Why your business needs a social media template library (and how to use it)
Have you ever opened Canva or Adobe Express and stared at the blank page waiting for the perfect design to just magically appear? Maybe you’ve started with an idea in mind but when you click through all the different design options and element choices, your brain just said NO? Because, same.
As a neurodivergent business owner, the act of creating content can be a huge barrier to being consistent online.
Maybe you know exactly what you want to say but when it comes to visuals, your head just draws a blank? All those decisions can easily take up time, energy and headspace.
Not mention the ‘fear of being perceived’. What if you make something and put it out there and no one likes it?
That’s enough to make you want to shut your laptop and forget about it for today.
In this blog post, I’ll explain why creating a social media template library in Canva or Adobe Express is the best option for your brain and how to use it to become more consistent online.
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
The branding kit and why it is your best friend
You may have heard other business owners mention the branding kit or brand assets and wondering what they are talking about or what all the fuss is about.
I can tell you now, setting up your branding kit or brand assets is one of the best ways to save time when it comes to content creation and making templates for social media.
It’s a place where everything lives. No more searching for your logo that you know you saved in an email somewhere. No more wondering which font it was that you were recommended.
No more worrying if the colours you chose are similar to your logo. If you spend some time setting up your branding kit in the first instance, creating visuals becomes as easy as clicking a button.
Everything in one place, saving you hours of searching and making decisions, sounds like a plan to me!
If you need help setting up your branding kit, get in touch
Once your branding kit is set up, you have a number of options you can choose from. There are so many quick customizations you can make. Have you tried the shuffle tool? When your colours are in your kit, one click of a button can mix them up in each design so you can see which you think looks best.
Another amazing benefit of a branding kit, is that it can be shared with your virtual assistant or another team member with the click of a button. This makes sure you’re all on the same page and means everything is consistent across the board. If you need some support with creating content and your branding kit is set up, your virtual assistant can access everything they need in one place. It saves your time, your energy and headspace in the long run. Can you tell I like the branding kit?
Templates make content creation faster, especially if you’re neurodivergent
We live in a world where time is money. If you can use a tool to speed something up, then why wouldn’t you? After all, as a business owner, your time is stretched as it is. If you open Canva or Adobe Express and find yourself constantly staring at a blank page that you need to ‘fill’, a template library will save your sanity in the long run.
Both Adobe Express and Canva have their own built in templates that you can customise. These options are great if you’ve got a quick idea you need to get out there but there’s still tweaking and changing that needs to happen before it looks like you. For longevity, I always suggest having 5-6 on brand original templates to match your content pillars so you save that headache in the long run.
Your brain needs less decisions to make. The easier it is to start, the more consistent you will become. Having ready to use templates kill your decision paralysis, fact. Next time you get that spontaneous idea? Stick it in the template and post. Then put your phone down and walk away because let’s be honest here… checking likes and interaction is probably going to make you delete it later. I’m only talking from experience!
If you need help creating on brand templates, give me a shout - it’s what I do!
picture of my branding templates
Build a business that works with your brain, not against it
So what have we learnt? Blank page paralysis triggers executive dysfunction in a lot of a neurodivergent business owners and getting some templates set up is going to make your life a lot easier in the long run. Creating content using drag and drop features, with everything is one place will be like a breath of fresh air and you’re more likely to stay consistent online.
Why a Canva template library beats using AI alone for social media content
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room… AI
As a creative, I’m not completely against AI as a tool. I get it. It’s here. Whether it’s here to stay or not, I don’t know. I don’t believe you need to use it or be left behind but I appreciate that it exists. But, the big issue I have - when people use it to create visuals, designs, illustrations or branding. There are so many posters flying around the internet at the moment promoting various events and one thing you’ll notice is that they all look the same. Honestly, it’s a sea of posters, where I can’t tell the difference between anything. Eugh.
Why wouldn’t you want to stand out?
Reasons why I recommend original branding and design instead of AI :
Branding and brand consistency is so important for you and your business. They say potential clients or consumers need to see something 7 times before they even think about buying it. If your colours are strong and your logo is recognisable, you’ll stand out amongst the crowd and it’ll be a lot easier for people to remember you.
The best thing about creating your own templates is that you have full control of the layout. If you’d like to move a word or a picture - you can just drag and drop. Full control when you need it.
With AI, there is no originality and often layout quirks and brand mismatches - sounds like a disaster to me!
Let’s also not forget, the huge environmental impact that AI has. According to google, if you ask a standard AI chatbot a question, it takes about 2 to 5 drops of water (roughly 0.26 mL) When you start thinking about the sheer amount of people using it and the questions asked, that soon adds up!
With hundreds of thousands of businesses out there, your branding is what sets you about from the rest. I recommend reading this insightful article from Forbes about the importance of branding in your business.
Save your energy for the work only you can do
If you love the idea of Canva templates but don’t know where to start, I can help you!
My name is Kathryn (Kat) and I’m a UK based creative virtual assistant supporting creative and neurodivergent business owners with Canva and Adobe Express. I have 10 years of illustration experience behind me and bring this visual knowledge to my VA support.
I am Autistic and ADHD so I get the struggles of running a business with a neurodivergent brain. I’d love to work with you if you need that accountability partner to get you started or you’ve got a load of brain dumped ideas that need fleshing out. Take a look here at my services and rates and get in touch to start your support.
