Canva has officially changed the game.
Whether you’re a coach, creative, or service-based business owner — Canva has become the design sidekick we all needed.
But here’s the thing: while most people use Canva, very few really know how to use it well.
If you’ve ever found yourself endlessly resizing graphics, wrestling with fonts, or wondering why your Instagram posts just don’t “look cohesive,” we’ve got you.
Here are 10 Canva hacks that’ll help you design faster, look more polished, and keep your brand consistent — no design degree required.
1. Use Brand Kits for instant consistency
Your brand kit is Canva’s best-kept secret.
Upload your logo, fonts, and colour palette once — and every new design will automatically use them.
No more guessing hex codes or scrolling through 200 fonts to find the right one.
✨ Pro Tip: This feature is available even on the free plan. You can create multiple kits if you upgrade to Canva Pro.
2. Duplicate designs to save time
Working on multiple posts or stories? Click the duplicate page button at the top to reuse your layout instantly.
It’s the easiest way to create consistent carousels or reformat existing content without starting over.
3. Use grids and frames for clean layouts
Grids and frames are your best friends for balance and visual hierarchy.
They help keep text aligned, spacing even, and imagery structured — especially when creating multi-image posts or product showcases.
✨ Search “frame” or “grid” in Canva’s elements tab to find them quickly.
4. Lock your elements in place
Ever move one layer and accidentally shift everything else?
Select the element, right-click, and hit Lock.
Now you can design freely without throwing off your entire layout.
5. Adjust transparency to create depth
Want that subtle, editorial look?
Select an image or shape → click the transparency icon → reduce opacity to around 70–80%.
This trick makes your designs feel more polished and professional — especially for backgrounds or quote graphics.
6. Animate strategically
Don’t underestimate subtle animation. Canva’s “Animate” button lets you add movement to your posts and stories — great for Reels covers or story slides.
Keep it minimal (fade or slide) for a refined look. Less is more.
7. Group & resize elements together
Select multiple elements → click Group.
Now you can move or resize everything at once — perfect for maintaining proportional spacing or duplicating a layout across slides.
8. Use the tidy-up tool for alignment perfection
Select a few elements, click Position → Tidy Up.
It automatically spaces and aligns everything evenly — the secret to that “designer clean” look.
9. Create and save template designs
Once you’ve designed something you love (like a quote layout or testimonial), click the three dots → Make a copy.
You’ll always have a branded base to start from — no reinventing the wheel every week.
10. Start with strategic templates (like The Ivy Collection)
The biggest hack of all? Don’t start from scratch.
Our Ivy Canva Template Collections were designed to make content creation easy, cohesive, and actually enjoyable.
From promotional posts to story slides and testimonials — everything is built for coaches, creatives, and service-based women who want to show up consistently online.
✨ Less design time. More business time.
🥂 The Final Pour
Canva is your creative playground — and when you use it intentionally, it becomes one of your most powerful branding tools.
Design smarter, stay consistent, and let your visuals work as hard as you do.
🍸 Explore The Ivy Canva Templates — created to elevate your content, save you time, and keep your brand looking beautifully consistent across every platform.
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