Create graphics online — easy, fast & free

Professional logos, banners and designs for your company are all very cost-intensive and can therefore only afford the very large companies, right? Wrong! What if you can create graphics for your company yourself completely free of charge and very easily, according to your personal ideas and wishes? Whether for your catering, fitness or hairdressing business, with the right visuals, you can do marketing that is always individually tailored to your target group. Far too complex, complicated and certainly expensive, do you think? There are a variety of free graphics programs on the Internet that can be opened directly in the browser and used online. Would you like to finally give your company new impetus? Take advantage of the moment and give your company a chic new outfit, holistically designed by... you! In the following, we'll introduce you to two powerful providers of free graphics programs and how you can use them step by step to ensure the success of your business. Let's go, start the new year with fresh vigour, in which there are no limits to your business anymore. Neither does your creativity.

The best programs for your success

Gravit Designer

Super intuitive and therefore ideal for beginners. However, due to the wide range of functions, the application remains exciting even for advanced graphic artists. Do you run a catering business and are looking for the right logo for your business? Ideal, because vector designs, i.e. graphical representations that are based on image lines instead of pixels, are the specialty of the program. Create your logo playfully by drawing lines, making corners either rounded or angular and filling in color areas as you wish.

Graphics for print & print

In addition to the free version, another paid version called Gravit Designer Pro is offered. This costs around 45 euros per year and offers users the option of also using the CMYK color space, which is required for the production of print and print media. For example, if you want to have flyers, stickers or posters printed for the new opening of your gym, you must always create the corresponding graphics in CMYK. These must then also be exported as a PDF with a spatial point density of 300 dpi (dots per inch), which is also only possible with the paid version.

Step by step to your success: a Gravit designer's guide

• Create your file

As a first step, the Gravit Designer asks you in which format your file should be created. You can adjust their size individually or use one of the many templates.

• Add & edit images

Have you taken a great photo of your team and would like to share it with your potential customers on social media? Simply add the snapshot to the file using the “Place image” icon. For every element that you add, a new layer is created, and these are on the left side. The order of these layers can be freely adjusted according to your wishes and determines the arrangement of the individual elements of your file. On the right side is the “information window”, an interface that allows each element (and therefore each level) to be individually edited and adjusted. Which element is currently selected determines the range of options available to you for editing.How to edit your team photo:In the information window, click on the “Color Adjustment” tab. Now, if, for example, the lighting was not optimal during a team meeting, you can adjust the brightness or increase the contrast to bring your team members to the foreground more clearly.

‍Tip: By increasing saturation, you can easily and quickly breathe life into pale images.

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• Add text & personalize

If you offer your customers a new offer, then make sure that they know about it and visit your shop! By clicking on the text tool, you tell the program that you're ready for the next step. A further click on the desired location in the image is required to determine exactly where the text field should be placed. Now you can type in your desired text directly. “Wash, cut & style — now only 79 euros!” , this could be something like that. In the information window, you finally have the option to adjust the font type, color and size, among other things.

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Canva

Canva is the ultimate tool for anyone who wants to achieve professional results as quickly as possible. Smaller companies in particular benefit from over 250,000 free templates, all of which can be found by category and can be individually adapted to their own company. The free version of the program provides all essential functions and offers five gigabytes of cloud storage space. This can be expanded to 100 GB for an annual fee of just under 110 euros, although additional designs, templates, photos and the function of removing backgrounds are also included exclusively in the paid version.

Graphics for print & print

Graphics for print and print can also be easily created in CMYK with the free version of Canva and exported as a PDF with 300 dpi. The starting signal for the distribution of printed advertising material can be given for your gym, café or soon.

Step by step to your success: a Canva guide

• Create your file

As a first step, the program asks you in which format you want your file to be created. You can adjust their size individually or use one of the many templates. For example, for an Instagram post, choose the size 1080 x 1080 pixels. The templates are sorted in a very user-friendly way, and the variety of ready-made graphics is impressive.

• Add & edit images

Have you added a new dish of the day to your restaurant menu? Take a photo of the meal, skilfully stage it with Canva and make the dish your guests' new favorite dish. Add the photo to the file by clicking on the “Uploads” icon on the left. In contrast to Gravit Designer, once you have selected it, the photo does not appear directly on the area to be edited. The photo is now under the “Images” tab, so it has been uploaded and is now waiting to be dragged and dropped at the desired location and scaled by you. To edit the photo of your favorite dish, use the commands above the work area. In “Edit image,” you can adjust the brightness, contrast, and saturation of your photo.Tip:After basic image editing, scroll down a bit further and you will find numerous filters, mockups and effects, all of which were created for you by professional graphic artists and are freely available. Canva lets you get really creative and so there are no limits to your creativity.

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• Add text & personalize

Do the opening times of your restaurant change at the turn of the year? Let your customers know so that they never have to stand in front of closed doors in the future. The integration of text content in Canva is very easy via the “Text” button, which can be found directly under “Upload”. If you now specify which function the text has, i.e. whether it is a heading or a running text, the program automatically creates a text field of the appropriate size. A line now appears above the work area, in which you can individually adjust the text size to your wishes at any time, as well as the font type and color.

‍Trick: Under the “Effects” button, you can give your text that certain something and, if necessary, even turn it into a neon sign with just one click.

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More revenue for your company through your graphics

Very good, you've learned a lot about creating graphics: You now know how to edit images, insert text, and apply effects. But what's next? Now it's your turn to use your knowledge and created graphics to make your business successful. How does that work best? Preferably with direct marketing, the ultimate tool for acquiring new customers. Because of the low spread volume, you keep your costs as low as possible and always address your target group in a targeted manner. The Socialwave marketing package takes them fully by the hand. Through targeted newsletter marketing, you can always keep your customers up to date. With the help of pop-ups, you can attract new customers and encourage your regular customers to make more purchases. Social media marketing brings you more followers and, as a result, a constantly growing customer base. Start using your favorite logos, graphics, and images today and share them with your target audience.

conclusion

Black and white or brightly coloured? Striking or rather simple? Modern or classic? No matter how you want to present your company visually to the outside world, the main thing is that you do it! With all your concentrated knowledge of easy and uncomplicated access to the big world of graphics, take advantage of the ignorance of your competition and take your business to the next level today! All you have to do is think about what you want to use your creative creations for and you're good to go. Do you run a restaurant, a hair salon or a gym and would like to inform your target group about news and offers with the effective newsletter, pop-up and social media tools from Socialwave? Then do it with the most beautiful graphics ever — your own. Ready, set, go! Don't waste any more time and secure your store first place in the beauty contest. Winning reward for you: happy and enthusiastic (new) customers who remain loyal to you for a lifetime, also thanks to their unique graphics. More information about Socialwave's marketing package can be found here.With our WLAN marketing package, your customers/patients/guests advertise for you, are happy and recommend you to others.