Introduction:
Graphic design is a very useful skill to have if you’re an online marketer. Yet, it’s not easy to learn.
Not only will you need to master typography and understand layouts, colors, etc. but you’ll also need to be competent at using a tool like Photoshop. Most online marketers neither have the time nor interest to learn graphic design.
They want to create awesome graphics fast and easily. In the past, this wasn’t possible.
But now, there are many graphic design tools on the market that can help you create awesome designs in minutes. One of the best graphic design tools that thousands of marketers use is Stencil.
Let’s see why it’s so popular…
The Pros
- Established brand
Stencil has been around for several years. What started as a basic tool has been constantly improved upon until now it’s a truly formidable graphic design tool that can hold its own against many of the bigger brands and competitors.
- You don’t need photoshop
Photoshop is difficult to learn and requires graphic design knowledge. Stencil, however, allows you to make eye-catching images in minutes. The speed is unparalleled and it’s far easier to use than Photoshop.
- 1,350+ Templates
This is Stencil’s strongest feature. With over a thousand pre-designed templates for you to choose from, creating an image is simpler than ever before. All you need to do is upload your image (if you’re using one) and just tweak the design to make it yours.
Just by changing fonts and color and adding your own text, you’ll have a brand new image that looks amazing. Very often, beginners struggle coming up with design concepts.
You must have a knowledge of graphic design to create visually appealing images. Stencil’s templates allow you to leverage the skill of professional designers and create your own amazing images by using their designs as a ‘base’ for your creations.
You can’t go wrong here.
- Pre-set sizes
Different social media platforms have different requirements in terms of image sizes. Stencil has made things easy by having options for you to choose within the interface.
If you’re creating an image for a Facebook post, just select that option and Stencil will immediately create a canvas that matches the Facebook post dimensions. Now all you need to do is load a template and start designing. There’s no need to worry about the image sizes. It’s all done for you.
- Unlimited images & stock photo library
You can create unlimited images with your monthly subscription (unlimited plan).
Stencil also has an image library with thousands of royalty-free images that you can use in your design. They’re from the creative commons. So you can use them commercially and not need to worry about copyright issues.
- Very affordable
At $12 a month, most people will be able to afford Stencil. It’s even cheaper than a Netflix standard account. It’s recommended that you get Stencil’s unlimited plan rather than the Pro plan. You get so much more for just that extra $3.
- Tons of graphic assets and other features
You’ll find over 3 million icons, graphics and other clipart within Stencil that you can use in your own images. Just do a search for what you need.
You can also watermark your images and add your own logo to them. You also have access to over 4,500 Google fonts and you can even upload your own font.
- Money-back guarantee
Despite being so affordable and easy to use, Stencil still offers a 7-day money back guarantee. If you sign up for it and don’t like it, you can always ask for a refund. In most cases, you’ll forget about getting a refund and instead be glad that you got it.
The Cons
For a tool this affordable and versatile, we’re hard pressed to find anything wrong with it. The only thing you could say is that it doesn’t have as many editing capabilities as Photoshop.
But you’re getting it because you don’t want to deal with the hassle of learning Photoshop, right?
So… this might not be a disadvantage after all.
Should You Get It?
If you need to constantly have graphics designed for your blog, social media, etc. and you want a quick and simple way to do it – you definitely NEED Stencil.
Marketers on a tight budget will not want to constantly be paying freelancers to create images for them even if it’s just $5 an image. The costs can add up.
You don’t even need to hire a designer with all the templates in Stencil. In fact, you might be able to do a better job than the graphic designers without having to pay them a cent.
Stencil is that versatile and easy to use. Give it a try and start making beautiful images in minutes. You’ll love your creations and enjoy the process.
Stencil will make a graphic designer out of anyone even if they failed art in school. It’s that good.
