CREATE:

Making content for your online business

Tools for creating text, images, audio, video and other content for an online business.

Start with your subject and let the idea develop

CREATE is the first stage because individual pieces of content give your idea something to build on. Here, the focus is on making an audio track, a podcast episode, a graphic, an article or another useful asset. How you bring those pieces together can develop as you go.

An idea for a membership community might become a course. A planned course might work better as a downloadable guide. Creating a few useful pieces first gives you room to explore the subject and try out ideas before spending time and money on a platform that may no longer fit.

Choose something you care about

Start with a subject you know, enjoy or want to explore, and consider who would find it useful. Your experience, interests and enthusiasm can help you find something worthwhile to share.

Then think about how you feel most comfortable expressing it. You might enjoy explaining ideas through conversation, writing clear instructions, designing graphics or demonstrating something on camera. Start with a manageable piece that suits both your subject and the way you like to work.

If you already run a business, consider what your customers need and how content could help them. An illustrated written guide might make a technical subject easier to follow. A traveller might use video to share the sights, sounds and atmosphere of a place. A demonstration, interview or downloadable checklist could each serve a different purpose.

Give your content more than one use

Something you have already created can provide the starting point for another format. A demonstration video might supply screenshots for a written guide. A useful article could become a presentation, while a recorded interview might provide short clips or ideas for further articles.

Adapt the material to suit each format and the people using it. Reusing your own content can help you reach people who prefer to watch, listen or read, while making more of the work you have already done.

Choose the tools for your first piece

Once you know what you want to make, look more closely at the tools for that medium. Consider what you need to create, edit and finish your first piece, including whether a free option gives you enough to get started.

Check what you can finish and use

Before putting time into a tool, check what its free plan or trial actually includes:

• Downloads: Can you download the finished work in a format you can use?
• Branding: Will it include a watermark or the tool’s branding?
• Business use: Does the plan allow you to use the finished content for your intended business purpose?
• Paid features: Are the features you need included in an ongoing free plan, available during a trial or reserved for a paid upgrade?

Explore the categories below to find tools for your chosen format. The finished content can then help shape what you build around it.