28. Social Media Graphics Templates with Liz Birenbaum

Kassaundra 0:01

Let's face it, creating graphics for social media can take up so much time. But it doesn't have to be that way. That's why I've invited Canva design expert, Liz Berenbaum to the show today to help make it easier for you. Liz helps female entrepreneurs create standout businesses by transforming Canva designs into custom brand marketing materials. And I know her knowledge will help make transformations in your social media workflow to so teacher authors, go ahead and reheat that cup of coffee, because I'm your host, Cassandra Foster. And we're about to get schooled in socials. Welcome back to school and socials. I am so excited to have Liz Berenbaum here with me today. And we're going to be chatting everything about social media graphics, a templates for your social media content creation. So Liz, can you tell us a little bit about how you started graphic design and who you help and what you do?

Liz 1:04

Thank you so much for having me on. I'm so excited to be here. Um, yes, so I am a creative virtual assistant, I actually say that I am an accidental entrepreneur, because I never actually set out to do this. But accidentally, it became one of my favorite things. So I actually used to work outside of the home pre COVID. When that happened, I got furloughed, and I was staying home with my son to help with his online school and all that. And then maybe six or nine months later, my friend had posted on social media that she was looking for some help for her social media management company. And I was like, Oh, I could do that. That'd be amazing. And so I actually started doing graphics for her for her social media management business. And it just kind of grew into a love of using Canva, which I know it's kind of rare these days. I feel like a lot of people open it and are like, Oh my gosh, this is so overwhelming. So I'm super excited to like, give some tips and tricks on how to better use it today.

Kassaundra 1:57

For sure, and definitely, I feel you would the accidental entrepreneur. The pandemic was also my catalyst. So just so you guys know, on Liz's Instagram, she titles herself as the Canva design girl, which is completely 100% True. She knows how to work Canva. In fact, she's my Canva design girl, because I spend a lot of time doing graphics for all of my clients. And by the time it comes time to do my own social media, I am like creatively tapped out. And Liz has put together such an amazing package of social media graphics for me. And that's what you see going up on my social media. So she is literally my Canva design group. So all right, so the first thing let's chat about why is it important to have graphics templates for your social media content creation anyways?

Liz 2:52

Well, I think templates are really important because it saves you a ton of time, like you do not want to be starting from scratch when you're starting from your templates. In the very beginning, either you'll want to have someone do them for you, or you'll want to like spend some time and actually find the templates that you want to use, kind of just look for designs that inspire you. Even what I do is like all search a certain keyword in Canva. And then I'll pop a bunch of the templates into my design and then kind of get inspiration from those to make them my own. I feel like a lot of people do use Canva these days. And so you do want to make your template stand out. So they look uniquely you and not just like reused from Canva. And like what everybody else is doing. So once you find the ones that you like, then kind of move some elements around like use your brand colors, use your brand fonts, like make it look like you. And I think it's really important to do that too. Because as people are scrolling on social media, like they'll learn to recognize, hey, these are Cassandra colors. This is her design. These are her templates, you know, and they'll stop and be like, I want to see what she has to say. Same with on stories, too. You know, you people are swiping so fast these days, you know, you only have like one or two seconds to catch their attention. And so if they want to hear from you, then you want to be recognizable. So they stop and they see what you have to say.

Kassaundra 4:07

Yeah, for sure. So graphics templates, we've talked on the podcast before about your brand awareness, making sure people know who you are in the online space. And those graphic templates are 100% a way to do that because they're branded towards you and they look similar. And you know, we're all about saving time around here. So having those graphic templates is going to save you a ton of time. I know when I started out with my own social media as a social media manager, like getting started with those graphics took so much time. Like when I start a client that first month takes so long because I am setting up all of those templates that I am going to use down the road. But once those are set up, it's so easy to go back in and to use them to create more content

Liz 5:00

Yeah, and you even use the word similar, which reminds me that you really don't have to like recreate all of them, you know from scratch, if you have one that you like, you know, switch up the brand colors, like move the title from the top to the bottom, or make your picture a different size or something like that, like they really can look similar. They can just be different colors. And that will your feed doesn't look exactly the same to if you're using the same templates over and over. But they do coordinate and they go together. And they look like you.

Kassaundra 5:27

Yeah. And so we're not talking like when we're talking about creating social media templates for you guys. You don't have to have like 100 different templates. No, no, Liz, what would you suggest? Like? How many like kinds of graphic templates should you be creating?

Liz 5:41

I guess it depends on your business. But like, let's say that you have a podcast. And so you would definitely want some graphics to talk about, like the different topics that you're talking about on the podcast, but also like to promote it right. So like, maybe you have like an audio Graham type template for your Instagram stories where you can add a little snippet of the conversation on there, maybe one for your grid, too. So you can share it with whoever if you interview someone, they can share it to therapy, too. It really doesn't have to be too many. So I would just maybe like 10 at the most you know, and then like just change up the color. So they look different, but you really don't need it.

Kassaundra 6:17

Yeah, definitely. I think when talking with people, I usually recommend like a few for static posts, a few for carousels, a few like reels, covers and a few stories. And then like Liz says, move the text around, change out your brand colors on those, and you can make them go a long way for short. Liz, you talked about this a little bit already, some people open Canva. And it can be very overwhelming. What are some tips for using Canva to create your graphics templates to make it an easier and less overwhelming process.

Liz 6:51

So I definitely recommend using folders. This will take a little bit of time to set up. But it'll make it so much easier when you're trying to find things. I don't really know why they make the homescreen. So like chaotic and overwhelming. Crazy. I know. They put like whenever you last edited at the top. And so even if you want say like you make some slides for your services, and you haven't edit them in a while, but you made some other stuff, they can be like way down at the bottom. And if you're scrolling scrolling, and you don't happen to see it like you can get frustrated and be like, Fine, I'll just make it over again, what you don't want to do because we're trying to save time here, right? Right. So if you make folders, then it'll be super easy for you to be able to find things you will have to it will automatically default to the homescreen, which will look like the chaotic mess. But if you tap on the Projects folder on the side, and then to folders, then you can see whatever folder you make there. So you could even have like a podcast folder, like an Instagram folder or a presentations folder or something you know, to be able to organize what you're looking for. And that way you can just go in and find what you're looking for rather than scrolling forever and potentially missing it.

Kassaundra 8:00

Yeah, I know, we've been talking about this, like home feed and like I am trying to get better at organizing my canvas so I can be more efficient. And I just wish it would not default to the home feed. But something I was thinking about earlier today, Liz was maybe if I grab the link when I in my folders and like throw that into my project management system, instead of just like typing in Canva. Every time maybe I can like train myself, just click that Oh, hop up my folder. So that was like a workaround I was thinking about today. So if anyone wants to try that and see if it works for them, that was something that I'm going to start playing with because it does it gets chaotic. And for some reason like that one extra click to folders. I don't know why it seems so hard when I spend, you know, like five minutes scrolling, like, why don't I just click over there. So if it just popped up, it would be so much better.

Liz 8:54

I know and I wish to get defaulted to that to maybe one day I know that they're coming out with like tons of new updates and everything and maybe if we all say please, please. Fine thing. One other thing I wanted to say too was that oftentimes when you create a design so you're copying from like a different template that you had, when you copy it, it'll automatically call it a copy of whatever that design is. And then if you keep doing that it will keep being called copy of and what a lot of people don't know is that you can actually search for your designs to in Canva not just for templates but you can search for your designs. So naming them the right thing is really important because if it says copy a copy of you're not gonna be able to find it because that's not what you know is inside of it right so even if you do make that copy, like once you open the design go to the top and change the title to whatever the subject is so that way you'll be able to find it too because that's another way when you're like I swear I have it in here somewhere. I did this the other day I was like where's my services guide and so I type services and it was one of the top five things that popped up and it was so easy to find that way.

Kassaundra 9:58

I am guilty of The copy of copy of copy of I'm trying to, I am trying to get better for sure. But sometimes I will definitely do that I'll go searching for it like I know it's here, and then I'll find it and it'd be like copy of a copy of, you know, social, social media templates, July 2023. I'm like, that's why I couldn't find it. So definitely hone in on those naming conventions while you are using Canva. One other thing that I was thinking about Liz too, that some of my listeners might not know, do you have just started using Canva, you can upload your brand kit and camp. Yeah, so you want to talk a little bit about that, because that is a huge time saver. And that will make creating your template so much easier.

Yes. So um, Cam actually recently updated their brand kit, they now call it a brand hub, and it allows you to upload a lot more things. So if you have Canva Pro, you'll be able to use all of the features. But I do have some tips if you have a free one too. So if you have Canva Pro, you can upload like logos, font, colors, you have like unlimited colors, you actually can upload multiple brand kits, also if you have like two different brands or like if you're working with like another client or something like that. And so that is a great way to be able to have like a one click be able to find things rather than like just uploading it to the uploads folder, because that could be an unlimited scroll off. And that's not as easily searchable. So you'll want to upload all of us out there, you can upload like brand photos, I think you can even put like if you have element, there's like tons of options, probably like seven different options and things that you can upload there. And that makes it so easy that when you're in a design, you can just click on the brand kit icon on the side, and it'll pull up all of that stuff. And if you want to add like one of your brand photos in or if you want to change the fonts to your brand font and stuff like it makes it super easy. If you have a free version, unfortunately, they don't allow you to do all of that they only allow you to upload three colors. But I definitely recommend that because I feel like color picking takes so long and finding the right Xcode and like all of that. So I definitely recommend using at least the three colors that you use the most. And then also, if you have like logos or brand photos or whatever, you can always create a folder and you can store it and make it easily accessible. So you still kind of have that in a one click type thing, even if it isn't centrally located on your brand hub.

Yeah, definitely the having colors and the fonts in there is so helpful. Because once you make that one like template for like a static post, again, moving that title, changing the font, it is just like one click clicking on an element clicking on the color. That's one click. So having that you said it's a brand hub now, right? Yeah, the brand hub. Having that brand hub set up is a game changer for when you're making these templates and for when you're actually like putting them to use each month.

Yes, such a time saver for sure. So

Liz, what if someone listening is not using Canva right now for content creation? What would your suggestion be,

I would definitely suggest trying it out. They allow you to have a free version for free forever. Or you can even try Canva Pro for 30 days for free. But even if you're creating like your assets, so you have a TPT store and you're creating your resources that you sell there, in some sort of other program, I still would recommend Canva because you can use like, especially for social media graphics, you know, like for your Instagram grid posts, or even for your stories. I used to work with someone who did have a TPT store and she created her resources and another program, but we use Canva for her Instagram story slides. So she had bought some custom brand fonts for her. And we were able to upload those into her brand hub as well into the font section. And then we were able to use those recognizable brand fonts on her Instagram stories and use like a snippet or preview of like, whatever her resource was, and then we could upload to her stories and we could share a link to her TPT store. And that way you knew you were clicking over to the right spot, you knew you were on her page, you know, like because you saw those fonts and colors and the resource like on Instagram. And then when you went over to buy it, it looked exactly the same. And you were able to recognize her stuff. And also that way, you know if you see it on Instagram and you're searching TPT for stuff like maybe I don't know exactly how the search function works. But if you're looking and scrolling through all the resources, like you could recognize, oh, hey, I just bought that one from her. Like I knew that I really liked it. And now like let me check out this resource to Yeah,

when you're searching, you can see like the thumbnail image that you put for your resource. So like keeping that branding consistent, is going to be amazing for that brand awareness and people recognizing your resources. And I think the other thing too, is I'm not sure if other programs do this, but Canva you it has all of the aspects and ratios that you need for those social media posts. So whether Are you want to do an Instagram square post an Instagram portrait posts are real, a real cover, Instagram story, if you want to do a Facebook post, if you want to do Pinterest, if you like all of those things, like all of the ratios and aspects are pre loaded, and so you just click it and you open it. And I'm not sure like, in other designs, I think you have to like put it in yourself.

Yeah, that is such a time saver and such a huge helper because I literally know nothing about the ratios and everything. And so it's so helpful to be like, I want to Facebook group cover post or whatever, you know, and it knows what size it should be. And you just create and download and upload and you're all set.

And maybe I'm wrong. So maybe someone out there if you like don't use Canva as like your main creation tool, like please like, let me know like what the parameters are with your creation to like, do you have to go in and like resize it to the size and like, I'm just thinking if you do like nothing would be worse if you like got it wrong, and you like made all of your content. Right. So yeah, so that's one thing that I love about Canva is I know I just type in Instagram, real Instagrams square Instagram story, and I know whatever pops up is going to fit. And it's going to show everything that I want it to show. Yes.

One thing that's also super helpful too is like, if you have a team, I think it's really easy to share, like resources within a team, like you can add people to your team to your account, you know, so they can create their camera account, you can create yours, and then you can share them. So even when I was working with the other teacher author, like I would create, she added me to her team I was able to create in mind, and then I was able to share it with her. So then if she wanted to download and share it to her story she was able to but she didn't have to take that time to create it on her own, I was able to do that for her. And so I don't know if other creation tools allow you to do that. Or if you have to, like, share somehow else or have them login as you but I find that this is really helpful. So you can each have your own login. But you can still share the information easily.

Yeah, I find that so helpful with clients who just add me to their team and because their brand hub is all set up, and I can go in there and I can make my templates and they can see them and I can see them. And so we can both work out of there. So if you're someone who has like a lot of templates that goes along with your teacher business, and you have people on your team, like creating those templates within Canva. And then giving people access is great, especially those social media graphics, because maybe you're not always the person posting. Or maybe you want to be the person to create the graphics like yourself, but then you want to hand it off to someone else. In Canva, you can just add them to your team. And they can take that and they can run with it, which I think is so awesome. Yeah, that's super helpful. Definitely the takeaway for today is you want to make sure you have social media, graphics templates for yourself using your fonts and your brand colors so that you are easily recognizable. And then once you have a few for like each type of post, just switching out fonts, switching where the text is switching out the colors, that's gonna give you a lot of options moving forward to create your social media content besides just starting from square one every time which we know is such a time suck. Okay, Liz, where can people find you and connect with you?

I would love it if you guys would connect with me on Instagram. I'll have Cassandra put it in the show notes. But my Instagram is at Elizabeth Ferran balm. Awesome.

And I know Liz is so amazing and so great. So I'm sure if you have a Canva question, you know, I'm sure she would be happy to help answer it or find the answer for you. I know she is amazing when I ever I have a Canva question. Again. Definitely. She is the Canva design girl. So if you are working out of Canva I would definitely give Liz a follow up. Liz, thank you so much for joining us today.

Thank you so much for having me.

All right, cool. Coffee friends. Thanks so much for listening. If you're loving getting schooled in socials, make sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode. Also, I would love it if you left a review so that other teacher authors like you can start getting schooled in socials to All right, I'll see you in the next episode.