How to Create Pinterest Graphics with Canva
Fun fact: This is not my first blog. (I had a successful food blog for 3 years). Another fun fact: I created my entire brand with Canva. One more fun fact: It’s super easy! Once I found the colors I liked and a logo I could hang with for a while, everything else fell into place. My Pinterest graphics were the second thing I created and I get the most DMs asking me what template I used… *I didn’t use a template*. (Hence the reason for this post).
How to Create Pinterest Pins with Canva
It might seem very frustrating at first when you are trying to figure out your brand, after all this is your identity. Your blog is a direct representation of your tastes, style, and who you are. My advice with finding your brand (when you don’t have a professional to help you) is to find colors that you really like and choose two or three fonts that go well together that you are crazy about and stick with them throughout your website, newsletters, and social media.
First of all, what is Canva? It’s a platform that turns you into a graphic designer. There’s ton of fonts, templates, and elements to choose from. While there is a paid version (which I recommend), the free offerings surpass that of the competitors, you really can’t compare Canva to any other custom design platform out there. I recommend using the desktop version because you have more customization options, but it’s always good to have the app just in case.
Now onto the Pinterest graphics. Why do we need to put them on our posts? Well, lets start off by saying that Pinterest is a search engine and not a social media network. We don’t use it to talk or communicate with each other, we use it for information. So if you are scrolling through your homepage to discover new pins or search for something specific, what is going to pop out at you? A photo that you have to expand and read the text to see what it’s about, OR a pin with bold words that catch your attention right away, explaining what their post is about?! You tell me.
My Pinterest graphics have definitely evolved since my day one. And let me tell- MAJOR IMPROVEMENT with my impressions and engagement on my pins.
Check out my evolution (yep, that first pin graphic is embarrassing!) below. The first pin is before I discovered Canva, and I was using PicMonkey.
It’s ok to change your brand around within the first year of your blog. It’s ok to not know what you’re doing. It’s ok to experiment with different styles and see how your audience responds… this is what building a brand is all about!
Get Ideas From Your Favorite Pins
Scroll through Pinterest and see which pins pop out to you. What do you like about them? Bold colors? Large font? A certain layout? Figure it out and then apply it to your own style.
Don’t Use the templates.
I’m not a fan of templates. Yes, they are easy and you can get the job done quickly, but you will be surprised by how many people are thinking the same thing as you… “Wow, this is a really classy graphic… I’ll just change the colors and it will be unique” and then you pin to a group board and notice that 4 other people have the same template (in different colors)… guess you’re not standing out.
Create Two Cohesive Pins.
One is good, but two is better! I’ve seen some people recommend making 4 or 5 different Pinterest graphics to hide on your page… I tried doing that and not only was it exhausting, but I got no response from the hidden pins. Make two, leave them out in the open, and your readers can decide between TWO… not ten. It’s like an overloaded menu! I would much rather have a few quality dishes than a variety of everything that makes picking something out so difficult to the point of starvation!
Pick Your Photo Grid
Under the elements tab you will find photo grids. Once you click on one, it will add it to your blank page and you can adjust the size or where you want it placed (default will be the whole page). I like to make my photo grid a little bit shorter so I can add my blog name on the bottom of my pin (more on that below). Just note, that if you change the color of the background where your blog name will be (which you will want to, because white space will only make your pins look shorter on Pinterest), it will change the entire background (so the white lines separating your photos will also be that color). If you don’t mind that, then keep it, but if you want to keep the white line separating you’re photos, you can add a shape strip across the bottom of your pin and only color that.
Use Your Own Photos (That Go With Your Post)
Ok, it’s alright to use stock photos, but don’t use the Canva photos, so many people use Canva and the chances of the same photo popping up on someone else’s pin are high. There’s plenty of stock photo sites out there that are either free, subscription, or paid, you just have to look! Also, make sure the photo matches your article. If you have a blog post about camping out in the Sahara Desert, don’t share a pin with a picture of the ocean, use the photos that you have within your blog post… simple right?
Use Your Brand Colors and Fonts.
Now you have your colors and your fonts, you are half way there! *You need the paid version if you are adding your own fonts.* I think Canva has PLENTY of amazing fonts to choose from, so if you can’t find something then you’re in trouble. I like choosing a bold font and then a girly cursive or “handwritten” font to be my statement word. (The word you want to pop).
Make Your Title Stand Out.
Always write a catchy title. People are more likely to click on “10 Foods You NEED to Try in Greece” or “Eating Your Way Through Greece” rather than “Foods You Should Eat in Greece”. Also, people respond well to numbers.. “10 Reasons to…”, “15 Photos of…”, or “5 Tips for…”, you get the point and everyone loves a good Ultimate Guide or a Local’s Guide… just make sure your post lives up to the expectation of the pin. If I tell you this is the Ultimate Guide to York, England then I’m going to look no further… I want an actual resource, not someone that went to the city for a day and is a local expert all of a sudden.
Make Your Text Stand Out.
Don’t just add your text to a photo that can get lost in the picture! Make it stand out!
Some people use a border. Some people use some white space. I like to make a drop shadow behind my statement word. Then you can get creative if you want a background. My secret? I use the free cloud graphic in multiple sizes, flip it in different directions, and then adjust the gradient to a 78 on a couple of them to give it a little more depth. I also use 3 different fonts and make important words bold. For example 15 Things You Need to Know Before You Go to Bali, Indonesia. My Statement word is “Bali” and my important words that I want to stand out are “15” and “Need”… as a reader you think, wow, 15 is a lot and I’m going to Bali and I NEED this.
Add Your Website to the Bottom of Your Pin.
You’re almost done! I used to add my website in a bold color that would stand out against my picture, but I’ve found it looks better if you add a light colored (or white) strip along the bottom of the pin and add your website address. Make sure the font is large and visible, but not overpowering. You want the focus to be on the rest of your pin, not your website at the bottom.
Lets Connect!
I would love to hear your feedback and see how your pins turned out! Don’t get discouraged if you don’t like the way your pins look a couple of weeks later! I’ve been there! If you have any questions or need any advice, go ahead and contact me or leave a comment below!
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