Make Outlook & Gmail Signature using Canva

Summary

The video script guides viewers on creating a professional and creative email signature using Canva, a free online design tool. It emphasizes the importance of a professional email signature for credibility and communication of essential contact details. The tutorial begins with accessing Canva's vast library of email signature templates, highlighting the distinction between free and Canva Pro subscription-required templates. The process includes customizing a chosen template by uploading personal images, selecting and editing stock images, adjusting transparency, and modifying text with various fonts and styles. Additional customization options are explored, such as adding shapes, graphics, and changing the background color. The script then demonstrates how to download the signature as a PNG or JPEG file and how to integrate it into email accounts on both Outlook and Gmail platforms. The tutorial concludes with instructions on making the signature clickable for external links and encourages viewers to explore more Canva features through provided links.

Takeaways

• 💼 **Professionalism**: A professional email signature conveys professionalism and builds credibility.
• 📧 **Essential Contact Info**: It communicates essential contact information to the recipient.
• 🎨 **Canva for Design**: Canva is used to create a professional and creative-looking email signature, with a wide range of free templates available.
• 🆓 **Free to Use**: No subscription is required for basic use, and many templates can be customized for free.
• 📬 **Outlook & Gmail**: Instructions are provided for uploading the new signature to both Outlook and Gmail.
• 🌐 **Accessing Templates**: Navigate to Canva.com and search for 'email signature' to access various templates.
• 👑 **Canva Pro Templates**: Templates with a crown icon require a Canva Pro subscription, while those without are free to use.
• 🖼️ **Image Customization**: Users can upload their own images or use stock images from Canva, adjusting filters and effects as needed.
• ✉️ **Text Editing**: Text boxes can be edited for content, style, color, and size, with a variety of free fonts available.
• 🔗 **Clickable Links**: The signature can include clickable links, such as for a website, by inserting a link into the image or text.
• 📂 **Signature Management**: In Outlook, signatures are managed through the 'Settings' and 'Signatures' section, while in Gmail, they are created under 'Settings' and then 'Create New Signature'.
• 🖌️ **Creative Elements**: Canva allows for the addition of shapes, graphics, and other elements to enhance the signature's design.
• 🔄 **Background Customization**: The background color of the signature can be changed to match the design or photo used.
• 📁 **File Download**: The finished signature can be downloaded as a PNG or JPEG file for use in email clients.

Q & A

What is the purpose of having a professional email signature?

A professional email signature conveys professionalism, builds credibility, and communicates essential contact information.

What platform are we using to create a professional and creative-looking email signature?

We are using Canva to create the email signature.

Is there a subscription required to use Canva for this purpose?

No, everything discussed in the script is free to use, and no subscription is required.

How do you navigate to the email signature templates on Canva?

Navigate to Canva.com, and then simply type in 'email signature' to access thousands of templates.

What does the crown symbol on a template in Canva indicate?

The crown symbol indicates that a Canva Pro subscription is required to use that particular template.

How can you upload your own image to replace the stock image in your email signature?

On the left-hand side of Canva, select 'Uploads', then upload your image from your computer and drag and drop it into the frame.

How do you change the transparency of an image in your email signature?

Click on the image, then click on the three dots in the upper right-hand corner, select 'Transparency', and adjust the slider to your desired level.

What options are available for customizing text in the email signature?

You can change the text to be bold or italicized, alter the text color and size, and choose from a variety of fonts, including free options and those that require a subscription.

How do you align font and graphics in your email signature on Canva?

Canva provides handy alignment arrows that you can use to align text and graphics easily.

What file formats can you download your email signature as using the free version of Canva?

Using the free version of Canva, you can download your email signature as a PNG or a JPEG file.

How do you add a clickable link to your image in Outlook email signatures?

After uploading the image in Outlook, click on the three dots next to the image and then 'Insert Link' to add the desired URL.

What steps are involved in adding a new email signature in Gmail?

In Gmail, select the Settings icon, scroll down to find 'Create New Signature', name your signature, insert the image from Canva, adjust the size, add a link if desired, and then save your changes.

Outlines

00:00

📧 Creating a Professional Email Signature with Canva

This paragraph introduces the importance of a professional email signature and outlines the process of creating one using Canva. It emphasizes the free availability of the service and the lack of need for a subscription. The speaker guides the audience through accessing Canva's website, choosing a free template, and customizing it by uploading personal images, selecting and editing graphics, and adjusting text styles and fonts. The paragraph also covers how to manipulate transparency and align elements for a polished look.

05:01

🖼️ Customizing and Uploading Your Email Signature to Email Clients

The second paragraph focuses on the customization options within Canva, such as changing colors, images, and background, as well as aligning and resizing elements. It explains how to download the finished email signature as a PNG or JPEG file. The paragraph then shifts to instructing how to add the new signature to Outlook and Gmail, detailing the steps for uploading the signature, adjusting its size, and making it clickable for external links. The tutorial concludes with encouragement to explore more Canva features through provided links.

Keywords

💡Professional email signature

A professional email signature is a formal and polished addition to the end of an email. It conveys professionalism and credibility, and it often includes essential contact information. In the video, creating a professional email signature is the main theme, with a focus on how to make it look creative using Canva.

💡Canva

Canva is an online design platform that offers a wide range of tools for creating visual content, including email signatures. The video provides a step-by-step guide on how to use Canva to design a professional and creative-looking email signature, emphasizing that it is free and does not require a subscription.

💡Email signature templates

Email signature templates are pre-designed layouts that serve as a starting point for creating an email signature. The video mentions that Canva provides thousands of these templates, which viewers can customize according to their needs. The templates with a crown symbol indicate a need for a Canva Pro subscription, while those without are free to use.

💡Customization

Customization refers to the process of modifying or tailoring a template or design to suit one's specific preferences or requirements. In the context of the video, customization involves changing the text, images, and other elements of the email signature template to reflect the user's personal or brand identity. This includes uploading personal images, changing text styles, and adjusting the layout.

💡Transparency

Transparency in design refers to the degree to which an object or image allows light to pass through it, often used to create a see-through or semi-see-through effect. In the video, the term is used when adjusting the opacity of a stock image in the email signature to make it stand out more against the background.

💡Text editing

Text editing involves modifying the written content within a document or design. In the video, text editing is a crucial part of customizing the email signature, where the user can change the font style, size, and color, as well as input their own information such as name, title, and contact details.

💡Elements

In the context of the video, elements refer to the various design components such as shapes, graphics, and icons that can be added to an email signature to enhance its visual appeal. Canva provides a selection of free and premium elements, and users can search for specific types or explore suggestions to include in their signature design.

💡Alignment

Alignment in design is the process of arranging elements in a balanced and orderly manner. The video mentions the use of alignment tools in Canva to ensure that text and graphics are properly lined up, contributing to the overall neatness and professionalism of the email signature.

💡Background color

The background color is the color that appears behind all the elements of a design. In the video, changing the background color is one of the customization options available in Canva. It allows users to select a color that complements their design or to maintain a white background for a clean look.

💡Download

Downloading refers to the process of transferring a file from a remote system, typically the internet, to a local system, such as a computer. In the video, after customizing the email signature on Canva, the user is instructed to download the design as a PNG or JPEG file to use in their email client.

💡Email clients

Email clients are applications used to compose, send, receive, and manage email messages. The video provides instructions for adding the newly created email signature to two popular email clients: Outlook and Gmail. Each platform has a different process for uploading and applying the signature to new emails.

Highlights

A professional email signature conveys professionalism, builds credibility, and communicates essential contact information.

Learn to create a professional and creative-looking email signature using Canva with no subscription required.

Access thousands of email signature templates on Canva.com by simply typing in 'email signature'.

Templates with a crown require a Canva Pro subscription; those without are free to use and customize.

Upload personal images to replace stock images in the chosen template.

Search for and use free stock images or graphics in the email signature through the Elements section.

Edit images by changing filters, effects, or transparency within the signature.

Customize text in the signature with various fonts, colors, sizes, and styles available.

Use the 'Change All' feature to apply a selected font across the entire design.

Insert personal information into text boxes and adjust text layout as needed.

Add shapes or graphics to the signature and easily delete or adjust them.

Customize contact information graphics such as phone, email, and web addresses.

Change the background color of the signature to match or contrast with the design elements.

Download the finished email signature as a PNG or JPEG file for better image quality.

Add the new signature to Outlook by navigating to Settings and then Signatures.

In Gmail, create a new signature through Settings and customize it with the downloaded image and links.

Ensure the signature is set as default for new emails in both Outlook and Gmail for automatic inclusion.

Explore additional Canva features through linked videos in the description for further customization options.

Transcripts

Having a professional email signature  conveys professionalism, builds credibility,  

and communicates essential contact information.  Today, we are going to learn how to create a  

professional and creative-looking email signature  using Canva. Everything we are going to look at  

today is absolutely free, and no subscription  is required. Then, we will take a look at how  

to easily upload your new signature in Outlook  and Google Mail. Let's get started. First,  

navigate to Canva.com, and then simply type in  email signature. You'll immediately get access  

to thousands of email signature templates for  you to use. As you scroll down to look at the  

different options, you'll notice that some of them  have a crown on the bottom right-hand corner. This  

indicates that you have to have a Canva Pro  subscription in order to use this template.  

Any templates that do not have the crown are  completely free to use, and you can edit and  

customize them how you wish for free. I'm going to  go ahead and select this as my template to start  

with. Click on it, and then select Customize This  Template. Once your chosen template has populated,  

you can begin to edit. The first thing I'm going  to work on is uploading my own image to replace  

the stock image. On the left-hand side, I'll  select Uploads, and then upload my image from  

my computer. Once you've opened your image and it  downloads on Canva, you'll simply grab your chosen  

image and drag and drop it into the frame. Let's  say you want a graphic in your email signature,  

but you want to use a different stock image  instead. On the left-hand side, select Elements,  

and then you can search for something. In this  case, I'm searching for real estate, and I'm going  

to select Photos. You can scroll down here and  see which images are free to use and which ones  

require a paid subscription. Once you have found  one that you like, you can again drag and drop it  

into the frame. Once you have found one that you  want to use, you can click on the image, edit the  

photo, if you want to change some of the filters  or the effects on it. In this particular example,  

I want to decrease the transparency of the  stock image so that this signature pops a  

bit more. Clicking on the three dots in the upper  right-hand corner, I'll select Transparency, and  

I'll go ahead and decrease that. Once you're happy  with how your image looks, then it's time to move  

on to the text. When you're ready to begin editing  the text, simply click on any of the text boxes on  

your email signature. At the top of the screen,  you can see all of the different customization  

that is available to you. You can change whether  it's bold or italicized, as well as the text color  

and size. You also have a whole bunch of different  fonts available for you to use. You'll see that  

Canva has some that are recommended for you based  off of your chosen template. You'll also notice  

as you scroll through these, that some of them do  require a paid subscription, but there are plenty  

of wonderful free options. Once you have found one  that you like, you can go ahead and use this font  

by easily navigating back to it at any time. If I  want to go ahead and make the font the same down  

here, I can go back up to the font type, quickly  scroll to the top, and see the fonts that have  

already been used in this document. I can also  select Change All, which will quickly adjust the  

fonts across all of my design. To edit a line of  text, again, click into it, and you can go ahead  

and insert your own information. As I continue  to edit my email signature, I'm going to move on  

and adjust this over here on the left-hand side.  Customizing my text. And if you ever wanted to  

move the text, you simply click on one of the text  boxes and drag and drop. Let's take a look at some  

of the other fun elements that you can include  in your email signature. On the left-hand side,  

I'll select Elements. Here, you can either search  for a particular type of element that you have in  

mind, or explore some of the ones that Canva is  suggesting for you. If you wanted to go ahead and  

insert one of these shapes or graphics, simply  select it and drag it to your email signature.  

If you're unhappy with it, once you've added it,  simply press the Delete button. You'll notice here  

that there's some graphics that were included  for phone call, email, address, World Wide Web.  

If I want to change how those looks, I have a  few options. I can go ahead and click on it,  

and at the top of the page, adjust the color,  or I can change the image in its entirety. If  

I want to change the image in its entirety,  I can press Delete, grab a new image, and  

drag it over. I can then edit the size simply by  dragging the bottom corner, and then realigning.  

You'll notice that Canva makes it easy to align  font and graphics with the handy arrows that they  

provide to you. An additional customization could  be changing the background color. Simply click on  

the background and select the color at the top of  the screen. One of the great things about Canva  

is it automatically detects the colors that  have already been used, or that are used in  

your photos. If I wanted to make my background  blend in with the photo, I could select one of  

these. You can also see a whole bunch of default  colors and gradients available for your use. Or  

if you prefer the white background, simply scroll  back up and select white, or the Undo button. Now  

it's time to go ahead and download our image.  On the upper right-hand side of the screen,  

you'll see the Share button. Scrolling down,  I'll go ahead and select Download. Here,  

using the free version of Canva, you can download  this as a PNG or a JPEG file. My suggestion is to  

use the PNG file, which will make the images  pop a bit more in your email signature. Then  

go ahead and download this to your computer.  After downloading your new email signature,  

it's time to add it to your email account.  First, looking at Outlook, you'll navigate  

to Settings and then click on Signatures.  They'll have you add a name to your signature,  

and then go ahead and upload what you just  downloaded from Canva. You can go ahead and adjust  

the size of the image so it's not all-consuming.  If you want this image to be clickable,  

meaning someone could click on the image and it  would open up an external website, simply click  

on the three dots and then Insert Link. Now when  you click on Save, it will automatically default  

to this signature for all new mail. When you then  create a new email message, the default signature  

will be included. And you can hover over it to  see the external website that it will take you  

to. Now let's take a look at how to do this in  Gmail. In Gmail, select the Settings icon and  

then see all settings. You'll scroll down almost  to the bottom and select Create New Signature.  

Similar to Outlook, you'll need to name your new  signature and create. Next, go ahead and insert  

the image that you downloaded from Canva. Once  this image has uploaded, you can adjust the size  

by clicking on it and selecting the size that  you want. In order to add a link, you'll need  

to highlight the image and select the Link button  and then select OK. Next, you'll scroll down and  

for new emails, use our default signature. On  Reply in Forward, you have the option whether  

to use no signature or your default. Then scroll  to the bottom and select Save Changes. Now when  

you create a new email, you'll see that your  new email signature has pre-populated. And if  

you hover over the image, you can see the  link in which it will take you. I hope you  

found this tutorial helpful and have lots of fun  building your new email signature. To learn more  

about other Canva features, check out the links to  our other Canva videos below in the description.