Artwork by Andrew Harner
When you’re launching a small business, it’s hard to find the cash — or the time — for advertising. These templates for Instagram and Pinterest are just what you need.
Art director Andrew Harner organized the 10 templates into layer groups in one Photoshop file. You can quickly customize each template’s colors and photos and swap in your own brand name and logo.
The name of each layer group clues you into its social media platform and purpose; for example, to make a vertical ad for an Instagram Story, click into the layer called “Insta Story 1080x1920”. The templates’ built-in design guidance lets you visualize where the platforms’ interface elements will appear, so you don’t accidently place something important beneath the interface.
While Andrew populated the templates with a fictional botanical elixir company, the flexible designs easily accommodate other shops or products. Just add your own text and images and start spreading the word — your word.
How to customize the templates.
In these templates, logos and photos are inside a special kind of file called a Smart Object. To replace them, open the Layers panel and expand one of the templates, such as Insta Story 1080x1920, by twirling the arrow to the left of the template name. Then follow the steps below
STEP 1/4
Replace logos and photos.
Find the layer “Replace with your logo” and double-click the thumbnail to the left of that layer’s name to open the Smart Object. In the new file that opens, click the eye icon to the left of the placeholder image to hide it. Paste in or place your new logo, and then save and close the Smart Object file. Your logo now appears in the social asset, perfectly resized and arranged. Repeat the process with photo layers.
STEP 2/4
Change colors.
In the Layers panel, find a layer named “Background” and double-click its thumbnail. In the dialog that appears, pick a new hue and click OK to make the change.
STEP 3/4
Edit text.
In the Layers panel, select a layer with a capital T thumbnail and double-click that thumbnail to highlight the text. Type in your own words to replace the placeholder text.
STEP 4/4
Export customized ads.
Layers with “interface” in their names are for your reference only. To remove those layers from your final ads, click the eye icon to the left of the layer. Then go to File > Export > Export As. You can export all the ads at once by default, or exclude specific designs by unchecking the boxes to the left.
Marketing tips woven into every template.
Andrew designed the Instagram and Pinterest templates with three main marketing needs in mind: Sell a product, promote brand awareness, and promote an event.
For example, “Pinterest Static Ad 1000x1500” is meant to grab attention quickly while communicating the most important information. That’s why the color palette is limited, the message is short, and the product photo is large. Those design decisions also leave room for a button potential customers can click to take the next step.
In contrast, the three “Insta Carousel Ad 1080x1080” templates are targeted at viewers already interested in the product. You can assume they’re willing to click through three carousel slides and read longer text with event details.
And did you notice how the can photos pop up in multiple templates? Besides saving money, re-using a small number of images in creative ways is a great brand-awareness trick.
The templates are crammed with other design best practices you can follow, such as limited fonts, and colors that repeat even when social platforms and marketing needs change. One key lesson: Ruthlessly remove minor elements so your most important message has space to make the biggest possible impact.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Andrew Harner is an artist/designer, musician, and outdoor enthusiast. The Southern California native spent his early career designing for brands in the action sports industry, leading to a long stint as an art director at Patagonia. He’s currently an Art Director for Aquent x Adobe Studio. For more from Andrew, visit his website and follow him @andrewharner.
