How To Design An Email Banner In Canva For Your Small Business
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I don’t know about you, but I’m not a text-only email kind of girl. I like pretty brand images, and I use them a lot in my weekly newsletter emails.
So as you can imagine, my emails always start with a branded image.
I use Flodesk, an email marketing service provider that makes my entrepreneurial life easier, so sometimes I start my emails with one of their text + image layouts, or my own branded email banners.
If you’re curious about how to create a newsletter email template in Flodesk, I wrote a step by step blog post to help you with that. 😉
And today I’m going to teach you, step by step, how to create a beautiful email banner in Canva app, a free graphic design software that you can use to create beautiful brand graphics for your creative business.
Now, if you’d rather get an email banner template and save time than designing everything from scratch, I’ve got you covered.
If you feel like “Thanks, Giselle, but I’d like to do it myself for now”, grab a cup of your favorite beverage (I have my cup of coffee ready ☕), and let’s start your design. 😊
How to design a branded email header in Canva
Step 1: Create A Design
Click on the button “Create a design” in the top right corner, and then select “Custom size”.
I usually design my graphics 2000 px or 1500 px wide.
As I said before, I also send my weekly emails with Flodesk, an email marketing service provider that, in my opinion, is a gift from the internet gods (text-only emails, go away!)
The recommended image size is 2000 px on any side in Flodesk.
In the case of email banners, I design them with a size of 1500 px width x 750 px height. So that’s what I’m going to write in the custom size.
When choosing your email banner size, think about the recommended image size for your email service provider.
If you don’t know the right size, you can design your email banner in 600 x 200 px, which is a more standard banner size for emails (that’s why I designed my Canva email banner template in 600 x 200 px).
Once you’ve written your custom email banner size, click on “Create new design”.
Step 2: Choose your own path (aka choose an email banner design)
That subtitle doesn’t make sense, I know, but hear me out. 🤣🤣🤣
You have two options in this tutorial (choose the one that you like more for your brand):
Option 1: An email banner with only one brand image
Option 2: An email banner with two brand images overlaid
So depending on the design that you want for your email banner, follow the instructions for options 1 or 2.
Email banner option 1 tutorial (banner with one brand photo)
Step 1: Rename your design
You will see “Untitled design – 1500 x 750 px” as the name of your banner in the middle of the top bar. Click there to change the name of your email banner. I’m going to name mine “Email banner with one image.”
Step 2: Upload your brand photo
Click on “Uploads”, on the left side, and upload one of your brand photos by clicking on “Upload media”, or choose one that you’ve already uploaded.
Pro tip: Try to select a brand image where you are more to the left or to the right of the photo, and not exactly in the middle.
In that way, you will have white space for writing text in your email banner. Another thing to consider is that the human eye is attracted to light, so my recommendation for you is to try to use a candid photo with good light. I prefer natural light, but you do you.
You can use a styled stock image for your email banner too, but that feels less personal than using a brand photo with your face.
You are a personal brand, so people want to connect with you.
Remember that when you’re choosing a photo for your banner.
Step 3: Set your image as a background
Right click on the image and select “Set image as background”.
If you want to move the photo, double click on it and then drag it up or down.
Once you’re satisfied with the result, double click on the image again, or select “Done”.
Step 4: Create a background for the text
Click on “Elements”, on the left menu, and choose the square in “Shapes”.
Drag the corners of the square to change the size, until it covers the height of the email banner.
Click on “Position”, in the top right corner, and select “Middle” and “Right”, like I did in this case, or “Middle” and “Left”, depending on where you want the text to be on your banner.
Reduce the width of the square by clicking and dragging the middle handle, so that it doesn’t cover your face in your photo, but at the same time it leaves you enough space to write text over it.
Change the color of the ex square (hahaha!) In order to do so, you should click on the little square in the top bar, on the left side.
If you want to choose a specific color from your color palette, click on “New color” and write the hex code.
If you’re subscribed to Canva Pro, you can upload more than three colors from your color palette in the “Brand Kit” section in the main menu in Canva. You can also upload your brand fonts, if they’re not available in Canva, and save your paragraph styles.
Step 5: Write the text in your email banner
Click on “Text”, on the left bar, and then choose “Add a heading”. If you want to use two different fonts to create contrast, you can select “Add a heading” again, like you can see in the example below.
The reason why I did this is because I’m going to write “Weekly inspiration” with the same font, but in different styles.
Double click on the heading box/ boxes and change the text of the email banner.
Click on the font options, in the top bar, to search for your brand fonts.
Type the name of the font in the search bar. If you don’t find it, and you’re not subscribed to Canva Pro, which allows you to upload your custom font, then choose a font that resembles one of your brand fonts.
Now you can play with the different options for each font. In my case, I’m going to choose “uppercase” for the word “weekly”, and “italics” for the word “inspiration”.
They look different now, even though I’m using the same font. That’s why both words look good together. It’s a simple trick that you can use in your designs.
Next I’m going to choose a different color from my color palette for each word, that looks good in the overall design, and then I’m going to change the alignment of the text to the right.
If you align the text to the left or to the right, make sure that both text boxes are aligned on that side, or else the text will look like in the image above.
Finally, I’m going to change the size of the font, the letter space, and the line height.
Letter spacing in titles and subtitles looks good, but please don’t use letter spacing in body text, because it makes the text harder to read.
I need to move the word “weekly”, because the text boxes are now overlapping.
Now it looks better.
Lastly, I’m going to select both text boxes and move them to the right side.
If you look at the screenshot below, I moved them until the alignment lines appeared, showing me that the position of the text boxes was well proportioned with the rest of the design.
Try to find this balance in your banner.
Step 6: Add another square in your email banner
Click on “Elements”, on the left menu, and choose one more square in “Shapes”.
Drag the middle handle at the top or the bottom of the square to change the size and make it narrower, because we’re going to place it behind one of the words in the banner, to create a highlight effect.
Change the color of the second square. In order to do so, you should click on the little square in the top bar, on the left side. Remember that if you want to choose a specific color from your color palette, you have to click on “New color” and write the hex code.
The idea is that you choose a color from your color palette that creates a bit of contrast with the rest of the design.
Move the ex square, now turned into a rectangle, and place it over one of the words that you want to highlight in the banner. In my case, I’m going to place it behind the word “weekly”.
If, by any chance, you see that the rectangle is over the word that you want to highlight, instead of the other way around, right click on the rectangle or the word and select “Bring Forward” or “Send Backward”, depending on what you need.
Step 7: Download your email banner
Click on “Download”, in the top right corner, and select “PNG” or “JPEG”.
In any case, you can download it in both formats and see the difference in quality between both of them, and choose which one you prefer.
A PNG file will always look better than a JPEG file in design, but the file size will be bigger.
YAY! You have your email banner ready to use! Congrats, beautiful!
Want 30 different email banner templates?
If you’d like pretty email banner templates to promote your products, freebies, courses, and content, I’ve got you covered.
Email banner option 2 tutorial (banner with two brand photos)
Step 1: Rename your design
You will see “Untitled design – 1500 x 750 px” as the name of your banner in the middle of the top bar. Click there to change the name of your email banner. I’m going to name mine “Email banner with two images”.
Step 2: Upload your brand photo
Click on “Uploads”, on the left side, and upload one of your brand photos by clicking on “Upload media”, or choose one that you’ve already uploaded. We’re going to select the background image.
In my case, I’m going to choose one of my travel photos because that’s part of my brand identity.
Step 3: Set your image as a background
Right click on the image and select “Set image as background”.
If you want to move the photo, double click on it and then drag it up or down.
Once you’re satisfied with the result, double click on the image again, or select “Done”.
Step 4: Upload your second brand photo
Click again on “Uploads”, on the left side, and upload one of your brand photos by clicking on “Upload media”, or choose one that you’ve already uploaded.
In this case, we’re going to select the main image for the banner.
Change the position of the image, so that it is placed to the left side, but at the same time is perfectly proportioned in the middle of the height of the email banner, as you can see by the automatic lines that appear when you’re moving elements in your design in Canva.
Step 5: Create a background for the text
Click on “Elements”, on the left menu, and choose the square in “Shapes”.
Move the square to the right, so that the left side is touching the main brand photo.
Drag the square by the middle handles to change the size. Make it have the same height as the main brand photo.
Also, adjust the right side a little, until you see the automatic lines from Canva covering the border of the photo and the square, indicating that the proportions of both elements together are good in relation to the rest of the design.
Change the color of the ex square, now rectangle. In order to do that, you should click on the little square in the top bar, on the left side.
If you want to choose a specific color from your color palette, click on “New color” and write the hex code.
In my case, I’m going to leave the actual color, because I like the contrast between the pink and the dark green background.
Step 6: Write the text in your email banner
Click on “Text”, on the left bar, and then choose “Add a heading”. If you want to use two different fonts to create contrast, you can select “Add a heading” again, like you can see in the example below.
The reason why I did this is because I’m going to write “Weekly inspiration” with the same font, but in different styles, like I did in the prior banner.
Double click on the heading box/ boxes and change the text of the email banner.
Click on the font options, in the top bar on the left, to search for your brand fonts.
Type the name of the font in the search bar at the top of the font options.
If you don’t find it, and you’re not subscribed to Canva Pro, which lets you upload your custom font, then choose a font that resembles one of your brand fonts.
Now you can play with the different options for each font. In my case, I’m going to choose “uppercase” for the word “weekly”, and “italics” for the word “inspiration”, like I did in the prior tutorial.
They look different now, even though I’m using the same font. That’s why both words look good together. Like I said before, it’s a simple trick that you can use in your designs.
Next I’m going to choose a different color from my color palette for each word, that looks good in the overall design, and then I’m going to change the alignment of the text to the right.
In this example, I’m going to select a different color than I did for the word “weekly” in the first email banner.
If you align the text to the left or to the right, make sure that both text boxes are aligned on that side, or else the text will look like in the image above.
Finally, I’m going to change the size of the font, the letter space, and the line height.
Letter spacing in titles and subtitles looks good, but please don’t use letter spacing in body text, because it makes the text harder to read.
I need to move the word “weekly”, because the text boxes are now overlapping, and there isn’t enough line space between words.
Now it looks better.
Lastly, I’m going to select both text boxes and move them to the right side.
In the screenshot below, I moved them until the alignment lines appeared, showing me that the position of the text boxes was well proportioned with the rest of the design.
Try to find this balance in your banner.
Step 7: Add a gradient in your email banner
Click on “Elements”, on the left menu, and click on “See all” in “Gradients”.
Scroll down and select a horizontal gradient that you’re going to use to highlight one of the words in the banner. In my case, I’m going to highlight the word “inspiration”.
Move the gradient to place it over the word that you want to highlight in your email banner.
Change both colors of the gradient by clicking on the little squares with colors in the top bar.
Right click over the gradient and choose “Send backward”, to move the gradient behind the word.
And lastly, if you want, move the gradient up or down behind the word, to highlight it a bit more or less.
Step 8: Download your email banner
Click on “Download”, in the top right corner, and select “PNG” or “JPEG”.
In any case, you can download it in both formats and see the difference in quality between both of them, and choose which one you prefer.
A PNG file will always look better than a JPEG file in design, but the file size will be bigger.
YAY! You have your email banner ready to use! Congrats, beautiful!
More Email Marketing Resources
Email banner template
Canva email banner template – Dreamy
Flodesk 25% off discount code
Get 25% off in the first year of your Flodesk subscription, and a 14 day free trial.
Flodesk email template tutorial
How to design an email template in Flodesk for your creative business
ConvertKit free plan vs paid plan review
ConvertKit free plan vs paid plan: which one should you choose?
I hope that was useful to you!
Which email banner did you design? 😉😻
With all my love,
Giselle
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Meet the author
Hi, beautiful! I’m Giselle.
I provide female entrepreneurs, like you, beautiful and soulful images, Flodesk templates, and Canva templates that they can use in their personal brands.
I also write resource tutorials and reviews to make your blogging life easier, and have fun designing and selling printable planners.