Our Favorite Free Graphic Design and Website Development Resources
When it comes to brand and web projects, we’ve come to find that there are a set of graphic design software and website development tools that we use again and again. Here are our favorite free resources and Google Chrome extensions for brand and website projects!
Our Favorite Free Graphic Design and SEO Tools
Wordstream
Wordstream is great for SEO. You take a keyword that you know is relevant for your business (for example, “website design), and put that into Wordstream. Then, the platform spits out a bunch of keywords that you can take and use in your website, page copy, blog posts, etc.
Canva
Next up is one that we’re sure you know and use, but we have to mention it: Canva.
Canva is consistently upgrading their game in features, design options, and tools.
Though they have their own library of templates, we like to make our graphics from scratch and love to use it when we have to put something together quickly, such as an Instagram or newsletter graphic.
Canva is also great to use for clients because it’s so easy! If you’re designing client templates, PDFs, or anything else, they’ll likely prefer Canva over Illustrator for its ease of use.
Plus, it doesn’t require a subscription.
Inkscape
Inksape is an awesome beginner tool for vector artwork. It sort of feels like the little brother of Illustrator. Though there is a learning curve, it’s a great resource if you don’t want to pay for Adobe but need a way to make vector-based artwork.
Coolors
This color palette generator is a great resource when it comes to branding projects. You can browse their pre-made palettes for inspiration, pull colors from images, etc. It’s a great way to play around with different shades and see what works best.
Pexels, Unsplash, & Pixabay
For stock photography and videography, Pexels, Unsplash, and Pixabay are great, high-quality resources. Their royalty-free stock options make all three a great resource for pulling photos and videos into various projects. Be sure to use credit as needed.
Note: Pixabay takes things a step further and also offers music, illustrations, and more.
The Best Chrome Extensions for Squarespace Design
Squarespace ID Finder
This extension allows you to easily access your website’s block, section, and collection IDs. It’s so much faster than using the inspect tool and helps create a smooth Squarespace website development experience.
First, you save the extension as a bookmark in your browser. Then, when you’re on your site, clicking the extension turns it on and makes all of the IDs appear. You can easily copy the ID by clicking the one you need, and then paste it into the CSS panel as needed.
Screenshot Capture
This extension is great if you’re on a PC where screenshotting isn’t as quick and easy as it is on a Mac. You just click the extension to turn it on, and then you can screenshot any part of the window.
Image Downloader
This Chrome extension accesses all of the images on a webpage to make downloading them simple. If you’re creating a website for a client and need to access the images on their old site, this extensions allows you to download them a lot faster than if you were manually saving each one.
WhatFont
We like to use this extension during the inspiration phase of projects. When you turn it on, it will display the name of any font on any website. Just hover over the text, and the name appears! It’s really great when you see a font you love and want know what it’s called.
GoFullPage
When designing websites, this extension allows you to take full page screenshots. It’s handy when you want to take “before” shots of a client’s existing website, or when you want to take pages of their new design to save or display in mockups!
