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Our Top 3 Tips & Tricks In Canva for Productive Content Creation

A graphic of a woman holding a laptop looking up Canva tips for content creation for social media

Canva is such an amazing tool when it comes to content creation and it’s our go-to. While creating content can be fun, it can also be time-consuming, so we’re giving you our top 3 tips and tricks to have on hand while using Canva that will not only make creating content faster, but more enjoyable. 

Tip Number 1: Utilizing the Brand Kit 

Canva has so many amazing features, one of our favourites is the Brand Kit it offers. You can find this located in the menu options to the left side of the screen. Here, you will be able to store all your brand colours, fonts and logos. Whether you are just using Canva for your own personal brand or company or using it for clients, you can create pallets for everyone.  Using the Brand Kit makes content creation much faster, for you don’t need to hunt for a specific colour or font, but rather have it available to you in a matter of seconds. 

Tip Number 2: Content Batching

Content batching can and will be a time saver. You can batch for the week or even the month. What is Content batching? It is creating a large amount of your content at once. Instead of trying to sit down every day to come up with new content, batching will alleviate this stress. One of our favourite ways to speed up content batching while using Canva is to have templates ready to use. If you have recurring posts that you would like consistency with, why not have a template ready to use. That way all you need to do is drag and drop your new image, and change what the text says. Doing this saves you from hunting for the same themes, icons and elements that were used in previous posts. 

Tip Number 3: Staying Organized 

It may be simple to think about, but staying organized in Canva can make a huge difference while using the platform. Canva allows you to create teams, and folders to store all of your content in. One of our favourite features is starring our most used folders. This keeps them available to access at all times in the left menu. Keeping organized will also come in handy when you Content Batch. If you are batching for the month, you can store everything for each month in one folder, making it easy to track down your next post. 

Whether you are just starting with Canva, or have been using it since the beginning, our top 3 tips will definitely help when it comes to faster content creation. By utilizing the brand kit, batching your content and staying organized, you will be able to be more productive while creating your content.

If you have questions about content creation or need help with your social media, please get in touch.

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Let’s Talk About Social Media Scheduling Apps

social media scheduling

It’s 2020. So, let’s face it, social media is HUGE in the world today. It is important to post meaningful content frequently; we recommend posting at least posting 2 times per week. With that being said, we understand that it can be difficult to remember to schedule these in with the busy lives that we all (especially entrepreneurs) live. This is where social media scheduling apps come in!

That’s why we are comparing 4 of the most popular social media scheduling apps.

Why Use a Social Media Scheduling App?

As we mentioned before, it can be difficult to keep up with a set schedule for social media as life is busy for all of us, and understandably so. With a social media scheduling app, you can keep your content flowing and generate a larger audience through the use of hashtags. If you dedicate just one hour each week to planning and scheduling your social media content, you can schedule an entire week’s worth of content and not have to worry about it again until the following week.  Wondering what to post about? Check out our blog on Social Media Content Solutions for Small Business.

Scheduling App #1: Planable.io

Planable is a great tool for social media scheduling. If you are an agency with multiple clients that you manage, Planable is definitely the best option for you. Their premium plan offers 5 workspaces all under one login and allow for up to 7 users. This means you can allow your clients permission to make changes, or upload their own imagesinto the shared workspace. Planable allows you to plan a post for a specific date and time and will notify your mobile device when it’s time to post. Planable is definitely a favourite of ours here at Rosewood. However, if you work on your own and wish to do the scheduling on your own, Planable may not be the right option for you. Enter, Later.com.

Starter Plan

 Premium Plan Enterprise Plan
  • $32.50/month
  • $82.50/month
  • Customized by Planable for you
  • 1 Workspace
  • 5 Workspaces
  • Custom Number of Workspaces
  • 3 Users
  • 7 Users
  • Custom Number of Users

*Please note that these prices are in USD*

Scheduling App #2: Later.com

Later is also a Rosewood team favourite. Unlike Planable, Later allows a free option. Who doesn’t love free?! With Later, you are able to have a visual Instagram planner to properly plan out how your feed will look. Later also offers an automatic publishing tool, this feature alone is worth its weight in gold. You simply schedule your posts for a specific date and time, and your posts will automatically go out for the set date and time. Keep in mind that as Facebook and Instagram change their APIs, you may need to refresh the connections. If you work on your own, Later.com is the best option for you.

Free

 Plus Premium Starter

Brand
  • For Individuals
  • For Solopreneurs
  • For Small Businesses
  • For Growing Companies
  • For Agencies and Large Teams
  • Free
  • $7.50/month
  • $16/month
  • $24/month
  • $41/month
  • 1 Profile per Social Platform
  • 30 posts per social platform
  • Allows you to add Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter
  • 1 Profile per Social Platform
  • 100 posts per social platform
  • Video Scheduling
  • IG Story Scheduling
  • Allows you to add Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter
  • 2 Profiles per Social Platform
  • 250 posts per social platform
  • Video Scheduling
  • IG Story Scheduling
  • Allows you to add Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter
  • Shows You the Best Time to Post
  • 3 Profiles per Social Platform
  • Unlimited posts per social platform
  • Video Scheduling
  • IG Story Scheduling
  • Allows you to add Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter
  • Shows You the Best Time to Post
  • 5 Profiles per Social Platform
  • Unlimited posts per social platform
  • Video Scheduling
  • IG Story Scheduling
  • Allows you to add Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter
  • Shows You the Best Time to Post

Scheduling App #3: Hootsuite

Hootsuite is a social media scheduling platform that has been around a long time. With Hootsuite, if you’re not using the professional plan, you’re paying a fairly large amount of money monthly to manage your social media in comparison to Planable and Later. Typically, we do not recommend Hootsuite as a social media scheduling platform to use. Hootsuite has a very confusing interface that isn’tmodernized; making it difficult for the average person to use. The platforms we’ve mentioned above are much more intuitive, seamless to use and less expensive.

Professional Plan

 Team Plan Business Plan
$29/month $129/month

$599/month
  • 10 social media profiles
  • Unlimited Scheduling
  • 1 User Profile
  • Auto Scheduling
  • 20 social media profiles
  • Unlimited Scheduling
  • 3 User Profiles
  • Auto Scheduling
  • 35 social media profiles
  • Unlimited Scheduling
  • Up to 10 User Profiles
  • Auto Scheduling

Scheduling App #4: Buffer

The last social media scheduling platform we’ll compare is Buffer. Buffer, like Hootsuite, has been around for several years and has a fairly difficult interface. We found Buffer difficult to use and not as user friendly as Planable and Later.

Pro Plan Premium Plan Business Plan
$15/month $65/month $99/month
8 Social Accounts

100 Scheduled Posts

1 User

Connects to most social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc)
  • 8 Social Accounts
  • 2000 Scheduled Posts
  • 2 Users
  • Connects to most social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc)
  • IG/FB Story Scheduling
  • Drafts management
  • 25 Social Accounts
  • 2000 Scheduled Posts
  • 6 Users
  • Connects to most social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc)
  • IG/FB Story Scheduling
  • Drafts management

Which Social Media Scheduling App Do We Recommend?

After looking into all of the above-mentioned social media scheduling platforms, we can say with confidence that Planable.io and Later.com are the best choices. If you’re a larger business that needs multiple social profiles, Planable is a great option for you. If you’re looking for something that is free of cost and doesn’t require multiple social profiles, Later is your best bet!

Let’s Connect

Rosewood is a full-service digital marketing agency outside Toronto dedicated to helping entrepreneurs and small businesses grow their online presence. We work with clients across North America and Europe to identify, strategize and reach their marketing goals!

You can join the conversation online on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. Or contact us to chat about your marketing goals for 2020 or to discuss how Rosewood can assist you in building your website!

Sign up for our Newsletter to keep up with our latest news!

Until next time,

Cassandra

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Social Media Content Solutions for Small Business

social media

A social media presence is one thing, but ensuring your digital platforms remain original, on brand, and content-driven is another. No longer is it acceptable to not be creating your own media to share with your audience; those reposts and #throwbackthursdays are only going to get you so far.

Further, our most recent findings across social media algorithms have shown that, particularly over Instagram, if you aren’t posting more than five times a week, don’t expect results.

Staying Up to Date with Changes in Habits, Platforms & Algorithms

People’s habits change, new software is created and platforms need to update their algorithms to keep up with the influx of data all fighting for first place. This can influence how people use and react to social media marketing, as well as how marketers (us!) reach our target audiences.

We all need to make sure we stay ahead of the curve when it comes to social media. Doing so ensures you have the right tools at your disposal, an up-to-date strategy, and the required skills to make the most of your digital presence.

Content Packages Specifically for Entrepreneurs & Small Businesses

From blogs to photos and videos it can all get overwhelming to keep creating kick-arse posts for your business. It’s a fulltime job, right? Well, what if I said we can help with that?

Our professional photography and videography services are designed specifically for entrepreneurs and small business owners to help tell their stories.

Our friends over at Hubspot in their most recent 2020 Video Marketing data shows that 72% of customers would rather learn about a product or service by way of video. Additionally, they found that people who don’t currently use video are set to bite the bullet this year, with 59% of them expecting to utilize it in 2020.

We Recommend Quarterly Media Shoots to Stay Seasonally Relevant

But, we aren’t here to just push video – because sometimes it just doesn’t apply to your business offerings. That’s why we offer photography services, too. We typically recommend quarterly photoshoots, to ensure that your content is seasonally relevant. These pictures can be used in blogs and as social media content. Not only do they tell your story, but they help your audience resonate with you and build trust.

Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t be. We are here to help. Believe it or not, our process is very streamlined, and you can have fresh content ready for posting in less than a week.

Our Process:

  1. Content Planning Session
  2. Photo/Video Shoot
  3. Editing
  4. Use Your Photos! Options: Either the client can manage their social with special training from Rosewood on BEST practices OR Rosewood can manage your social media presence

Want to know more? Check out our Videography and Photography page HERE for all of our package details. We even have a special running for January to give your social media the 2020 facelift it needs.

The sooner you contact us, the sooner we can get started!

Looking forward to seeing you through the lens,

Georgie

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