>What stood out to me was how easily I could adapt the templates to match the brand’s aesthetic. From customising colours and fonts to incorporating the client’s logo, Canva made the entire process seamless.</p><p>Another time, I used Canva to create a presentation for a major pitch. The polished, professional slides helped us secure the deal, proving that great design can have a real impact on business outcomes.</p><h3><b>How to Get Started With Canva</b></h3><ol><li><p><b>Sign Up for Free</b>
Visit Canva’s website or download the mobile app to create a free account. Signing up takes less than a minute, and you’ll gain instant access to hundreds of templates.</p></li><li><p><b>Explore Templates</b>
Start by browsing Canva’s vast collection of templates. You’ll find options tailored to specific needs, such as Instagram posts, YouTube thumbnails, posters, and more.</p></li><li><p><b>Customise Your Design</b>
Choose a template that fits your vision, and begin customising it. You can change colours, upload your own images, and experiment with fonts until the design perfectly represents your brand.</p></li><li><p><b>Download and Share</b>
Once you’re happy with your design, download it in the format of your choice. Canva supports PNG, JPG, PDF, and even MP4 for videos.</p></li><li><p><b>Upgrade to Pro (Optional)</b>
If you find yourself needing advanced features, consider upgrading to Canva Pro. It’s an affordable way to access premium tools that can further enhance your designs.</p></li></ol><h3><b>Conclusion: Why Canva Is the Best Tool for Small Business Owners</b></h3><p>For small business owners, time and budget constraints often mean design takes a backseat. Canva changes the game by making professional-quality graphic design accessible to everyone. Its free version alone offers enough resources to kickstart your journey, and its premium options are worth considering as your business grows.</p><p>So, whether you’re crafting a promotional video, designing a new logo, or creating posters for an event, Canva is the ultimate tool to bring your vision to life. As someone who uses it daily, I can confidently say it’s the best decision you can make for your business’s visual identity.</p><p>Try Canva today, and see the difference it makes.</p>

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<p>My most recent client Lisa, was a small business owner of an online craft shop, looking to grow her online presence and achieve more sales. She had been running her online shop for 2 years, relying on word-of-mouth and the occasional market stall to reach her customers. While her products were top-notch, she struggled to get them in front of enough eyes. So I suggested, “Why not take it to Instagram?” She was not immediately convinced and was quick to say &quot;I wouldn&#39;t know where to begin with that!&quot;. Little did she know that Instagram was going to transform her business in just 3 months. Now I will reveal how we did it and how you can make the most out of an Instagram Business account.</p><h3>Why Instagram for Business?</h3><p>Instagram is not just a social platform; it’s a visual storytelling powerhouse. Storytelling being key here! With over one billion monthly active users, it offers businesses opportunities to engage and convert their audiences. The platform’s tools and features are designed specifically for business accounts to empower you to share your brand’s story, grow your community, and drive sales.</p><p>Lisa started by switching her account to an Instagram Business profile. This small step unlocked features like in-depth analytics, sales posts, and advertising capabilities that were game-changers for her.</p><h3>Step 1: Crafting a Memorable Profile</h3><p>Your Instagram profile is your brand’s digital storefront. It’s the first impression potential customers have of your business. Here is what you need to focus on first;</p><ul><li><p><b>Profile Picture:</b> A clean, recognisable logo for instant brand recall. Your profile picture is often what viewers see first, so ensure it’s professional and aligns with your brand identity.</p></li><li><p><b>Bio:</b> The bio is a very small space to tell your audience why your business exists. So consider writing your brands mission, your products unique selling point, and a clear call-to-action (CTA) with a link to your website. Keep it simple, short and impactful. </p></li><li><p><b>Contact Information:</b> Easy-to-find details, such as email, phone number, and physical location, ensured potential customers could reach her effortlessly. Adding buttons like “Email” or “Call” makes contacting your business straightforward and removes barriers. </p></li></ul><h3>Step 2: Content that Captivates</h3><p>In order for Lisa to stand out, she needed to connect with her audience. Her content had to resonate with them, so it was essential to focus on authenticity, quality and consistency. We used these techniques;</p><ul><li><p><b>Storytelling:</b> Instead of just showcasing products, we shared shared behind-the-scenes content, customer stories, and her own journey as a small business owner. This is the “why” behind your business and helps to  build that personal connection with your audience. For example, a post about her cosy crafting corner resonated deeply with her followers and encouraged them to describe their craft areas. </p></li><li><p><b>High-Quality Visuals:</b> I stressed the importance of getting to grips with basic photography and editing tools. Tools like Canva and Lightroom can help you to create stunning posts that align with your brand’s aesthetic. This level of quality, shows your customers you care. However, you may be surprised to learn that the occasional unpolished image or video can show the human behind the business, which customers connect with. </p></li><li><p><b>Consistency is Key:</b> I put together a posting schedule to ensure her followers always knew when to expect fresh content. Using tools like Meta’s Creator Studio or Buffer can help you plan posts weeks in advance, maintaining consistency without the stress of daily uploads. This is typically the reason people &#39;give up&#39; on social media because it can be exhausting, so plan in advance!</p></li></ul><h3>Step 3: Leverage Instagram’s Features</h3><p>Instagram’s features are designed to help your business thrive. We made use of these tools to maximise her reach and engagement:</p><ul><li><p><b>Instagram Stories:</b> Quick, engaging snippets allowed Emma to keep her audience hooked. You can experiment with polls, questions, and quizzes to encourage interaction and gain valuable insights into your audience’s preferences. Stories also allowed her to share promotions.</p></li><li><p><b>Reels:</b> By creating short, creative videos showcasing her products, my client was able to reach a much broader audience. Experimented with trends (relevant to your business) and add a unique twist to ensure your brand’s voice is unique and authentic.</p></li><li><p><b>Shoppable Posts:</b> These posts allowed customers to buy directly from her feed, making the shopping experience seamless and removing potential barriers. With product tags, you can close the gap between inspiration and purchase, converting browsers into customers.</p></li></ul><h3>Step 4: Engage and Build Community</h3><p>I discussed the importance and value in building a community. To do this, I ensured she interacted with her followers daily. Here’s how she built a loyal community:</p><ul><li><p><b>Reply to all Comments and Messages:</b> Respond to every comment and direct message. This personalised interaction shows your followers that you value them.</p></li><li><p><b>Engage with User-Generated Content:</b> She encouraged her customers to share pictures of her products and tagged them in her posts and stories. This not only built trust but also provided her with free, authentic content.</p></li></ul><h3>Step 5: Insights and Adjustments</h3><p>Using Instagram’s analytics, we were able to identify what worked and what didn’t. We were then able to perfect her strategy based on metrics like engagement rates, best posting times, and audience demographics. It quickly became clear that her audience was most active in the evenings, so she shifted her posting schedule accordingly.</p><h3>The Power of Ads</h3><p>After seeing organic success, Lisa was keen to invest in Instagram ads. This is not for everyone, some businesses thrive alone on organic content. However Lisa felt confident she could manage more sales so she created targeted campaigns based on location, interests, and behaviour. Here’s how I made her ads effective:</p><ul><li><p><b>Clear Goals:</b> Each campaign had a specific objective, whether it was driving website traffic, promoting a new product, or increasing brand awareness.</p></li><li><p><b>Compelling Creatives:</b> Eye-catching visuals and strong CTAs made her ads stand out in crowded feeds.</p></li><li><p><b>Precise Targeting:</b> I used Instagram’s targeting options to ensure her ads reached the right people. By analysing the results, we continuously refined her approach.</p></li></ul><h3>Beyond the Basics: Building for Longevity</h3><p>Lisa&#39;s journey didn’t stop there. To ensure her boutique continued to thrive on Instagram, she explored advanced strategies:</p><ul><li><p><b>Seasonal Campaigns:</b> Lisa planned content around holidays and seasons, offering limited-time collections and promotions.</p></li><li><p><b>Customer Feedback:</b> Regularly engaging her audience through polls and direct messages helped Lisa refine her offerings.</p></li><li><p><b>Evolving with Trends:</b> By staying updated with Instagram’s new features and trends, Lisa kept her content fresh and relevant.</p></li></ul><h3>Final Thoughts</h3><p>An Instagram Business account isn’t just about promoting products; it’s about connecting with your audience and telling your brand’s story in a way that resonates. You can transform your business by embracing the platform’s potential. Every post, story, and interaction is an opportunity to build trust and drive growth.</p><p>So, are you ready to make the most out of your Instagram Business account? Dive in today and experiment!</p>

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Here's everything you need to know to achieve business success on Instagram when marketing your business. 

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How to Make the Most Out of an Instagram Business Account

<p>I am a huge fan of Pinterest, both for personal use and for my business. It&#39;s always been an exciting way to group together my interests, but now as an entrepreneur, it enables my customers to visually experience my brand. If you&#39;re looking at Pinterest for the first time or you&#39;re unsure about a business account, this article will help you understand how your business can really benefit from using Pinterest.</p><h2>What is The Purpose of Pinterest?</h2><p>This is a question I have heard multiple times. While many appreciate its unique visual aspect, but are not always sure where to begin. Pinterest is the ultimate discovery platform that has become a powerful tool for small businesses like yours. Using Pinterest for business can enable you to really showcase your products, build brand awareness, and help you to connect with your audience, all whilst monitoring your progress along the way! </p><p>Imagine Pinterest as a digital storefront that draws customers in with visuals, stories, and ideas. Done right, it can become a core part of your marketing strategy.</p><h2>How To Set Up A Pinterest Business Account </h2><p>Setting up a Pinterest Business account is straightforward:</p><ol><li><p><b>Visit Pinterest’s Website</b></p><p>- Choose the option to create a business account.</p></li><li><p><b>Enter Your Details</b></p><p>- Fill in your business name, email address, and password.</p></li><li><p><b>Optimise Your Profile</b></p><p>- Upload a high-quality profile picture of your logo or a professional image of yourself as the founder. Write a clear bio that tells followers what your brand is about and why it exists.</p></li><li><p><b>Claim Your Website</b></p><p>- Add your website URL in settings and click “claim.” This gives you access to analytics and branding tools, which are vital for monitoring traffic and engagement.</p></li></ol><p><b>Pro Tip</b>: Ensure your branding (colours, fonts, and tone) is consistent across your profile to make your business memorable.</p><h3>Creating Pins </h3><p>A Pin can be thought of like a post. It requires an image, a title, a description and a link. However it is the image that is most important here. It must be an original image of high-quality and a standard size of 1000 x 1500 px. Your headline should be compelling to attract your audience to your individual pins, followed by enticing content. You can create pins about your products, your brands inspiration, your industry and whatever else you know would be valuable to your customers. </p><p>Pinterest also enables you to create &#39;Rich pins&#39;, which are directly connected to your site, enabling real-time pricing, stock levels and the latest product information. This can increase the likelihood of conversions as customers have access to relevant information. </p><p>Here&#39;s an example; A boutique bakery creates Pin&#39;s on recipes, cake designs, or decorating tips, while linking each Pin to their online store or blog. </p><h3>Creating Pinterest Boards</h3><p>It&#39;s time to create your first board! This is where you let your creativity take over. A board is like a category, it enables you to group ideas together. One board could consist of pins all about your products and services, another could group together all your blog posts! Ensure all your boards are relevant to your business and will appeal to your target audience. It is also very important to include keywords in the board descriptions to boost their discoverability. There is no point having beautifully crafted pins gathered in a board, no one can find! </p><h3>Promoting on Pinterest</h3><p>Like all the other social media platforms, Pinterest also offers advertising opportunities which are called &#39;Promoted Pins&#39;. These pins can improve the visibility of your content to help you reach a wider audience. Promoted pins allow you to reach a more specific audience in terms of demographic and interests etc. However, I do not recommend running promoted pins until you have a good understanding of who your target demographic is, or you risk spending money on the wrong market. </p><h2>How To Make The Most Out Of Pinterest</h2><p>Pinterest is an excellent tool that can give your business the boost it needs. Here are some of the things you can do to make the most out of Pinterest. </p><h3>Increase Your Website Traffic</h3><p>If you have already verified your website on Pinterest, every pin you create can contain this website link. This direct link ensures a seamless journey for your customers and once you get a link click, it means your pin enticed consumers enough to want to learn more! Well done, you are moving them down the sales funnel! </p><p>Another way pinterest can bring traffic to your site it through your blog. If you regularly publish articles on your site, it make sense to connect your sites feed to your Pinterest! This means a pin will be automatically generated every time you publish an article. </p><h3>Build Your Brands Identity</h3><p>Ever heard of visual storytelling? Pinterest provides your business with the opportunity to fully express your brands personality, everything from its tone of voice to its values can be communicated through your pins. Utilise powerful imagery and share your businesses story with your consumers. Storytelling is an effective way to evoke an emotion in people, and they will love you for it. </p><p>Be sure to remain consistent with your pins to help make your brand memorable, consistency also enables consumers to trust your brand, so make some branding decisions and stick to them. </p><h3>Engage with your Audience</h3><p>Ultimately Pinterest is a social media platform and so it is wise to be social! Your small business can engage with your audience by responding to comments, creating polls, and collaborating with users on shared boards. This interaction, however small not only fosters new relationships, it strengthens the relationships you have with existing customers. And remember it is always cheaper to retain customers than gain new ones. </p><h3>Search Engine Optimise</h3><p>Just like with Google, it is necessary to optimise your content on Pinterest. You should conduct keyword research to understand what your target audience is searching for and incorporate those keywords into pin descriptions, board titles, and even your profile information. </p><h2>How To Use Pinterest Analytics</h2><p>Arguably one of the most important tools on Pinterest. After you have been operating a business account for a short time, you will start to see some figures gathered on the performance of your pins. This will be new to you if you have only ever operated a personal account. So you should use this data to identify what works and what doesn&#39;t. Which pins performed the best? Which pins received the most saves? This will give you an idea of the kind of pins you should create next. Audience insights will take a while to display so give this time. In the meantime you can focus on making sure your pins match consumer interests. </p><p>
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Pinterest is the ultimate discovery platform that has become a powerful tool for small businesses. Here you can discover how Pinterest marketing can really 'make' your business.

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How To Use Pinterest For Business

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<p>The world of digital marketing is a pretty crowded place. You&#39;ve got Instagram, Twitter (X), LinkedIn, Facebook, TikTok, and Pinterest (for those of us still making our dream vision boards). With so many platforms to choose from, how do you know which one to show up on every day?</p><h2><b>The Problem with Being Everywhere</b></h2><p>Time and time again, I’ve seen startups signing up for every platform they can and proudly listing 8 or 9 social media icons on their website. While I always stress the importance of brand awareness, this approach often backfires. Managing too many accounts with limited resources results in poor-quality, inconsistent content. This is damaging your brand rather than building it. For small businesses, the best strategy is to focus on quality over quantity. Limit yourself to a maximum of three social media platforms that you can consistently show up on. </p><p>But how do you decide which ones are right for your business?</p><h2><b>Choosing Your Social Media Platforms</b></h2><p>Each social media platform has its own purpose, unique features, and audience. This means not every platform will be used by your audience and not every platform will suit your business goals. Think of social media platforms like different parties. If you’re looking for a rave, you wouldn’t show up at a tea party! Let’s explore the popular platforms:</p><h3><b>Instagram</b></h3><ul><li><p><b>Audience size </b>2 billion</p></li><li><p><b>Users</b> Relaxed audience drawn to inspirational, emotional, or visually appealing posts.</p></li><li><p><b>Best for </b>Highly visual, entertaining, and snappy content like stunning images, Reels, and Insta Stories.</p></li><li><p><b>When to use</b> If your business thrives on aesthetics or you can create visually appealing content. If you’re an insurance provider, this probably isn’t your ideal platform unless you can find an entertaining way of communicating with your audience.</p></li></ul><h3><b>LinkedIn</b></h3><ul><li><p><b>Audience size</b> 830 million</p></li><li><p><b>Best for</b> Networking, B2B marketing, and thought leadership.</p></li><li><p><b>When to use</b> If your looking to provide educational insights or business-related content. Keep your posts polished and packed with value.</p></li></ul><h3><b>TikTok</b></h3><ul><li><p><b>Audience size</b> Over 1 billion</p></li><li><p><b>Best for</b> Behind-the-scenes, fun, and genuine short-form videos.</p></li><li><p><b>When to use</b> If your brand has a fun and approachable vibe, and you’re ready to create quick, engaging content to connect with a playful audience.</p></li></ul><h3><b>Pinterest</b></h3><ul><li><p><b>Audience size</b> 500 million</p></li><li><p><b>Best for</b> Inspirational and visual content like mood boards or blog post covers.</p></li><li><p><b>When to use</b> If your business is visual (e.g., photography, design) or you have a blog you want to drive traffic to.</p></li></ul><p>By understanding the vibe of each platform, you can choose the ones that best align with your business goals and audience.</p><h2>How to Perform Well on Social Media</h2><p>Once you have chosen 2-3 social media platforms that both aligns with your business and you&#39;re able to reach your audience through them, its time to explore how to perform well on them.  </p><h3>Consistency </h3><p>The first and most important lesson is consistency. A content planner and calendar are essential tools for achieving consistency. By planning your content in advance, you ensure regular posting. You can also strategically map out the types of content that perform best on each platform, keeping your feed fresh and engaging. When you understand what your audiences content preferences are and consistently deliver content tailored to those preferences, you can build trust with your audience. This approach keeps followers coming back for more and helps you grow your brand with confidence.</p><p>Another way to achieve consistency is through your branding. You should design or use a social media posting template that uses your branding, and use this consistently with only slight variations. This will help your audience to become familiar with your content. Then you should produce a posting schedule to ensure content is produced regularly each week so it can be expected by your audience. </p><h3>Algorithms</h3><p>Social media platforms use algorithms to determine which content gets seen, and understanding how they work is essential for success. These algorithms favour accounts that post regularly, engage their audience, and tailor content specifically for the platform. For example, Instagram prioritises visually stunning, high-quality posts that drive strong engagement, while TikTok rewards short, snappy videos that keep users watching. On LinkedIn, structured, polished posts that spark meaningful conversations are most likely to thrive. By aligning your content with these preferences, you can increase visibility and make the most of each platform! </p><h3><b>Maximising Engagement</b></h3><p>Social media is a two-way street. Respond to comments, answer messages, and participate in conversations. This not only builds relationships with your audience but also signals to algorithms that your content is engaging and worth showing to others. You could share an opinion on an article posted on Linkedin, you could write supportive comments on posts that show struggle, you can even &#39;like&#39; and &#39;share&#39; competitors content to demonstrate good business!</p><h3><b>Optimise for Searchability</b></h3><p>Every post needs a caption, but so often this is underrated. A caption for your post should be simple and easy to read, but most importantly, optimised. The words you use here should be chosen carefully as they are fundamental to your reach. Find out what keywords your audience are using when searching for content and incorporate these into the caption. Many social media platforms provide data on your audience that should not be overlooked, for example; Pinterest has an &#39;Explore tab&#39; providing insight into popular topics and keywords. Twitter provides an analytics platform specifically to help you leverage keywords.</p><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>Navigating the crowded world of digital marketing can be stressful and feel overwhelming, but with the right strategy, your small businesse can thrive on social media. There are just a few important things to remember; instead of spreading yourself thin across every platform, focus on 2-3 platforms that align with your business goals and where your audience is most active. By understanding each platform’s unique strengths and tailoring your content to suit its vibe, you’ll set yourself up for success. Consistency is your superpower so use a content planner, stick to a posting schedule, and maintain cohesive branding to build trust with your audience. Pair this with a solid understanding of social media algorithms, active engagement with followers, and optimised captions that boost searchability. When done right, these strategies will help your brand stand out, increase visibility, and create lasting connections with your audience. Remember, quality trumps quantity, and showing up thoughtfully where it matters most will always outperform trying to be everywhere at once. Take it step by step, and your social media presence will become a powerful tool for growing your business.</p><p></p><p>
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Every social media platform has its very own purpose, its own unique selling points and most importantly its own audience. This article will help you identify the most suitable social media platform(s) for your business.

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How To Use Pinterest For Business

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