Design is super important when you are building your presence on social media. But how do you decide if you need custom images or templates? They both can add value to your brand, but one may suit your brand better depending on your approach and purpose.
Let’s look at both eventually helping you determine what works best for your business.
What Are Template Designs?
Templates are pre-existing formats. You can simply change the text, add your logo, then reuse them across various platforms. They’re easily accessible, and you can get them posted quickly.
Why use templates?
- They save time
- Easy to work with
- Good for small teams or solo creators
But they also come with limits. Many brands use the same ones. Over time, your posts may start to look like everyone else’s.
What Are Custom Designs?
Custom designs are exclusive to your brand. One designer will create designs that fit your tone of voice, brand style and content purpose. Custom designs will feel like they are more personal for your target market and it helps to promote brand recall.
Why use custom visuals?
- Unique to your business
- Matches your branding
- Helps build a consistent feed
They may take longer and cost more, but they offer better results in the long run.
Which One Is Better for Growth?
When it comes to long term growth on social media, it is not just about the number of posts, but how well your audience connects with the content. This is where custom design usually shines.
Template designs work well for productivity and the need to keep posting, especially when you have plenty of content to share in a short time. However, over time, it can feel repetitive to have the same design style over and over. It might not even create a strong impression for them, and even worse, other brands are doing similar layouts and colours.
Custom designs give you 100% control. You receive visuals that reflect your brand voice, tone, and personality. Everything from colour, typography and every detail, is crafted just for you, and it demonstrates to your audience that you are committed to what you do. This builds brand trust, enhances recognition, and increases the likelihood of standing out in a crowded feed.
People scroll so fast on social media. A unique and well-designed post can make one stop and read. If your content consistently feels intentional and polished, that audience member is more likely to engage, follow, and remember your brand over time.
In summary, if your goal is to gain short-term speed, then templates might be a good option for you. If you ever want to grow your brand in a meaningful way, you’ll want a custom design.
Custom vs. Template Designs
| Custom Design | Template Design | |
| Visual Uniqueness | Tailored to your brand; stands out | Can look similar to others; lacks uniqueness |
| Time to Create | Takes longer due to strategy and design effort | Quick and easy to use |
| Brand Recall | High – builds a distinct visual identity | Low – may blend in with common designs |
| Flexibility | Fully flexible to your messaging and goals | Limited to the template’s layout |
| Cost | Higher upfront cost, long-term value | Usually lower cost or free |
| Best For | Long-term growth, brand building | Fast posting, small teams, short-term content |
| User Engagement | More engaging if done right | May get less attention due to repetitive look |
What Avira Digital Studios Will Do for You?
Avira Digital Studios helps brands develop designs that tell one clear story. As a leading social media design company, we provide comprehensive social media graphic design services, from post creation to story highlights.
We engage with you to get a deeper understanding of how we can help you achieve your goals. From here, we create brands or custom templates, based on your developmental phase. You can trust us for supportive design as well as good design.
Both custom and template designs have their space. But if you’re serious about brand growth, custom designs will give you better results over time. They help people connect with your brand in a more real way.
Let Avira Digital Studios help you create social media content that’s simple, clear, and made to grow with your business.