The Reason Why Many Use Canva is...

Most people think Canva grew because it’s easy to use.

Well, that’s only partly true.

The actual reason is that Canva nailed distribution.

And they did all that without spending a fortune on ads.

They didn’t wait for people to discover their product.
They built a system where people found Canva naturally everywhere.
On search engines, social media, friends circle, etc.,

That was the result of a well-executed strategy using:

• SEO (search engine optimization)

• UGC (user-generated content)

• And templates (lots of them)

The Big Idea:

Canva’s Growth Engine

Canva grew because they figured out when and how to get in front of people.

They understood that people don’t search for tools. They search for solutions because nobody types like they need a design platform. They type things like:

• Event poster template

• Invoice example

• Create a YouTube thumbnail

These are real problems.

And Canva made sure they showed up first every time.

They built:

• Thousands of template pages, each matching a specific search

• Helpful blog posts that solved design-related questions

• A system where users could create and share their designs (which also ranked on Google)

This strategy created a strong SEO moat.

Even if a new tool popped up, Canva was already everywhere.
Every design niche. Every content type. Every long-tail search.

They built an engine that brought users in daily for free.
Not ads. Not partnerships. Just smart, scalable content.

Wait... How did Canva do all this?

Behind the Magic:

Canva’s Simple SEO Playbook

Canva didn’t just write content and hope for the best.

They used a smart system that any founder or indie hacker can learn from.

1. They didn’t chase keywords — they built for intent

Most people writing for SEO focus on the big numbers. High-volume keywords like graphic design tools or online editor look great.

But they don’t always bring the right traffic. Canva went the other way.

They found low-volume keywords that showed clear intent. If someone searches for a funeral program template, they are not browsing. They need a solution.

Right now. So, Canva built a page with templates for that exact need.

These kinds of searches are called long-tail keywords. For example, these are the results I got on Google when I searched for social media templates:

They may not get millions of searches, but they bring action-ready users.

That gave Canva more qualified traffic, and these search terms led to specific landing pages, not just the homepage.

And this is the organic traffic of Canva (as per Ahrefs):

So, users landed where they needed to be, saw a solution, and clicked Edit in Canva. It increased signups and reduced drop-offs.

The whole flow felt smooth and helpful, not promotional.

You know Canva also owns a blog page?

The topics they cover are not random because the content team picks those with a clear path to a design template.

So after reading the post, readers could click a link that said, “Use this template,” and start working in Canva. This made the blog a helpful starting point.

It also created internal links to Canva’s main template pages.

That helped boost SEO across the site. Another smart thing is that Canva kept their blog posts short, visual, and actionable, just like the rest of their product.

This made the transition from reading to doing feel natural, not forced.

2. They used templates as their content strategy

Instead of writing articles and hoping people stick around, Canva made the product do the work. Each template on Canva lives on its URL.

That means Google can index thousands (even millions) of unique pages, each solving a different user problem.

But they didn’t just dump templates on a page. They organized them with clear titles, descriptions, and categories that matched search terms.

For example:

• Valentine’s Day Card Template pages rank before February

• School Certificate Template pages spike during graduation season

That’s wise seasonal planning.

It gave Canva evergreen traffic and also helped them ride trending moments. Templates are also visual, which makes them easier to rank on image search, too.

Canva got traffic from Google Images, Pinterest, and Facebook shares.

And since people could start editing right away, the conversion from page view to user was fast and friction-free.

This turned design templates into a serious content engine.

3. They turned their users into content creators

Here's where Canva stood out. Most SaaS tools lock down what users create. But Canva did the opposite by letting people share their designs.

Whenever someone made a flyer, poster, invite, or resume and shared it publicly, Canva generated a new page.

That page:

• Could be seen by others

• Included a button to “Edit this design”

• Lived on Canva’s domain and could be found by Google

So, users helped Canva grow each time they created and shared something.

And this wasn’t a one-time thing. It created a flywheel:

1. The user creates a design

2. Share it with a link

3. New people visit the link

4. Some start using Canva

5. Those users create more content

Over time, users grew Canva’s SEO and word-of-mouth channels.

This also built social proof. Seeing live designs made by others gave new users more trust in Canva’s quality and ease of use.

Canva created a loop to grow where:

• SEO brought in users

• Templates got them to take action

• UGC brought in more users

• And content tied everything together

And you don’t need a big team to do this.

Where It Fits:

Ready-to-Use Marketing Strategy

Canva did this with billions of templates.

But you can do this with 10 solid ones, and grow from there.

1. Start with intent, not volume

• Google your product name + “template,” “example,” or “how to.”

• Note the auto-suggestions. These are search terms people use.

• Pick 10–20 that show purchase or usage intent.

For example:

If you built an AI resume builder, your users might search:

• Cover letter for a data analyst job

• Internship resume with no experience

• Free resume templates for freshers

2. Build one SEO-optimized template page per use case

Each search term gets its landing page. Structure the page like this:

• Headline with keyword

• 2–3 sample templates (real, usable)

• Quick intro (100–150 words) explaining the use

• CTA button: “Use This Template Now”

• Internal link to blog or related template pages

Use Webflow, Notion, or Framer to build pages fast without coding.

3. Turn your product into a traffic engine

If your product lets people create something (documents, designs, videos, apps):

• Let users share their creations publicly.

• Add a “Remix this” or “Edit This” button to those pages.

• Index those links on your domain (like yourtool.com/designs/xyz)

This creates a snowball of content → traffic → signups → more content.

Notion, Figma, and Canva all did this to grow like crazy.

4. Launch a mini blog with clear how-to articles

Write 5 simple posts based on actual Google searches.

Use this format:

• Start with a common question (ex: “How do I write a resignation letter?”)

• Explain it in simple words

• Add 1–2 templates users can edit

• Add internal links to your template pages

Repeat this format for 10–20 use cases.

Don’t overthink, write like you are texting a friend.

5. Add image SEO + Pinterest

Canva didn’t ignore visuals. You shouldn’t either.

• Every template page should include a featured image (template preview).

• Name your image files clearly: wedding-invite-template.png

• Add “alt text” to match the search keyword.

Then:

• Pin these images to a Pinterest board with links to your pages.

• Tools like the Tailwind App can help automate this.

Image search + Pinterest will bring in long-term visual traffic for free.

6. Systemize it all in Notion

Create a Notion doc like this:

Use this to track your efforts and keep it simple.

What This Strategy Does:

• Brings traffic through low-competition, high-intent keywords

• Converts users through templates and real use cases

• Scales content through user-generated designs

• Keeps costs low (no ads, no full team needed)

Resources For You

Templates: Struggling to create high-converting DTC ads? Get 60+ proven DTC ad templates used by top brands. Plug, tweak, and launch winning ads instantly.

Hunting Marketing Jobs: Check out GrowthRoles. It's a job board just for marketers. From email marketing to social media marketing, find your dream role today.

Blog:

• What is SEO in digital marketing?

• A beginner's guide to keyword research for bloggers

• How to optimize images for search engines and users

YT Video: Keyword Research Tutorial: 3-Step Process for All Levels

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