Free Workshop: The Rookie Guide to Digital Marketing
Hello, and welcome to our free digital marketing workshop!
I’m Elwyn Davies, founder of Pixelhaze Academy. Over the years, I’ve had the chance to work with thousands of businesses, helping them find their feet with digital media. This post pulls together the key insights from our workshop to give you a solid start in creating digital content that works.
Getting Started
We’re not going to cover everything today. To be honest, I could be here for days and still not get through all there is to know about digital marketing. But we’ll focus on the fundamentals. These are skills you can carry with you across different platforms, whether you’re looking to grow your business or your personal brand or just learn for fun.
TAKE THE FREE DIGITAL MEDIA & CANVA COURSE - join our FREE Membership to gain access.
The Importance of Skill Building
Let’s clarify: digital marketing isn’t about chasing a million followers overnight. It’s about building layers of skills. The more you learn, the better you’ll get at making informed decisions—whether you want to DIY your marketing or bring in a professional. Either approach is fine, but having a solid foundation is key.
This workshop is a great place to start if you’re ready to take on the full range of digital marketing, from managing websites to designing social media posts using tools like Canva.
Joining Our Community
At Pixelhaze Academy, we have two communities over on Skool that can help you move forward:
DIY Community – For $15 a month, you can access our core courses and leave messages with questions or ideas for future content.
Coaching Plan—For $97 a month, you’ll get weekly live video calls with me and the team, during which we’ll dedicate time to tackling your problems head-on.
Both options give you access to all of our workshops, including this one. But enough about that, let’s get back to the real stuff.
My Background in Digital Marketing
I’ve been working in digital long before "digital marketing" became the buzzword it is today. My first venture into the online world was in 1996, when I built my first website. It wasn’t groundbreaking (it looked awful), but it sparked something in me. Back then, the internet was still in its infancy, and creating anything online felt like unexplored territory. This early exposure gave me a taste of what was possible, and that taste grew into a full-blown passion.
In 2004, after completing my product design degree, I co-founded my first web agency with a mate from university. We were fresh out of the gate, full of energy, and keen to make our mark. Over the next few years, we took on everything from small business websites to larger projects for national clients. Eventually, I sold my stake in the business and returned to my roots in Mid Wales.
Moving back gave me the space to reflect and repackage my experiences. I began focusing on helping small businesses, startups, and freelancers leverage the web to grow. My goal was simple: to make high-quality digital media accessible, no matter the size of the business. I would bring the agency service offering to small and micro businesses without the agency price tag.
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with thousands of clients, and this journey has been the foundation of everything I do at Pixelhaze Academy today.
Why Understanding 'The Why' Matters
Before we get into the practical steps of creating digital content, it's essential to understand why you're doing it in the first place. It’s easy to jump straight into the “how” without thinking about the bigger picture, but without a clear purpose, your content can quickly lose focus. This is where your brand comes into play. Your brand is the foundation for everything you put out there - whether it's a social media post, a blog, or your website content.
A strong brand can look good and tell your audience who you are and why they should care. Consistency is key here. Every piece of content should reflect your brand's message, tone, and visual identity. That’s why our Pixelhaze Principles of Design are so important. These principles help you create clear, consistent designs across platforms, making sure your brand stays solid no matter where your audience interacts with it.
When you take the time to figure out the "why" behind your content, the rest becomes easier. Your messaging will be more focused, your designs will feel more intentional, and your audience will be more engaged. Building trust and familiarity starts with understanding your purpose, and everything from your fonts to your visuals will flow naturally from there.
The Pixelhaze Principles of Design
The Pixelhaze Principles of Design are all about making professional-looking design accessible to everyone, even if you don’t have a background in design. These principles focus on core elements like white space, contrast, and hierarchy. Whether you’re designing a website, a social media post, or a business card, these building blocks make your work look polished and intentional.
What’s great about these principles is how versatile they are. We initially trialled them in primary schools, using simple concepts to teach kids design fundamentals.
Surprisingly, the same approach worked just as well with college students, university undergraduates, and even business owners in professional courses. The feedback was fantastic across the board, and we quickly realised that these concepts could bridge the gap for anyone looking to improve their digital media skills, no matter their experience level.
The aim behind the Pixelhaze Principles is to give you the confidence to create designs that not only look good but also communicate clearly. You don’t need years of formal education to master design basics. A solid understanding of these core principles will make everything else click into place, whether designing a logo, building a brand, or creating content for your business.
Measure Twice, Cut Once
The concept of "measure twice, cut once" doesn’t just apply to carpentry. It’s a practical approach for design as well. Jumping straight into the details without a clear plan often leads to unnecessary revisions. Focusing too much on perfecting a small part of the design early on can make you lose sight of the bigger picture. It's better to take the time to plan first, then refine the details later.
By mapping out your design beforehand, you ensure that everything fits together smoothly. Think of it like building a house—you need a solid foundation before decorating the rooms. Once the main structure is in place, it becomes easier to go back and tweak the finer points. This method saves time and helps avoid getting stuck in the details when the overall design isn’t fully formed.
Spaceman (White Space)
Good design always needs space to breathe. Many people make the mistake of filling their designs with too many elements, thinking it adds value. In reality, clutter only makes it harder for people to focus on the important parts of your design. White space, whether or not it’s white, provides balance and helps guide the viewer’s eye where it matters most.
White space isn’t about leaving parts of the design blank; it’s about using space intentionally. It keeps your design clean, allowing each element to stand out without overwhelming the viewer. When appropriately used, white space creates clarity and a more polished, professional look. It helps each part of your design do its job without competing for attention.
Yin and Yang (Contrast)
Contrast is one of the most important elements in any design. It ensures your content is easy to read and visually appealing. Whether it’s dark text on a light background or bold colours against a neutral palette, contrast can dramatically impact how your design is received.
Using contrast well draws attention to the essential elements and helps organize your content. It ensures your audience knows what to focus on first. Strong contrast is also essential for accessibility, especially when creating content for a wider audience. It makes your design both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
Spotlight (Hierarchy)
Every design has a central focus, and it’s important to ensure that the key element—whether it’s your headline, logo, or main image—stands out. The rest of the design should support this. By establishing a clear hierarchy, you guide your audience to what matters most, making engaging with your content more accessible.
When hierarchy is used correctly, your audience knows where to look first, second, and so on. This approach ensures that your design feels cohesive and purposeful, with each element serving its role without distracting from the show's star. The goal is to make your message clear and easy to follow without overwhelming the viewer.
Consistency is Key
Consistency across your designs is crucial for building a professional and cohesive look. Whether it's the fonts, colours, or style of your imagery, keeping these elements consistent helps reinforce your brand. People should be able to recognize your work at a glance, which builds familiarity and trust with your audience.
Sticking to a consistent design language makes it easier for people to engage with your content. Consistency not only looks more polished but also allows your audience to focus on the message rather than getting distracted by constantly changing design elements. It’s about creating a reliable and familiar experience for your viewers whenever they interact with your brand.
Rhythm and Beat (Flow)
Your designs should create a natural flow, guiding the viewer’s eye smoothly from one element to the next. Establishing this rhythm helps ensure that your message is delivered clearly, without causing any confusion. It’s all about making sure the visual journey feels seamless and intuitive.
When you achieve good flow, each design part works together to build a unified experience. Consistency plays a big role here, as it helps maintain the rhythm across different pieces of content. When your audience feels like they’re being led naturally through your design, they’re more likely to stay engaged with your message.
Content is King
No matter how well-designed something is, the design can't save it without strong content. What you’re saying matters most. Your content is the foundation on which everything else is built. Good design exists to enhance and support the message, not replace it.
The quality of your content is what will ultimately resonate with your audience. Design helps grab attention, but the substance of your message will keep people engaged. Ensure your content is clear, concise, and meaningful, and the design will help amplify its impact.
Canva: The Perfect Tool for Non-Designers
At Pixelhaze Academy, we use Canva in our workshops because it’s hands-down the best design tool for beginners. Canva makes it easy for anyone to create professional-looking designs, even without any prior experience. It’s like playing with Lego—simple, intuitive, and incredibly flexible. Whether you’re creating a logo, a social media graphic, or even a full presentation, Canva provides the tools you need to make your ideas come to life without getting bogged down in complex software.
For those new to design, Canva’s drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to experiment and learn. You can start with one of their templates or build something entirely from scratch. Even with the free version, you can create polished and professional designs that look like you spent hours working on. During our workshops, we guide you step-by-step through creating logos and social media graphics using Canva’s free features.
If you’re serious about taking your designs to the next level, I recommend upgrading to Canva Pro. The Pro version offers a wider range of features, including access to premium templates, advanced editing tools, and the ability to save your brand's fonts, colours, and logos for quick use. It also allows you to export transparent images and resize designs with just one click, which can be a game-changer if you manage multiple projects. For the small investment, Canva Pro is worth every penny if you want to maximise your design efforts and maintain a professional look across all platforms.
Creating a Logo in Canva
One of the key activities we cover in the workshop is logo design. We’ll take a hands-on approach by reverse-engineering a logo, pulling colours, fonts, and ideas from an existing website and transforming them into a cohesive brand identity. It’s all about taking elements you already have and giving them structure and consistency, turning scattered ideas into a recognizable logo that reflects your brand.
The goal isn’t to create an award-winning design logo (we’ll leave that to the professionals) but to give you a solid starting point. By understanding how to take existing visual elements and organize them into something that feels intentional, you’ll have the tools to create a brand identity that can grow with your business. It’s a practical way to introduce you to Canva’s design features while showing how easy it is to create something professional and polished, even if you’re not a designer.
Throughout the workshop, you’ll learn how to fine-tune the look of your logo, whether that means adjusting the colours to better match your brand or experimenting with fonts to get the right feel. Even though the result might not be perfect, you’ll have a foundation to build on, making future tweaks or upgrades easier as your brand evolves.
Social Media Design Made Easy
After you’ve sorted your logo, the next step is designing social media posts where Canva shines. Creating consistent and engaging content becomes much easier once you have your toolkit—your fonts, colours, and logo. Having these brand elements locked in means you’re not always starting from scratch. Instead, you can focus on the message, knowing the design will stay aligned with your overall look.
Canva’s drag-and-drop simplicity makes social media design quick and painless. You don’t need any technical know-how to create something that looks professional. With a few clicks, you can design eye-catching posts that align with your brand’s identity, whether it's for Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or another platform. The templates provided by Canva help you stay organized while also giving you room to be creative, so you can put together a series of posts in minutes rather than hours.
The best part? Once you’ve created one design you’re happy with, you can duplicate it and make small adjustments for future posts, maintaining a consistent visual style across your entire feed. This not only saves you time but also helps your brand appear more polished and cohesive, ensuring that your audience can quickly recognize your posts, no matter where they come across them.
The Power of Video Marketing
By 2024, a staggering 82% of all internet traffic will be video content. If you're not creating videos, now is the time to start. Video marketing is one of the most effective and engaging ways to connect with your audience. People respond to visuals and storytelling in a way that text alone can’t always achieve. Video lets you showcase your brand’s personality, build trust, and create a lasting impression.
If you’re new to video, there’s no need to dive into complex productions right away. Start small with short clips—maybe an introduction to your product, a behind-the-scenes look at your business, or a quick customer testimonial. These short videos don’t need to be perfect.
In fact, raw, authentic content often resonates better with audiences because it feels more relatable. The key is consistency and relevance. As you get more comfortable with the process, you can experiment with different videos like tutorials, product demos, or live streams.
The real power of video lies in its ability to forge deeper connections with your audience. Video allows people to see and hear the faces behind the brand, making it a more personal experience. This creates a sense of familiarity and trust, essential for long-term customer relationships. Whether you’re trying to drive engagement on social media or increase conversions on your website, adding video to your marketing mix can make a big difference.
Takeaway Tips for Digital Media Creation
Start with a solid foundation: Know your brand and message before diving into design.
Use white space generously: Don’t clutter your design; give it room to breathe.
Keep your designs consistent: Fonts, colours, and layouts should stay the same across platforms.
Invest in good content: All the design polish in the world won’t save bad content.
Video is key: Start now if you’re not creating video content yet.
Practice makes perfect: The more you design, the better you’ll get.
Wrapping Up
This workshop is just a taste of what we cover at Pixelhaze Academy. The Pixelhaze Principles of Design will give you the framework to build professional designs, even if you’re just starting out. Whether you’re using Canva for logos, social media posts, or website content, these principles will help you create work that stands out.
Join our community over on Skool and start putting these skills to work. Whether you’re part of the DIY crew or looking for more hands-on coaching, we’ve got you covered.
Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you in the community.
