Are you relying on design and/or video apps, like Canva and iMovie, for your marketing needs? While these apps are convenient and easy, they’re not always the best route to go.
An ‘argument’ as to why you shouldn’t rely on phone apps for your marketing.
I’m sure behind the scenes of these apps are hard-working designers whose purpose is to create homogenized and trendy pieces for the user to quickly and easily edit. This leads to two things; 1. using the same art as millions of other companies/people, 2. creating something that doesn’t stand the test of time.
1. Not Being Original
When you hire a freelance Graphic Designer or Design Service company, you will get a Designer focused on your company and creating pieces, from scratch, based on your company’s needs and branding guidelines.
In all honesty, I have made the faux pas of having an extremely similar social post as someone else thanks to a DIY design app? Yes. I was in a hurry and turned to my phone for help. Canva had a great video graphic that I quickly edited and posted to Instagram only to see a few hours later that somebody else used the exact same template for the exact same reason. It made me cringe knowing that I could’ve avoided that if I had made the graphic from scratch myself, but due to timing I wasn’t able to.
2. Trendy vs Timeless
There is absolutely nothing wrong with doing something trendy! But, if you’re focusing on your logo and collateral pieces (business cards, letterheads, etc.) you don’t want to be trendy, you want to be timeless. Not only does this save you from having an outdated-looking logo in a few years, but it saves you money on having to reprint your collateral pieces.
Especially when creating a logo, you want to communicate what your company is and convey a certain feeling when viewed. This is done with nonverbal communication, something you don’t get from a “cookie-cutter” design app. This should be discussed with a Graphic Designer (in person or video call) so they can fully understand your ideation. You’ll also receive all the proper file formats when working with a real person as opposed to just downloading a JPG or PNG from an app.
An ‘argument’ as to why they’re fine to use sometimes.
You may not have the budget or time to make social media graphics from scratch, so an app is super handy! This allows you to keep your social pages fresh and on-trend.
They’re also a great tool to use for inspiration. As I discussed in my blog post, ‘Finding Inspiration’, inspiration is everywhere! Scroll through their layouts and pull ideas to reinterpret into your design.
Movement catches the eye so it makes sense that you want animated social posts, but you don’t know how to make a GIF or video. Some design apps offer layouts with video backgrounds or animated parts BUT make sure you edit it enough to make it your own, stepping further away from the “cookie-cutter” template.
Speaking of videos, what about video apps?
I’m a Graphic Designer, not a Video Editor, however, I still know the basics of Adobe Premiere Pro from simply playing around with it, watching YouTube videos, and having Brandon Pecharich as a co-worker to reach out to. (If you don’t know Brandon, he’s the Digital Media Director at PromoCorner and a kick-a$$ videographer.) So with these resources, I feel more comfortable editing my little videos (mostly Adult Beverages of the Week) on the computer instead of on my phone. However, I have used iMovie to make a couple of things and it took me forever. I even attempted Splice, but editing videos on a phone is just not for me.
I asked Brandon for his views of video editing apps vs hiring a Video Editor, here’s what he had to say. “It’s absolutely about comfort level. When I first started, I used the built-in templates and filters in iMovie and other platforms, but when I began to hear the same music, seeing the same video templates used, and being limited in what I could create...I dove headfirst into Final Cut Pro X, Adobe After Effects, and Adobe Premiere. Now clients come to me knowing the videos that I create are 100% original and custom.”
Remember, there’s no shame in the app game, but when you want something truly unique turn to a professional.
I’ll see you next month for a discussion on e-mail subject lines.