Canva Enters Video Editing: What You Need to Know

Canva Launches New Video Editing Suite

Canva, a software startup valued at $40 billion, is expanding its offerings with the introduction of a comprehensive video editing suite. The company aims to broaden access to design tools for all users.

Origins and Growth

Founded in 2013, Canva arose alongside other design platforms like Sketch, Figma, and InVision, which challenged Adobe's dominance. However, Canva distinguished itself by prioritizing the democratization of design.

Its user interface was created to empower individuals with no prior experience to produce a wide range of visual content, including presentations, apparel, and social media graphics.

A Scene-Based Approach to Video Editing

The new Canva video software utilizes a scene-focused interface. This allows users to divide their video projects into manageable segments.

Within this framework, users can trim scenes (with this feature arriving shortly), manage multiple audio tracks, and preview their work directly within the editor.

Templates for Diverse Video Needs

To streamline the video creation process, Canva provides a selection of pre-designed video templates. These templates are tailored to specific platforms and purposes.

For instance, the design and editing requirements for a TikTok video differ significantly from those of a Twitch banner.

Addressing the Rise of Educational Video

Recognizing the increasing importance of video in professional learning – Canva reports that 20% of knowledge workers either create or consume video daily – the platform now includes screen and in-editor recording capabilities.

This functionality enables users to record themselves or their computer screens to produce instructional or informative videos for colleagues and teams.

Enhancements and Collaborative Features

For refining video projects, Canva offers animations and automatic transitions, all within its intuitive interface.

Furthermore, Canva Video supports real-time collaboration, allowing multiple users to edit the same scene-based project simultaneously, eliminating the need for file downloads and uploads.

Balancing Power and Simplicity

According to Rob Kawalsky, Head of Product at Canva, a key challenge in developing the video software was striking a balance between robust functionality and ease of use.

He explained that traditional video editing software often relies on complex, multilayered timelines.

“We developed a unique scene-based timeline, which organizes videos into scenes resembling presentation slides,” Kawalsky stated. “This approach is immediately familiar and ensures a consistent editing experience whether working with static or moving designs.”

Powerful features, such as animations and transitions, are available but presented contextually, simplifying the editing process.

Accessibility and Growth

Canva Video is available to all users as part of the company’s free plan.

This launch represents a significant expansion for Canva, which recently secured $200 million in funding at a $40 billion valuation and plans to double its workforce in the coming year.

Financial Performance and Future Outlook

The company is projected to achieve $1 billion in annual revenue for 2021, with over 500,000 teams utilizing its paid services.

The addition of video editing capabilities is expected to further accelerate Canva’s growth, building upon its successful transition from a B2C to a B2B model.

“Users often begin by designing a specific format within Canva, but quickly discover the platform’s broader capabilities,” Kawalsky concluded.