Prompt Best Practices

Canvora responds to what you tell it. The more clearly you communicate, the better your results. This guide covers practical techniques for both content input and edit requests.

When You're Adding Content

The content you put in directly shapes the visuals you get out. Here's how to set yourself up for success.

Give Context, Not Just Keywords

There's a big difference between these two inputs:

Vague: "Marketing tips"

Better: "5 email marketing tips that increased our open rates by 47%: personalize your subject lines, send at optimal times, keep subjects under 40 characters, A/B test everything, and segment your audience by engagement level."

The second one gives Canvora actual material to work with—specific numbers, concrete tips, a clear structure. The first one is just... a topic.

Include the Good Stuff

When writing or pasting content, make sure to include:

Numbers and statistics. "Grew revenue by 47%" is way more compelling than "grew revenue significantly." Specific numbers make for punchy, shareable graphics.

Quotable phrases. If there's a sentence in your content that would look great on a quote card, include it. Canvora picks up on these.

Clear structure. Numbered lists, bullet points, distinct sections—these help Canvora understand what's important and how to organize the visuals.

A Practical Template

Here's a format that works well:

Topic: Remote Work Productivity

Key stat: 73% of remote workers report higher productivity

Main points:
1. Set clear boundaries between work and personal time
2. Use time-blocking for deep work
3. Take regular breaks (try the Pomodoro technique)
4. Create a dedicated workspace

Quotable: "The secret to remote work is intentional boundaries."

This gives Canvora everything it needs: a clear topic, something quantifiable, structured points, and a potential quote graphic.

When You're Requesting Edits

You've generated your visuals, and something's not quite right. Here's how to ask for changes effectively.

Be Direct and Specific

Vague requests lead to unpredictable results. Compare:

Vague: "Make it better" Specific: "Make the headline text 20% larger"

Vague: "I don't like the colors" Specific: "Change the background to a dark navy blue"

Vague: "It needs more punch" Specific: "Increase the contrast and make the text bolder"

The specific requests tell Canvora exactly what to do. The vague ones are guessing games.

Name the Element

When you're asking for a change, specify which part of the image you're talking about:

• "Make the headline bigger"
• "Move the logo to the bottom right"
• "Change the background to a gradient"
• "Reduce the size of the subtitle"

This removes ambiguity and gets you what you want faster.

Describe the Outcome You Want

Sometimes it helps to describe what you're trying to achieve rather than prescribing exact changes:

• "Make this feel more professional and corporate"
• "Give it a warmer, friendlier vibe"
• "This needs to feel more urgent and exciting"
• "Can you make it more minimal and clean?"

Canvora understands these kinds of requests and adjusts multiple elements to achieve the effect.

Edit Request Examples

Here are some common edit scenarios and how to phrase them:

Changing Colors

• "Change the background to #1a1a2e" (for exact colors)
• "Use warmer tones throughout"
• "Make the accent color more vibrant"
• "Switch to a dark theme"

Adjusting Text

• "Make the headline larger"
• "Use a bolder font weight for the title"
• "Add more line spacing in the body text"
• "Center the quote"

Modifying Layout

• "Add more white space around the edges"
• "Move the main text toward the center"
• "Make the layout less cramped"
• "Put the logo at the top instead"

Changing the Feel

• "Make it more minimal"
• "This needs to feel more energetic"
• "Can you make it look more premium?"
• "Make it bolder and more attention-grabbing"

Avoid These Mistakes

Multiple Changes at Once

Don't cram everything into one request:

Too much: "Change the background to blue, make the text bigger, move the logo, add a border, use a different font, and make it more professional"

Better approach: Make one or two changes at a time. Start with the most important one. This way, if something doesn't work, you know exactly what caused it.

Contradictory Instructions

Be consistent with what you're asking for:

Contradictory: "Make it minimal but also add more decorative elements"

Clear: "Simplify this—remove the subtitle and the background pattern"

Being Too Vague

We've covered this, but it's worth repeating: "make it pop" doesn't give Canvora much to work with. "Increase the color saturation and add a subtle drop shadow" does.

A Pro Technique: Reference Styles

If you have a specific aesthetic in mind, you can reference it:

• "Clean and minimal, like Apple's marketing"
• "Bold and colorful, like a music festival poster"
• "Professional but approachable, like a modern fintech company"

These references give Canvora a stylistic direction to work toward.

Getting Better Over Time

The more you use Canvora, the better you'll get at communicating with it. You'll develop a sense of which phrases work well, how to describe what you want, and how to get to your ideal result faster.

When something works particularly well, take note of how you phrased it. When something doesn't work, think about how you might have been clearer. It's a skill like any other—practice helps.

For more on creating your first visual, check out our getting started guide.