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Inside Canva India's Instagram: Mixing memes, trends & designs

In this edition of social media strategy, we take a deep dive into Canva India’s Instagram, exploring how the brand combines humour, trending topics, and simple design tips to engage its audience.

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Sneha Medda
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Canva India's Instagram

If you’ve ever had to design a presentation, social media post, or even a quick invite, chances are you’ve turned to Canva. What started in 2013 as a simple idea by Melanie Perkins, Cliff Obrecht, and Cameron Adams, making design accessible to everyone, has today grown into a global platform with over 220 million monthly active users. In India alone, Canva has found a massive user base, ranking as its fifth-largest market, with millions using the tool to create everything from business proposals to Instagram carousels.

Despite its widespread popularity, Canva’s marketing presence in India remained relatively quiet, until 2024, when the brand launched its first-ever campaign in the country. And in true Canva style, it was anything but conventional. ‘The Hysterical Historical Café’, a quirky and offbeat series of ads featuring famous historical figures struggling with modern-day design dilemmas, captured social media’s attention.

Canva India’s fun, quirky approach isn’t just limited to its ads—it spills over into its social media presence too. With over 155K followers on Instagram, the brand keeps things light, relatable and always centred around its product. Here’s a closer look at how Canva India is making social media work for them.

How to use Canva

Canva India has cleverly changed the challenge of showcasing its SaaS products into engaging and relatable content on social media. Instead of just telling people what their tools can do, they show it in a way that clicks with everyday life.

Take Diwali, for example. The brand shared a reel featuring its ‘Magic Eraser’ tool, playfully suggesting it could help you avoid getting scolded by your parents—something most of us can relate to during festive clean-ups. During the wedding season, they leaned into the chaos of shaadi prep, showing how Canva makes designing digital wedding invites in a breeze.

Every few posts, Canva India brings the focus back to its product, but never with mundane, in-your-face ads.

 

Topical posts 

Canva India knows that in the fast-paced world of social media, being part of the conversation is key. Moment marketing—jumping on trending topics and cultural moments, is something almost every brand does, but Canva takes it a step further. Instead of just reacting to trends, they use them as an opportunity to showcase their own tools in action.

For instance, whether it’s a viral meme format or a major cultural event, Canva ensures that every topical post is not just timely but also a subtle demo of what their platform can do. From clever use of design templates to highlighting features like text effects and animations, their posts don’t just join the trend, they show users how they can create similar content themselves.

 

Sh*tposting using Canva

Brands are no longer just about polished campaigns, sometimes, the most effective way to connect with audiences is by embracing chaos. Canva India taps into the internet’s love for sh*tposting, low-effort, meme-style content that thrives on absurdity and humour.

From intentionally ‘bad’ designs to over-the-top text placements, these posts lean into the DIY aesthetic, proving that Canva isn’t just for serious projects, it’s also for having fun. By doing this, the brand taps into meme culture and shows that you don’t need to be a designer to create something that sparks engagement. It’s a clever way to position Canva as a tool for both professionals and everyday internet users looking to try their hands at a joke. 

 

Influencer collabs 

If your favourite creator can use Canva effortlessly, so can you. That’s the message Canva India drives home with its influencer collaborations. Instead of pushing the product directly, the brand lets influencers showcase how they use Canva in their own way, whether it’s designing merchandise, making event invites or customising templates to match their style.

By partnering with creators who focus on design, creativity, or relatable content, Canva makes the platform feel more accessible. These posts act as subtle endorsements, showing that you don’t need to be a professional to create something great. By tapping into influencer credibility, Canva India builds trust and encourages more people to give it a try.

Animal memes 

Nothing goes viral quite like a good animal meme. Canva India understands this well and often incorporates pets into its social content. Whether it’s a cat expressing relatable struggles or a dog perfectly summing up an everyday situation, these posts tap into universally loved humour.

But beyond just being shareable, these posts also cleverly integrate Canva’s tools. Whether it’s a text overlay, a fun background, or an edited template, Canva ensures that its product remains at the heart of the content.

 

Canva India’s social media game is all about keeping things fun, relatable, and easy to use. By tapping into internet culture, hopping on trends, and working with creators, Canva makes design feel effortless and accessible. The message is clear, you don’t need to be a pro to create something cool. And that’s exactly what keeps people coming back.

social media strategy Influencer marketing marketing strategy SaaS platform Canva India's Instagram