How to Batch Graphics for Your Blog and Social Media

Are you looking for ways to save time and improve your workflow?

As a small business owner, creating graphics is just one of the many things you have to do. And it can be hard to find the time, right?

You can make this process easier by batching your work together instead of creating one graphic at a time, day by day. This will save you hours of time!

So, if that sounds good to you, let’s get started with how to batch graphics for your blog and social media.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase using this link. For more information, see my full disclaimer here.

What does “batching” even mean?

But first, let’s make sure we’re on the page. What does batching even mean?

Batch processing is doing a group of similar tasks all at once.

When it comes to batching graphics, this means you will create a whole set of graphics at one time before you move on to a different type of task.

For example, you can create all the social media graphics to promote a single blog post in one sitting, then move on to writing the captions.

Another batching option is to create a lot of graphics for one platform at a time. For example, you can batch create a bunch of Pinterest pins in one sitting.

Why batching graphics will save you time

Batching saves time because you are not switching tasks. (This is true for all types of batching, not just graphics.) Studies have shown that every time you switch tasks, it takes your brain 15-20 minutes to catch up.

So each time you start something new, you lose 15-20 minutes. Yikes!

Batching also saves time because you only have to do the setup work once. For example, opening your graphics software, finding the right photo, writing your headline – those are all tasks related to creating a graphic. It’s more efficient if you do that setup work once for several graphics.

Step-by-step process to batch graphics

Today, we’re going to focus on creating all the graphics for one blog post in a batch. So decide on your post and set aside some time to focus only on making graphics. Make sure that you don’t let any distractions get in the way.

Step 1: Choose a graphic template design

I highly (highly!) recommend that you use templates for your graphics. There are several different options for finding templates that we’ll talk about later in the post.

Using a template will allow you to systematize your graphics creation process. Instead of trying to come up with a new design every time you create a set of graphics. You can use your premade templates for your basic design and then adjust them for each article that you write. This will make your life so much easier.

I recommend having a few go-to templates that you use all the time. Then, you can simply change the colors, the photo(s), and the text overlay for each post.

This process will be easier for you because you won’t have so many decisions to make. It will also help you develop a strong visual brand because you will have a consistent look and feel across all your graphics.

Step 2: Make a list of all the graphics you need to make

Next, make a list of all the graphics you need for one post. It could be:

Your in-post images
Pinterest pins
Instagram images
Facebook images
Etc.

You might prefer to think about these as sizes or shapes. For example:

Vertical graphics
Square graphics
Horizontal graphics
Etc.

Here is my list of graphics for each blog post:

Post header – horizontal
Featured image – vertical
3 Pins – vertical
3 square graphics – for Facebook and Instagram
3 horizontal graphics – for Twitter (and sometimes Facebook)

Optional:

If the post includes a content upgrade to help grow my email list, I would also make an opt-in graphic that includes a mockup image.

Step 3: Decide on your color scheme

It’s much easier to batch graphics if you use the same color scheme for the whole set.

Depending on your brand colors, you might use the same colors for all your graphics. Or you might mix and match colors.

For example, my brand colors include aqua, teal, and navy. So sometimes, I use aqua as the main color for my graphics. Other times, I use teal or navy.

Step 4: Choose a photo to use for all your graphics

If you use photos in your graphics, then choose one now. You can select a stock image or choose pictures that you’ve taken yourself.

Depending on your niche, you may need to use multiple photos. Food bloggers, for example, often use several pictures from their recipes in their graphics.

However, if your picture is an accent rather than an integral part of your post, then it’s easier to use the same background photo for all your graphics. You only have to decide once, and you can just drop the image into each graphic super-fast.

Step 5: Create your in-post graphics first

I like to start with the graphics that will be inserted into my post.

For me, this includes the blog header graphic, the featured image, and the opt-in graphic (if applicable).

I usually create my featured image first.

I add my selected stock photo to the graphic template and then crop or move it around until I’m happy with how it looks. Then I add the post title and adjust the font size, spacing, and line breaks.

Once I get the layout complete for the featured image, it’s a snap to create the other images. I may need to tweak things a little to account for the different shapes and sizes, but the hard part is already done.

Here’s an example of my in-post graphics for this post:

Step 6: Create any other graphics that you need

Once the in-post graphics are completed, move on to creating any additional graphics that you need. In this step, you’ll batch social media graphics, batch Pinterest graphics, create graphics for your email newsletter, etc.

Again, this part is going to be super-fast because you’ve already decided on the colors, photo(s), and text overlay.

I start with Pinterest because that’s my most important promotional platform. I create 3 additional pins for each post.

Open up your Pinterest graphics templates
Drop in the photo(s) that you’ve already selected
Add your title as a text overlay
Change any colors that need to be updated

PRO-TIP

Be sure to save your template files with a new name related to your post. You don’t want to accidentally write over your templates.

Then follow the same process for any other graphics you need, such as square graphics for Instagram, vertical graphics for Instagram stories, etc.

You can see all the “extra” graphics I created for this post below:

That’s it. Using this process, you can create a whole set of cohesive graphics for your post. And by batching them in one sitting, it only takes a few minutes longer than if you had only created one graphic.

Once your graphics are created, be sure to export them from your design app as individual images. Then you can add the in-post images to your blog post. You’ll also want to load applicable images to your pin scheduler and/or social media scheduler, as needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find premade templates for graphics?

There are several places where you can find great-looking graphics templates that are designed by professional designers. You can buy premade pin templates, social media templates, or a complete set that includes both.

My favorites are:

Creative Market – they have templates for pretty much every graphics app imaginable. Whether you use Canva, Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Affinity Designer, etc. Here are a few examples:

Simplifying DIY Design – Kara offers unique Canva templates. She even has a set of free social media templates that you can grab here.

Are graphics templates hard to use?

Templates are super-easy to use. Since the designs are already created, you simply personalize them to fit your brand.

You’ll customize them with your brand colors and fonts and then save them as your own templates. When you are customizing your templates, be sure to add your business name, logo, or URL, as well.

Premade templates will have placeholder boxes where you can add your images, and they will also have placeholder text. So it’s super-easy to update them for each piece of blog content.

Wrapping Up

If you’ve been looking for a way to make your blog and social media graphics faster, batch processing truly is the answer. In this post, we talked about how to save a bunch of time by creating all of your images for a single blog post in one sitting rather than one-off. This will save you tons of time in graphic creation later on.

Want to remember this? Save How to Batch Graphics to your favorite Pinterest Board.

Download your free printable Business Planning Workbook for solopreneurs. Set your goals. Make your plans. Stay focused!