Free Social Media Design Tools
Apr 01, 2020
What is the most obvious element that makes social media accounts stand out from one another? Design. The most popular brands have used design to not only stand out, but to establish a brand that makes them distinct and noticeable. Scrolling through platforms like Instagram or Pinterest, you will notice that the accounts that have a cohesive and clean design are often the ones that get the most traction. But you may be wondering, what is the secret behind these design elements? Were they created through complicated software? You probably may even assume that someone had to pay in order to get a professional looking design.
All of the designs that you see from social media can actually be created using free websites or apps. These tools are straight-forward, and will only require you to create an account. In addition, what makes these tools so effective is that they offer a wide range of selection and they are easy to use.
Here is a list of free social media design tools to improve your social media feed’s aesthetic.
Canva is one of the most popular design tools optimized for social media. It is offered both as a website and as an app that can be downloaded on your smartphone. Canva is best for novice designers who are not too sure where to begin, as this tool offers pre-built templates that can be easily edited. In addition, Canva also offers customized templates for each social media outlet, so if you are planning on creating a post for Instagram or for Twitter, Canva has a selection of templates that have the right dimensions. Canva also has a wide range of design elements, where you can start on a blank canvas if you have an idea you want to flesh out.
Adobe Spark is another design tool that offers a wide variety of templates. Upon your first log in to Spark, it gives you an introduction of the applications used to navigate the website. Compared to other Adobe software, this does not require a download and is instantly available to use upon logging in. The website offers designed templates for social media, but what makes Spark unique is that it gives you layout options to better organize your design. Plus, what is also an added bonus is that if you want to create a cohesive design for different social media platforms, you can edit your current design to transform it to a new template. For instance, if you are working on an Instagram post, you can resize it for an Instagram story or portrait.
Compared to other design tools, Over is only available for smartphones. But this has its own benefit since this application is easy to use, and your design is instantly ready to share using your phone. Over allows you to customize your photos, but it also offers pre-designed templates to which you can adjust to your liking. It offers a selection of tools where you can add text to images, and you can even create animated designs for your Instagram stories or videos. Since this is optimized for smartphones, you get a first-hand glance of how it will be displayed on your social media page.
Many people may think that Piktochart is only designed to create infographics or presentations, but you can actually use this website for social media designs. The website offers a dedicated section for social media posts, where you can use templates with the correct dimensions for Instagram, Linkedin, Twitter and more. Piktochart allows you to also resize your designs to whatever dimensions you like in case you change your mind. But if you are looking to insert graphs or maps onto your social media feed, Piktochart is the best design tool to use as it offers a comprehensive application that you can fully customize to fit your design needs.
What is the best tool to use?
All of these tools listed above have their own benefits and drawbacks. And for those who are starting to get into design, it may be best to sample each tool first and see which one works best for your design interest. All of these tools are free and easy to use, but it may take some practice to become familiar with all of the offerings that these tools can give to enhance your design aesthetic. In addition, some of these tools have additional paid features, which would only be recommended if you need a wider range of options to work with.
Remember, design takes practice. These tools offer pre-built templates, but if you want to certainly stand out, definitely try to create your own unique design that will set you apart. These tools are the outlets to explore your design techniques.
Qode Social is a Toronto-based social media marketing agency that specializes in community building, account growth, ad analysis, Facebook and Instagram support, and more. Led by experienced social media experts, Qode Social has worked with companies such as Gay Lea Foods, Days Inn Canada, TP-Link and more. Qode Social is a division of Qode Media, which is the parent company that focuses on SEO and graphic design.
