Canva Hacks Every Small Business Owner Should Know
Running a small business often means wearing many hats—manager, bookkeeper, marketer, and sometimes even designer. While professional design services are valuable, there are many occasions where business owners need to create their own content quickly and cost-effectively. This is where Canva comes in.
Canva is one of the most widely used online design tools in Australia and across the world. Its easy-to-use platform allows small business owners to create social media posts, presentations, business cards, and even videos—all without needing advanced design skills (Canva, 2024). But here’s the catch: most people only use Canva at a very basic level. With a few smart hacks, you can create designs that look polished, professional, and consistent with your brand.
Below, we’ll share some practical Canva tips every small business owner should know. And if you’d like to go beyond the basics, our Plum Studio Membership offers in-depth Canva classes where you’ll learn step-by-step how to create designs that make your business stand out.
Keep Your Branding Consistent with the Brand Kit
One of the biggest challenges for small businesses is brand consistency. Canva’s Brand Kit feature allows you to upload your logo, save your colours, and lock in your fonts. This ensures every piece of content you create—from flyers to Instagram posts—looks cohesive and professional (Smith, 2023).
Save Time with Magic Resize
Imagine spending half an hour perfecting a design for Instagram, only to realise you also need it for Facebook, LinkedIn, and an email header. Canva’s Magic Resize tool solves this instantly by resizing your design for multiple platforms in just a click. This not only saves time but also helps you stay visible across different channels without redesigning from scratch.
Make Use of Templates
Canva’s ready-made templates are one of its greatest time-saving features. However, the real hack is to customise templates so they reflect your branding. By adjusting the colours, fonts, and layout, you can create a set of reusable templates that align with your business identity and save countless hours (Brown, 2022).
Try Frames and Grids for Professional Layouts
Frames and grids are underrated tools that instantly elevate your designs. Frames allow you to drop images into shapes such as circles, letters, or abstract forms, while grids help you align content neatly. Using these tools makes your designs look balanced and intentional—without spending hours moving text boxes around.
Explore Advanced Features Without Overcomplicating
Canva is always rolling out new features, from AI-powered background removers to animation effects. While these can add a professional edge, the real value is in using them strategically. For example, a simple background remover can make your product photos look studio-ready—perfect for social media and online stores (Canva, 2024).
Why Stop at Hacks? Learn Canva with Plum
These hacks are just the beginning. Canva is a powerful tool, but learning how to use it effectively can transform the way you approach your marketing. That’s why we’ve built Canva Classes into the Plum Studio Membership.
Inside the membership, you’ll learn how to:
- Set up a brand kit tailored to your business.
- Design social media content that is consistent and eye-catching.
- Save time with reusable templates for your marketing.
- Confidently create graphics without second-guessing yourself.
Our classes are hands-on, practical, and designed specifically for small business owners in North East Victoria—so you’re not just learning Canva, you’re learning how to apply it to your business goals.
Final Thoughts
Canva is more than just a design tool—it’s a way for small business owners to save time, build confidence, and keep their branding consistent. By using features like brand kits, templates, and resizing tools, you can create designs that look like they’ve been made by a professional.
But if you really want to unlock Canva’s potential and use it as a powerful marketing tool, the best next step is to join our Plum Studio Membership. With access to Canva classes, content planning sessions, and ongoing support, you’ll never be stuck staring at a blank screen again.
👉 Learn Canva with us, build your marketing confidence, and take charge of your business growth.
References
- Brown, A. (2022). Time-saving design strategies for small businesses. Journal of Small Business Marketing, 14(2), pp. 45-53.
- Canva (2024). Canva Features. [online] Available at: https://www.canva.com/features/ [Accessed 19 Aug. 2025].
- Smith, L. (2023). Brand consistency in digital marketing. Australian Marketing Review, 9(1), pp. 33-39.
